TP_020719

12 | February 7, 2019 | The tinley junction news
tinleyjunction.com
St. Coletta’s to offer Autism
Engagement Program
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Submitted by St. Coletta’s
St. Coletta’s of Illinois announced
an expansion to its
program offerings with the
start of the Autism Engagement
Program, a pilot program
for adults on the autism
spectrum. The Autism
Engagement Program comes
at a time when other autism
programs have closed due to
a lack of funding and state
budget cuts. St. Coletta’s is
excited to be able to fulfill
a growing need within the
community.
“As parents, we are incredibly
grateful for St. Coletta’s
compassion and commitment,”
said Russell Luce,
parent of an autism program
participant. “We want nothing
but the best for our children
and programs such as
these are desperately needed.
We are hopeful that our
children will have a bright
future.”
Autism, or autism spectrum
disorder, is a developmental
disability that
provides challenges in social
interaction, speech, and
nonverbal communication
along with restricted or repetitive
behaviors. The effects
of ASD and the severity
of symptoms are different
in each person. Specialized
programs are necessary
to meet individual needs,
which is not offered in traditional
day programming.
“As individuals on the autism
spectrum age out of the
school system, a system that
has created and adapted their
programming to children
with ASD, adults are faced
with nowhere to go,” states
St. Coletta’s of Illinois Vice
President of Support Services
Heather Benedick. “Traditional
day programs do not
mirror what is offered in the
school system for those on
the autism spectrum to become
successful adults. We
want to be able to provide
that same structure in an
adult program so that they
can continue to experience
success.”
Traditional day programming
for people with disabilities
does not meet the needs
of individuals on the autism
spectrum because it does not
offer enough structure. It
also does not accommodate
sensory needs. Day programs
are often too loud, or
there are too many people in
one space, which can make
someone with ASD feel uncomfortable
or agitated.
Benedick goes on to say,
“Families are searching for
the right place for their adult
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sons or daughters, and I am
excited to be able to build a
program that we can adapt to
their specific needs instead
of having them adapt to our
programs.”
Participants in St. Coletta’s
Autism Engagement
Program will take advantage
of all the resources
available at the Tinley Park
campus but in a way that
accommodates their needs.
Through a structured environment,
participants in the
Autism Engagement Program
will focus on daily living
skills, communication,
functional and life-skills
building, pre-vocational
skills and community experiences
through repetition
built around an hour-byhour
daily schedule.
To learn more about the
Autism Engagement Program,
please contact Heather
Benedick, Vice President of
Support Services, at (708)
342-5206.
St. Coletta’s of Illinois
Foundation supports people
with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. To
learn more about St. Coletta’s
of Illinois Foundation
and its mission, please
contact Carrie Seida at (708)
342-5246 or visit our website
at www.stcolettail.org.