Autism Story | Treatment Works | A Great Need | Consideration Amount | Pledge Card
“I know the program at Highlands will not only be a success, but it will be a ‘jewel’ in the state of Kentucky for the treatment of children with autism.”
- Leslie Sinclair
ClevelandClinic Center for Autism
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Research clearly indicates that ABA is the treatment of choice for individuals with autism. Unfortunately, this help is often unavailable to families, either due to its cost or the “know-how” required to teach it. This has forced families to move to areas of the country where ABA is available, settle for treatment that is not proven effective, or receive no treatment at all.
After a meeting with the families, Highlands researched the need on a local, state, and regional level. It was discovered that a high quality, research-based program, specific to the needs of children with autism, did not exist anywhere in Kentucky or in the surrounding regions. This prompted Highlands to take action!
In its search to help families, Highlands Health System learned that the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism, a division of the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, offered done of the most prestigious treatment programs in the country. After a group of representatives visited the Clinic in the summer of 2008, Highlands Health System started to develop a similar program in Prestonsburg.
A community meeting was held to test the idea of bringing services like those in Cleveland to a facility in Prestonsburg. Over seventy people attended and voiced their support to create the Highlands Center for Autism. People in attendance included parents of children diagnosed with autism, representatives from local school systems, health departments, mental health agencies, the vocational education center, social service agencies, and government officials. This support led Highlands to enter into a consulting agreement with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism to work toward the goal of “mirroring” Cleveland’s program in Prestonsburg.