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 […]
ilene lainer
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
10 YEARS, 10 TRIUMPHS IN AUTISM A Message from Ilene Lainer
By: Ilene Lainer I am the Co-Founder and Executive Director of NYCA. I am also the mother of two teenage sons, one who is typically developing and the other who has autism. It is my privilege to lead NYCA in collaborating to effect systems change regarding the way services are provided to people living with […]
