The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

One of the most frightening decisions parents make is who is to take care of their child with autism.  From babysitters to residential staff, it's always a worry.  The purpose of this presentation is to provide much needed practical information about choices for adult residential services and how to ensure that they are available for your child.  We will begin with identifying the kinds of information that should be collected prior to considering a residential placement.  Then we will outline the needs of your particular child and what documentation is required for your state agency to fully assess his or her level of need.  We will then demonstrate how this information can build a solid case to move your child off the "wait list" and into appropriate housing sooner rather than later.  This is particularily helpful for children with especially challenging behavioral issues that make it an unsafe environment at home for all family members.  We will have "real life scenario" dialog about fears and frustrations of dealing with state agencies, and how to best cut through the red tape, and sometimes intimidation, of agencies that are supposed to be there to support us. 

Lastly, we will outline specific budgeting and hiring strategies for self hire staff, along with how to assess if an agency is the right fit for your needs.  Based on all this combined information, the final step is to choose the perfect home.  We will also demonstrate how person centered residential placement is cost effective for the state and to the families.