David Van Buskirk is the owner of D&L Nursery in Ocklawaha, Florida, named for him and his late wife Linda. D&L has been in operation for over 25 years, no small accomplishment! In addition to their love and knowledge of bonsais, D&L’s success also stems from their connection to people and community. Each year for […]
Families
Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement Graduation 2023!
The Arc Westchester New York June 22, 2023 On June 20th, six participants of our Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement program graduated from their internship positions, celebrating their achievement with parents and loved ones in a small ceremony at the New York-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health in White Plains. Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement (PS-AE) is a ten-month […]
Workplace Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities
In our work with companies to create sustainable and scalable talent acquisition programs for individuals with disabilities, we field questions about accommodations that expose a persistent lack of clarity. Here is a quick FAQ to help answer some of those questions. How do I know when to provide an accommodation? The employee will request an […]
Supporting Adults in Medical Situations
SUPPORTING ADULTS IN MEDICAL SITUATIONS By Brad Walker, V.P., Community Living Supports Families with adult children on the spectrum face an additional layer of concern during the COVID-19 crisis. How should they prepare for medical emergencies for their adult children, many of whom may not be able to effectively advocate for themselves? What supports can […]
COVID-19 Isolation with the Carleys: How a Dad on the Spectrum Copes
By Michael John Carley, Autism Self-Advocate & NEXT for AUTISM Board Member There was tempered joy upon seeing my 23-year-old, who is also on the spectrum, exit the station. On one hand, C.C. was with us, his family, to ride out the coronavirus in less-impacted Wisconsin, joining Kathryn, myself, and his 14-year old brother. We […]
How To Attend Online Meetings
By: John Bryson, MS Ed, CESP | Senior Manager, Corporate Consulting BEFORE THE MEETING Prepare Environment Choose a quiet place with good lighting for your online meeting. Do not sit with your back to a window, and make sure there is light on your face. If possible, avoid places with background noises such as TVs […]
Grantee Spotlight: Up and Away Immersive Musical Now Online!
In 2018, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City created an innovative musical, designed just for children with autism and their families. Up and Away was a sold-out event in which each child became part of the story and journeyed through the set with actors trained on the sensitivities and challenges of […]
A Letter From Ilene Lainer – April 2, 2020
As I write this letter, the global health crisis has firmly taken hold in New York City, NEXT for AUTISM’s home. I’m relieved to report that our staff is doing well, having adjusted to working remotely with agility and speed. NEXT for AUTISM is fully operational online. Consistent with our mission, we are planning for […]
How To Structure Your Day
Working from home presents challenges that can be overcome with structure and scheduling. NEXT for AUTISM, using evidence-based practice, suggests the following tips for all employees, especially those with autism. Establish a Routine Start and stop at the same time every day Dress according to your company’s dress code Set up a regular work area […]
Adjusting to the New Normal
ADJUSTING TO THE NEW NORMAL Like everyone else, the team at Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement (PSAE) had to respond rapidly to the forced shut down due to the COVID-19 crisis – and they did, achieving a smooth transfer to remote learning for each intern and resuming the program’s regular schedule, five days a week. While […]
Tips for Supporting Employees with Autism & Other Disabilities During Stressful Times
For employees who are neurodiverse, the current state of uncertainty can be amplified by their social and communication challenges. NEXT for AUTISM offers these strategies to managers and colleagues, as well as the general public, who can play a role in helping people with special needs during this time. How to Communicate With Your Employee […]
Staying Positive: Some Helpful Tips
By Patricia Wright, Ph.D. MPH Patricia Wright, Senior VP of Program Development, offers her thoughts on how parents might mitigate anxiety for themselves and their children with autism during tough times. This is a fluid situation. Stay informed but try not to check your newsfeed constantly. This will contribute to your anxiety, which will be […]
“There’s No Place Like Home”
Courtesy of The Arc By Brad Walker, V.P., Community Living Supports A recent, national report by The Arc confirmed that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including those with autism, prefer to live in community-based settings. Community living, according to the report, is not only more cost effective, it also leads to positive outcomes in […]
Banding Together
Banding Together, a Night of Too Many Stars grantee, offers music therapy to hundreds of individuals with autism and developmental disabilities each year in San Diego County, California. Everyone gets a chance to play in these music sessions, while also learning skills such as expressing emotions, connecting with others, and socializing. What’s more, there are […]
The AAP’s Latest Recommendations on ASD: Our Takeaways
By Patricia Wright, Ph.D., MPH, and SVP Program Development The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently issued an updated clinical report on autism, its first in twelve years. The recommendations in “Identification, Evaluation and Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders” were notable for promoting early diagnosis and intervention and greater attention to adolescence and […]
20/20 Vision in 2020- A Letter from Ilene Lainer
As we enter a new decade, I’ve been thinking back on our work over the last ten years. Each of the programs that we built began with one common drive – to think forward and envision new possibilities for individuals and families living with autism. I look forward to the next decade, and am committed […]
There May Be An App For That
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/id-check-v2-600×338.jpg A guest blog by The Arc of Northern Virginia, a Night of Too Many Stars Grantee Every parent worries about their children’s safety, especially when the children are out in public. But parents of young adults with autism can live with heightened levels of concern. A casual excursion can easily turn into a traumatic […]
Making a Difference is the First Step
Brad Walker, VP of Community Living Supports, trains and consults with staff at NEXT for NEIGHBORS, our community living program currently in development. The program will employ the Professional Family Teaching Model, which emphasizes family-style living in a supportive, teaching environment for adults with autism. To honor National Caregivers Month, Brad celebrates two, exemplary professional […]
2019 Year End Review
Read about our 2019 work and accomplishments in our Year End Review!
Making the Arts Accessible to All
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Arts-Ed-Resize-300×300.png Museum outings are popular family affairs — meaningful activities that everyone can enjoy which are also educational. One challenge? The sensory stimuli can be overwhelming to some children, and even more so for some children with autism. Now, three museums across the country are doing something about it. Educators from the Kansas Children’s Discovery […]
The Case for Meaningful Work
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Copy-of-The-Case-for-Meaningful-Work-600×428.png by John Bryson, M.S.E, Sr. Manager, Corporate Employment Consulting, NEXT for AUTISM I’m often asked why I work in disability employment helping young people with autism and other disabilities prepare for and find meaningful work. My answer is always the same. I’m motivated by a case that lit a fire in me. Its senselessness […]
The Women of PSAE Get to Work!
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Screen-Shot-2019-09-03-at-4.49.42-PM-600×399.png By: Alison Bush, M.S., BCBA Meet Shannon. She’s one of two women who graduated in 2019 from our Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement internship and employment program or PSAE. Shannon was driven to land a meaningful job after the hard work that she’d put into the training program, and she did. She’s thrilled to be […]
Embracing the Amazing
On a recent afternoon, representatives from Queens Public School 219 brightened our day with an uplifting story about their school’s campaign to celebrate diverse abilities, “Embracing the Amazing.” The K-8 school in Flushing, Queens enrolls 700 students, twenty-seven percent of whom are on the autism spectrum. During the month-long celebration, children in the lower school […]
What’s New With Our Favorite Dads?
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ed-kevin-leo-2-600×358.jpg Three years ago on Father’s Day, we introduced our readers to Ed Tournu and Kevin Donohue, two Long Island dads who had adopted a boy with autism. Though they had only intended to foster 13 year-old Leo at the time, until a permanent home could be found, the dads fell in love with Leo […]
Autism Interns Gain Real World Experience While Raising Awareness
On a recent spring day, Shannon and Jack, two interns from the Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement employment training program, were spotted at an information table, greeting passersby on NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Westchester campus. They wanted to raise awareness about their program and the importance of work for people with autism. With the high rate of unemployment […]
A Happy Mother-Daughter Partnership
Mothers and daughters have connected over food for generations, but that wasn’t the reason that Arlene Maidman took her daughter, Julia, to cooking lessons four years ago. Family friends had gifted the lessons to Julia for her sweet 16, and Arlene just went along. But what she saw in Julia that afternoon changed both of […]
The Light In All Of Us
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Satya-and-Son-e1556742652157.jpg Satya, jewelry designer and the owner of Satya Jewelry, approached NEXT for AUTISM to partner on the launch of The Beautiful You Collection, which she had designed to honor the individuality and gifts of those on the autism spectrum. Satya is committed to celebrating our community and has pledged to donate a portion of […]
Open Yourself to a World of Possibility
https://nextforautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Pic1.jpg This remarkable 16-year-old high-school student, Shreya Suneja, became involved with autism causes when her younger cousin was diagnosed. She shares her story with us, hoping to inspire other young people towards greater acceptance of individuals with autism. Walking through the hallways of my high school, one thing has become very clear to me: we […]
Thinking Forward – April 2, 2019
We entered 2019 redoubling our efforts not only to build excellent model programs for people with autism and their families, but also to better define ourselves as an organization. I’d like to share some of our evolving insights with you, as they are our guide to moving forward. We Reimagine Autism Services. NEXT for AUTISM […]
The Coming Care Crisis as Kids With Autism Grow Up
The personal challenges and systemic barriers faced by adults with autism and their families are, indeed, as profound as outlined in The Atlantic article below. Life for adults with autism can be devoid of opportunity and hope. For parents, navigating a confusing system of support and facing an uncertain future are sources of unrelenting anguish, […]
A Message from Ilene Lainer – December 2018
2018 was a year of strategic planning as well as empowerment at NEXT for AUTISM. Our leadership looked back at 15 years of program building and planned forward. The process challenged us and affirmed our commitment to always ask, “What’s NEXT for autism?” This year, we focused our energies on creating opportunities for adults, the […]
2018 A Year of Empowerment
We empowered people with autism to thrive at work, at home, and in our communities with new programs and services. READ OUR ANNUAL REVIEW HERE
Video: What’s Next for Autism?
What’s Next for Autism? Meet Tamar, a recent graduate of our employment training program, as she embarks on a hopeful start at her first job. Laura Slatkin and Ilene Lainer provide impassioned interviews on NEXT for AUTISM’s vision for programs that support young adults like Tamar. Dr. Jeremy Veenstra-Vanderweele of the Center for Autism and […]
Good Work That’s Good For Business
Good Work That’s Good For Business Photo courtesy of CINTAS Corporation In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month this October 2018, we offer this story about the progress corporations are making to diversify the workforce and include people with autism and other developmental disabilities. With the expertise of disability consultants at ADVICE, and support […]
PS-AE: 9 Interns, 9 Graduates, 9 Jobs
Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement Graduation 2018! As the 2019 class of employment training interns begins this fall at Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement, we thought everyone would enjoy this video of the previous year’s graduation. Note the pride as these graduates share their accomplishments. We, too, are proud. 9 Interns, 9 Graduates, 9 Jobs. Here’s to […]
Living Away but Staying Close
How To Stay In Touch With A Sibling With Autism From Afar Andrea Bennett, OTD, OTR/L, Manager of Program Development at NEXT for AUTISM, shares tips from her experience as a sib. For any sibling, leaving home for college, work, or a new life can be a challenging adjustment that is layered with emotions. This […]
CADB Turns 5! Looking Back, Planning Forward
It’s hard to believe that it has been five years since the launch of Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, a comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and research clinic for individuals with autism of all ages and their families. CADB, as we call it, was created by NEXT for AUTISM in partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and […]
Happy Grads Celebrate Dads
June is the month to celebrate graduates and honor fathers. This month, NEXT for AUTISM is celebrating a group of bright, young adults who are graduating from our Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement employment training program at NY-Presbyterian Hospital in White Plains. After ten months of job skills training and internships, our graduates are setting off […]
“I Want to Keep You Every Day”
Launching a child into adulthood is, by all standards of motherhood, an endeavor of balance. It requires both faith in your child’s ability to be independent and confidence that she will circle back to you for support and love. For a mother of a child with autism, gaining interdependence with your child can be elusive, […]
A Message from Ilene Lainer
When the United Nations declared the first World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd, 2007, NEXT for AUTISM was already four years old. We had opened the NYC Autism Charter School, our first model program, and we were actively tackling the lack of quality services for individuals with autism and their families. We were then, and […]
Game On, Big Easy!
Golf may not be what first comes to mind when thinking about therapeutic interventions for young people with autism, but as taught by the Els Center of Excellence at the Els for Autism Foundation in Florida, it has turned out to be a winning choice. The Els for Autism Foundation, started by South African world […]
It’s Father’s Day! So What?
by Michael John Carley, NEXT for AUTISM Board Member As many people know, my son Will and I were diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome within a week of one another in late 2000, when Will was four. What some may not know, however, is that two days after my diagnosis, I figuratively stabbed him in the […]
Mothering Our Adult Son with Autism
By Liane Kupferberg Carter Before I became a mother, I harbored Hallmark fantasies about Mother’s Day. Here’s what I pictured: my children would make me burnt toast and runny eggs, serve it to me on a bed tray, and ply me with homemade cards, macaroni shell necklaces, and wild flowers they’d picked themselves. We’d spend […]
NEXT’s Very Own Superhero
Last year in fourth grade, Wesley Elkind had a brainstorm with his drawing teacher and mom. He wanted to work on an art-related project, but wasn’t quite sure what subject to choose. His teacher suggested that Wesley consider working on an issue that is personal to him, like autism. With an older brother on the […]
THE A WORD AIRS TONIGHT ON SUNDANCETV, 10PM EST
NYCA is thrilled to partner with SundanceTV to promote this groundbreaking television series about a family’s struggle with autism. At the series premiere in New York, David Remnick, NYCA board member and editor of The New Yorker, moderated a lively panel that featured Peter Bowker, the series writer, Ilene Lainer, NYCA’s president, and Eli Gottlieb, […]
Growing Towards Joy and Independence
Click here to view video: https://youtu.be/D0I_q_WeFSA NYCA recently hosted a screening of Life, Animated, an award-winning documentary film based on the book, Life, Animated: a Story of Sidekicks, Heroes and Autism, by Ron Suskind. A panel discussion followed, moderated by David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker magazine and NYCA board member, and featuring Ilene […]
The Lucky Ones
Pictured above: Edwin (left), Leo (center) and Kevin (right). When Ed Tournu’s leg was amputated due to a medical condition, he felt that his life was over. “I thought I was going to sit in a wheel chair all day and do nothing,” he recalled. Eight years later, Ed has worn out three prosthetic legs. […]
Twenty Minutes
By: Michelle Smigel Before I had a baby, I would look at other moms with their kids and think to myself, Wow, I’m going to be different. I’m gonna be the cool mom. The mom all the kids love and will want to play with forever. When my son, Daniel, was born 18 years ago, […]
Celebrating Community Connections
During Autism Awareness Month, we have been celebrating people on the autism spectrum and their friendships with this series of heartwarming photos. Thank you for celebrating with us! #NYCACommunityConnections Photo credit: Eric Vitale Photography
Celebrating Community Connections
Only a few weeks left in April! NYCA is celebrating people on the autism spectrum and the communities that embrace them. Join us by sharing our posts and your own stories using #NYCACommunityConnections
Celebrating Community Connections
NYCA is celebrating individuals on the autism spectrum and the communities that embrace them. What activities do you enjoy doing with your friend, family or community member on the autism spectrum? Comment and use hastag #NYCACommunityConnections
A Spectrum of Love Part II: When Romantic Love is Not Attained
An Interview with Dr. Mary E. Van Bourgondien, Ph.D., Clinical Director of the Chapel Hill TEACCH Center at the University of North Carolina We turn our focus to the majority of people with ASD for whom traditional, romantic relationships may seem out of reach. Without traditional romance, how can the needs that are typically met […]
Celebrating Community Connections
NYCA continues to celebrate people on the autism spectrum and the communities that embrace them. Comment and tell us what you’ve learned from a friend, family or community member on the autism spectrum using hashtag #NYCACommunityConnections
Celebrating Community Connections
It’s officially Autism Awareness month! Throughout April, NYCA is celebrating people on the autism spectrum and the communities that embrace them. Stay tuned to our social media and help us spread the word using hashtag #NYCACommunityConnections Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
A Spectrum of Love
A Spectrum of Love Romantic love, a yearning made urgent by Cupid’s visit this month, is a subject with which many in our community are preoccupied. They wonder if and how they will find love, and when they do, how they might navigate its occasionally tricky waters. We spoke to Dr. Catherine Lord, Director of […]
Father’s Day, Venturing Into the Deep End
By: Steven Kantor Typical greeting card sentiments just don’t capture the joys and disappointments of being a father of a child with autism. My youngest son Ari, now 18, was diagnosed with autism at 23 months. I dream of designing a greeting cards line for families with autism. Something like: “Happy Father’s Day! I know […]
Theatre Development Fund- Night of Too Many Stars Grantee Spotlight
Grantee Spotlight: Theatre Development Fund New York, NY Since 2011, Theatre Development Fund (TDF) has been sharing the magic of Broadway with children and adults with autism and their families through their Autism Theatre Initiative (ATI). According to Lisa Carling, Director of TDF Accessibility Programs, “As we talked to parents, special education teachers and psychologists, […]
What Father’s Day Means to Me as an Autism Dad
By: Rick Goldsmith NYCA Board Member Traditionally, Father’s Day is considered a time for children to honor their fathers by buying them presents, treating them to breakfast, or letting them do whatever they want. However, it is also a time for fathers to reflect on their relationships with their children and how they have enriched […]
BOOST! After School Program at the JCC Manhattan
10 Years, 10 Triumphs Triumph 5: NYCA Planted the Seeds for Inclusion and Programming with the JCC in Manhattan The creation of BOOST! is one of NYCA’s greatest triumphs in its 10-year history. As with all our collaborative programs, we researched best practices and found a terrific after-school program at Have Dreams in Park Ridge, Illinois. We […]
The Center for Autism and the Developing Brain Opens
10 Years, 10 Triumphs: Triumph 3 CADB Opens On Monday, our dream became a reality, the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain officially opened its doors to a new way of caring for people with autism. The state-of-the-art facility, which is located on New York-Presbyterian’s 214 acre Westchester Campus, serves children, adults and families dealing with […]
NYC Autism Charter School Peer Mentors Video
In 2005, we envisioned a place where children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) would not only learn from others but teach valuable lessons to their typically developing peers, teachers and community. We are proud to say that over the past 8 years we have seen this vision come to life.
