NEXT for AUTISM FELLOWS scholarship program, in partnership with Scholarship America, looks to provide financial support for students as well as encourage professionals working with autistic and neurodivergent adults. May 15, 2023 (New York, NY)–NEXT for AUTISM (NEXT), the leading nonprofit dedicated to transforming the national landscape of services for people with autism by strategically […]
Education
“Myth-busting” The Role of the Direct Support Professional: Professionalizing the DSP
By Brad Walker, Vice-President, Strategic Adult Initiative at NEXT for AUTISM and Shelly May, Deputy Director, Johnson County Developmental Supports/Board President – InterHab Autistic and intellectually developmentally disabled (IDD) adults desperately need quality community-based professional support. Close to 200,000 autistic individuals are waiting for access to a safe home and professionally developed DSPs, where they […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
A Second NYC Autism Charter School Opens in the South Bronx
NEXT for AUTISM had the proud pleasure of celebrating the opening of the second NYC Autism Charter School in the Bronx this fall. NEXT for AUTISM had the proud pleasure of celebrating the opening of the second NYC Autism Charter School in the Bronx this fall. Like the first autism charter school in Harlem, founded by […]
New Charter School for Children with Autism Opens in Bronx, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Quynh Thai, [email protected] (212)759-3775 A new charter school dedicated exclusively to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will open on Thursday, September 7th, in Bronx, New York. This is the second school under the umbrella of NYC Autism Charter Schools. The first school opened in East Harlem in 2005. The NYC Autism Charter School […]
Project SEARCH Graduates Reunite
Graduates of our Project SEARCH Collaborates for Autism (PSCA) high school, transition-to-employment training program gathered at the NewYork-Presbyterian Center for Autism and the Developing Brain for a lively reunion last month with classmates, teachers and job coaches. Parents and employers also attended, underscoring the warmth and community cohesion that very much reflects NEXT for AUTISM’s […]
The NEXTGen Board Visits the BOOST! After School Program
In an effort to gain a deeper understanding of NYCA’s work, our NEXT Gen board of directors recently spent time with children and teen mentors at the Jewish Community Center Manhattan’s BOOST! After School Program, one of NYCA’s first and banner initiatives. Ilene Lainer, NYCA’s President, and Allison Kleinman, Director of the Jack and Shirley Silver […]
A Special Parent -Teacher Bond
In Honor of All Teachers During Teacher Appreciation Month Pictured above: Mildred and her son, Jan Luis When six-year-old Jan Luis started at the NYC Autism Charter School (NYCACS), he quickly became attached to his teacher Chelsey, so much so that when dismissal came around each day, he would throw himself onto the ground, refusing […]
The Homestead- Night of Too Many Stars Grantee Spotlight
Grantee Spotlight: The Homestead Cedar Rapids, IA Pictured above: Jeff, Taylor, Leighton and Lindsey. Founded in 1991 by a dedicated group of parents and professionals in Central Iowa, the Homestead was created to address the lack of services being provided to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. Over the past two decades, […]
A Teacher in Training at the Hunter Autism Research, Practice & Policy Program
10 Years, 10 Triumphs Triumph 8: Hunter College Teaches the Teachers Tricia Mahalko is a special ed vet with 20 years of experience. For the past 7 years, Tricia has worked at PS 186Q in Bellerose, Queens. The elementary school has 40 children with autism. The school’s special education program chose Tricia to attend the […]
JCC & BOOST! Press Release
THE JCC IN MANHATTAN AND NEW YORK COLLABORATES FOR AUTISM CELEBRATE TEN YEARS OF INNOVATION Longstanding Partnership Has Generated New Opportunities for People on the Autism Spectrum NEW YORK, NY, July 16, 2013 — Over the past decade, the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan (JCC) has become a mission leader in the development of inclusion-oriented programs […]
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.
