Community Life: Independent Living Skill Training (14-21 Years)

A guide, from the point of view of a parent, elaborating what needs to be done legally to help a child with ASD when they turn 18.

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An inclusive community working to strengthen the individual and social needs of persons with all types of abilities. They offer assistance with leisure skills, employment skills and independent living support.

Non-residential center for independent living whose board and staff are comprised almost entirely of people with disabilities.

Offering advocacy, information and referral, independent living skills training, peer support, a recycled durable medical equipment program and assisting in transitioning individuals from institutional settings to community living.

ArtWorks encourages students both to excel in school and to aspire to higher education. It is an arts-based job training and college readiness program for Northeast Ohio’s 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students.

Students are enrolled as paid apprentices to train under the guidance of master teaching artists, who mentor them in an art form while teaching them 21st century skills. The apprenticeship experience allows students to develop time management, professional communication, problem solving, and critical thinking skills, which are transferable to any workplace or college. Students also participate in workshops that focus on financial literacy, resume writing, financial aid applications, and interview skills.

All apprentices will have the opportunity to perform and/or exhibit their work for the public, and will leave the program with a portfolio that can be used when applying to college.

Sessions are offered both during the school year and over summer break.

Offers a variety of school services for children with developmental disabilities from birth to 21, including Early Intervention, Preschool, and School Age services.

Adult Services include employment assistance,community support, supported living/waiver services, investigative support, family support and transportation services.

A grass roots, consumer-controlled organization consisting of centers for independent living, their satellites and branch offices, statewide independent living councils, and other organizations working on issues of importance to people with disabilities living in rural America.

Residential services, adult day programs, independent living services, affordable housing, and respite for adults over age 18 with autism. Applicants must be a resident of the state of Ohio.

They offer a Social Living Club with weekly activities that includes non-residents.

The Summer Enrichment Program has been serving adolescents with autism for 18 years on the 80-acre Bittersweet Farms campus in Whitehouse, Ohio. Participation in the program is also offered through our Pemberville and Lima locations.

Waivers accepted.

CIP is one of the most comprehensive programs in the world for assisting young adults on the autism spectrum and with learning differences to succeed in college, employment, and independent living. CIP’s mission is to inspire independence and expand the foundation on which young adults can build happy and productive lives.

They offer:
– Full Year programs
– Summer@CIP programs
– Mploy: job readiness programs
– Workbooks and resources for parents

For individuals ages 16 to 26. Some services may be covered by insurance or public assistance. Families are encouraged to check with their insurance companies and with public assistance agencies to understand what coverage may be available.

5 Locations across the USA :
– Lee, Massachusetts
– Brevard, Florida
– Bloomington, Indiana
– Berkeley, California
– Long Beach, California
International students are welcome!

Hattie Larlham’s Constant Companions program is expanding, growing from a day program with domestic pet care as part of social and practical skill development to a multi-faceted program, supporting an individual’s personal choices as a path toward independence. Types of activities include but are not limited to experiences such as:

• Health and wellness education via memberships to rec centers and gyms, participation in community exercise and cooking classes, and community wellness events
• Enrichment through arts and cultural attractions including local zoos, diverse museums, the Great Lakes Science Center, and music and theater performances
• Community trips to increase independence, such as grocery shopping, travel training, laundromats, computer classes, and trips to local eateries both to see behind the scenes and as customers

Tours are available at their newest facility in Mayfield Village by contacting the site manager Simone Wright Dotson at the contact information listed.

or simone.dotson@hattielarlham.org to be listed in contact information)

They provide driving evaluation services for drivers with acquired disabilities. They evaluate the ability of the physically or visually impaired driver to obtain a driver’s license and safely operate a vehicle, including those affected by stroke, brain injury and other conditions.

Provides organizing and time management techniques for parents, adolescents and young adults. Hands-on organizing and coaching consultations for managing possessions, papers and time.

Ascentia provides comprehensive integrated services for individuals with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities and serious mental illness. Includes the following services:

Community Support Services
Family Advocacy & Support Services
Clinical & Therapeutic Services
Residential Services
Supportive Employment Services
Community Integration & Wellness
Adult Day Support
Horvitz YouthAbility Program
Planned Lifetime Assistance Network (PLAN)

The Kelly Autism Program offers educational support through Individual Education Plan assistance, classroom adaptations and tutoring, community involvement through active participation in community activities, social and leisure activities, job coaching, and parent support. They support clients ages 6 to adult.

KAP offers programs for Elementary, Middle and High School students. They also offer a college support program through WKU.

This is a private pay service, with some financial assistance available.

Offers many services for children and young adults (ages 18 months – 22 yrs.) with a multitude of neurological and psychological diagnoses, including treatment services and intervention with an emphasis on prevention, behavior management and positive behavioral supports.

New programs include an autism diagnostic clinic (with a guarantee of 4-week scheduled appointments) ;
A new adult services division called Link Up offering a day program, which will accept the medicaid waivers;
KidsLink Connect — an insurance-based intensive ABA home and/or center programming

All professionals are experts in behavioral intervention.

These therapists have experience working with children and adolescents with autism: Michele DePolo; Richard Cowan

Occupational therapists design programs to help patients achieve maximum independence in their daily activities.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services – designed to help individuals develop reasonable expectations of employment based on their individual strengths and limitations. Vocational counselors identify these factors through various tests, which assess the person’s readiness for work.

Several locations available throughout the Cleveland area.

Provides information, education, training, employment, and independent-living services to adults ages 18+ with disabilities. Also offers community-based evening and weekend activities.

A self-pay option has been developed for benefits services, including applications for Social Security and Medicaid, as well as Benefits Analysis, a process whereby individuals can understand the impact of employment on their eligibility for public benefits.

Services are available in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties.

A website/mobile app that can teach children the rewards of earning money for chores and jobs determined by parents. The site can link to bank savings accounts for savings, and amazon.com for spending, once the child has earned the appropriate number of points.

New Avenues’ programs are currently serving over 700 individuals, ages 3-100 years in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Summit counties. The individuals served include those with disabilities and chronic health conditions such as developmental disabilities, mental illness, autism, cerebral palsy, brain injury, and Down syndrome.

Services offered include Residential Services, Supported Living/Community Services, Vocational Services, Day Services, Senior Services and Children’s Programs (summer camp and recreational program).

They have a satellite office in Ashtabula:
2125 West Prospect Road, Ashtabula, Ohio 44004
(440) 964-2264

An educational initiative for transition youth ages 14 -24 who live with ASD.

This six-week series meets on Sundays from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Classes will be led by education specialists and will provide opportunities for participants to build social skills, interact with peers, and discover recreational and leisure activities.

SAILS (Supported Academics and Independent Life Services) at Seattle Central College is located in the heart of Seattle, in the vibrant Capital Hill neighborhood.

SAILS provides individualized academic coaching services for students with ASD so they can be successful in college. In collaboration with Student Services, Faculty, Staff, and Campus Departments to facilitate a positive college experience for students with ASD. Their goal is to empower students by creating opportunity for their educational success. They encourage independence with an inclusive, whole life approach. They teach students with disabilities to effectively self advocate in college.

Schaefer Education Solutions is an agency dedicated to educating individuals who have special needs in the Cincinnati and Dayton area. They offer 1:1, in-home instruction for students between 2 – 22 years old.

In-home ABA programming is available, as well as school services, behavioral support, social skills training and life skills instruction. All services are performed in the home or in a mutually agreed-upon location.

They also offer trainings for parents so parents and guardians can learn the proper skills for continuing their child’s training.

They accept Jon Peterson Scholarship and Autism Scholarship.

A free class for persons with developmental disabilities ages 14-24, held at the LEAP offices in Lorain, OH. Subjects include self-advocacy, self-determination, career exploration, health and safety, and artistic expression.

Offers advocacy, independent living services, information and referrals, and peer support.

Serves the following counties: Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Tuscarawas

This guide was published to help older teens and young adults gain more self-determination putting them on their way to becoming self-advocates.

The guide covers several subjects like discovering good leisure activities, finding strengths and challenges and how to use them effectively, managing health care, and independent living skills.

To read the guide, click here.

Springboard Momentum is a three to twelve month Coach Mentor program working with young people to help them effectively launch into adult life.

They work with teens and young adults with high functioning Autism, helping them with practical issues via using licensed social workers as mentors and a psychologist as a parent coach.

Center for Independent Living (CIL) serves Northwest Ohio. With a main campus located in Sylvania, Ohio, and two satellite offices in Bryan and Port Clinton, Ohio, ACT serves seven counties: Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Williams and Wood.
They provide a variety of services including: Information and Referral, Advocacy, Independent Living Skills Training, Peer Support and Community Living.

WRILC offers several types of programs for teens and adults to help them transition into becoming more independent in daily life. They do this through independent living skills classes as well as self- and community advocacy.

There are also monthly social events and programs open to the public.

A Curriculum-based tool that can help young adults plan for life after high school. It provides content and interactive activities for teens to connect with what’s important to them.