MANSFIELD, Ohio — Local teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an opportunity to improve their social and problem-solving skills in a friendly and accepting atmosphere via Richland Aspirations.
Modeled after the “Aspirations” program developed by Dr. Tom Fish of The Ohio State University Nisonger Center, Richland Aspirations was designed to meet the needs of teenagers, ages 13-17, and young adults, ages 18-25, with ASD. It was created by a group of local entities, including Richland Newhope, Catalyst Life Services, Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services, and The Ohio State University at Mansfield, with the help and guidance of Dr. Fish.
After more than a year of preparation, the first Richland Aspirations session was held in February of 2013. Since that time, a total of five groups have completed the eight-week program–three young adult groups and two teen groups.
Participants are guided in ways to improve and enhance their skills, while developing self-awareness, social insight and independence.
Facilitators of the hour-long group sessions include staff from both Richland Newhope and Catalyst Life Services.
“The teens have said, ‘This is one area where I actually feel like I fit,'” said Catalyst’s Jamie Starkey, who serves as one of the facilitators.
During the program, the group participates in a social outing at a local restaurant, where they work on their social skills and learn cultural etiquette, like leaving a tip.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, autism spectrum disorder is characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
Newhope’s Carla Rumas, another facilitator, noted that an 18-year-old girl who participated in program had previously never felt comfortable ordering food at a restaurant for herself; her mother would always order the food for her, Rumas said.
“At the end of this program, or close to the end, the mother said, ‘You’ll never believe what happened over the weekend… We went to a restaurant Saturday night and when the waitress came up to the table and said, ‘Can I help you?’ my daughter turned around and said, ‘Yes, I would like to have a such-and-such and this to drink.’
“And the mother sat there with her mouth open because this had never happened before,” Rumas said. “This mom couldn’t believe the change.”
Rumas continued, “The girl continued to blossom after she left our group and actually went into the classroom and worked with other children to help them deal with some of the issues she had dealt with.”
Another success story shared by Rumas dealt with one young man who was part of the program last year. She said he’s slated to return to school this, noting, “[His parents] were thrilled to death and feel like he’s now ready and able to handle it because he was part of this Aspirations group.”
Once the program is completed, quarterly reunions are held for the participants, giving them a chance to reconnect.
“Some of them have formed very good friendships with each other,” Starkey noted.
The program also includes sessions for the parents of the teenage and young adult participants. While their child is in the program, the parents meet weekly at the same time and have the opportunity to talk and share useful information.
The parent meetings often involve outside speakers who discuss a variety of topics. Starkey said they’ve had speakers from vocational services, housing departments, among other services present at the meetings. Check out the video, “Parent’s Perspective on Richland Aspirations,” to learn how the meetings impacted a parent who participated in the program with her child.
The program is held in the spring and the fall at OSU-Mansfield.
Starkey said that participants are not required to be a client of any service provider like Newhope or Catalyst to apply for this program–which is offered free of charge.
For enrollment information, contact Rumas at 419-774-4288 or crumas@rnewhope.org.
On how the enrollment works, Starkey said, “We interview the kids, we interview the parents and then we pick a group of people that fit together. We don’t want anyone to feel like they’re the ‘odd ball out’ in this group of people, so we have to figure out functioning-wise, age-wise, interest-wise who fits together.”
For those who aren’t immediately accepted into the program, they’re put on a waiting list.
The program is open to residents of Richland and neighboring counties, though first priority is granted to those who are Richland County residents.
“And the mother sat there with her mouth open because this had never happened before,” Carla Rumas said. “This mom couldn’t believe the change.”
