County Specific Resources: Summit County

Consultants create programming based on each child’s specific social, communication, academic, and self-help needs. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) forms the backbone of their therapy with other approaches encompassed within it.  Services for children 2-20 years of age, including several social skills groups.

The social groups are held at a space in Independence Square Plaza: 6537 Brecksville Rd., in Independence

Visit the ABA Outreach website for current social skills class schedule and rates.

Accepted Insurance: Anthem, United/Optum, Etna, CareSource. No waivers. Accept private payment. Scholarships: Autism scholarship, JP, NEON, family resource fund, private grants.

Akron Rotary Camp offers several respite programs throughout the year as well as summer day and overnight camps. They serve ages 6-adulthood. The goals are to increase camper’s independence and self-esteem; develop social skills; and to further strengthen the family unit by providing a safe, fun and nurturing environment for individuals with disabilities.

Weekend respite– Campers arrive on Friday evening and stay through Sunday morning. Throughout the weekend campers enjoy traditional camp activities, as well as special seasonal ones.

Adult respite getaway weekend– These are structured like the weekend respite program, but with the adult camper in mind.

Day respite– These respite groups provide a chance for children with special needs an opportunity to interact with well trained staff and engage in fun and developmentally appropriate camp activities.

School’s out respite– Developed to provide families with a place to send their campers when they don’t have school during winter break. Campers of any age are welcome.

Summer overnight camp– Children and adults with disabilities learn new skills, develop friendships, and gain independence through this one week overnight experience. Ages 6-17

Summer day camps– Campers enjoy traditional camp activities, while spending each night at home. Various locations.

Sibling summer camp– For one week the siblings of campers, ages 6-17, get to spend a week at camp. Typically developing campers will leave camp with a new appreciation for their brother or sister, and also find more ways to help their sibling with the challenges they may face every day.

Visit the Rotary Camp website or search their Event Calendar for current dates and rates.

An integrated sports program for individuals with or without disabilities where everyone, regardless of ability, is encouraged to participate on the field of athletic competition. Sports include bowling, football, cross country, basketball, track & field, soccer, bocce and golf. ATC is a sanctioned Special Olympics organization. Funding may be available to cover the cost of participation.

Visit the All-Star Training Club website or search our Event Calendar for current program schedule.

A non-profit group focused on helping parents and people with high functioning autism. Volunteers serve people in Summit, Stark, Portage, Wayne, Medina and parts of Cuyahoga counties. Parent support groups and adult support groups are available in Akron. The adult group also organizes social events.

Visit the ASPIES website or search our Event Calendar for upcoming meeting dates.

Summit County

A variety of programs and exciting activities for all ages including persons with disabilities.

Christopher Discovery Overnight Camp — Available for as little as one week or up to the entire summer. Campers stay in ramped, dormitory style cabins segregated by gender.
direct contact: (330) 334-2900

SumFun Day Camp — A multi-week summer day program based on school calendar for children with special needs, ages 5 though 21 who qualify for services through their local county board of developmental disabilities.
direct contact: (330) 376-2267

Community Respite — Participants must be 13 years old to attend. Available Friday evening to Sunday morning, one weekend per month. While most participants stay for the entire weekend, participants are not required to stay for the entire weekend.

Shuttle services are provided at various locations in Summit County.

Medicaid, IO Waiver, Level 1 Waiver, Family Support Services, ESY, private pay and other options are available.

Weekly based residential and day summer camp for school-aged children and adults. Each week will have its own theme with a variety of activities and entertainment.

Respite camp is available during the school year as well.

They support children, adults, and families who face abuse, grief, neglect, trauma, and mental health challenges. Specialties include early childhood, trauma, ADHD, mood/anxiety disorders, co-occurring disorders, sexual behavior problems, and adult services.

Services include: Individual, group, family therapy, and services for younger children. Respite, case management, intensive home-based therapy, assessments for children, 24-hour emergency services for clients, F.I.R.S.T Program for older adolescents and young adults with early onset psychosis.

If a family member is in crisis, you can text the keyword “4HOPE” to 741741 and expect a reply from a trained Crisis Counselor within five minutes. The message is confidential, anonymous and secure.

Several locations available throughout Summit County.

They provide educational, spiritual, pastoral, sacramental, catechetical, camps, social and recreational programs.

The mission is to assist people with cognitive and other developmental disabilities and physical disabilities to understand, develop and live out their lives as completely as possible within the Church and the larger community.

Camp Happiness is a summer program for children and young adults ages 5-21 with cognitive and other developmental disabilities, regardless of race, religion, culture or economic background.
They offer social and recreational activities, as well as skill enhancement. Participants also go swimming and on community field trips. Camp locations are in Parma and Wickliffe. Some financial assistance is available.

Their very popular Monthly Dance/Social offers persons of all abilities, ages 16 and over only, the opportunity to learn social skills and form friendships. Dances are held on the second Friday of the month, from 7-9pm. They take place at the OLA-St. Joseph Center, 2346 West 14th Street, in Cleveland. Entry for $3 dollars a person.
Call (216)334-2963 for more information, or visit their website.

Use the branch search on the library’s main website to determine the branch closest to you and for their class schedules.

A support group for adults ages 18-25 with Asperger’s or high functioning autism. The group is typically held at the Kent Student Center or the group will go out to a restaurant in the area. The group follows the university calendar, so it is closed during school breaks. Contact the phone number to learn about meeting dates.

Support groups are also available for caregivers in Kent and Ravenna, as well as a support group in Medina for families.

A social group that offers classes several times a year for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Any individual eligible for Summit DD services can participate in College for Living classes. Course offerings are listed in a brochure that is distributed quarterly. Participants are able to register for multiple classes.

Provides the following:

– Comprehensive Speech-Language & Educational Services (Preschool through Adulthood)
– Diagnostic Evaluations for all ages
– Individual & Group Therapy
– Socialization & Literacy Book Clubs
– Assistive Technology
– College Success Planning
– Communication Based Behavioral Interventions
– Educational & Agency Consultations & Professional Training

Summit County

Affiliated with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities.

Provides employment support services to persons of differing abilities in an effort to develop those abilities to achieve greater productivity, improved self-efficiency and freedom to live a more independent life style. Employment-related services include on-site job coaching, interview skills training, and resume and cover letter assistance.

Individuals interested in this program will need a referral from Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities before applying.

For Summit, Stark, Portage, and Medina: Contact Mark Bergert, (330)806.0497

For Tuscarawas, Holmes, Harrison, Coshocton, and Carroll: Contact Erica Jones, 330.447.4586

Summit County

Early Intervention (EI) is a statewide system that provides coordinated early intervention services to parents of eligible children under the age of three with developmental delays or disabilities. Every family served in EI will have a local EI team that consists of a service coordinator, service providers, and your family.

Local contact information is available by searching on the website.

Dr. Gen deals exclusively in orthodontics and has 2 office locations:

5827 Mayfield Rd.
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124

9964 Vail Drive
Twinsburg, OH 44087
direct phone: (330) 425-3573

Dr. Gindi is a pediatric dentist in practice with an orthodontist. He offers comprehensive pediatric dentistry and sedation dentistry for patients up to age 16.

His practice serves patients from Twinsburg, Northfield, and Sagamore Hills.

Summit County

Hattie Larlham is a nonprofit organization that provides medical, residential, recreational and work training services to 1,800 children and adults with developmental disabilities. The organization provides services to children and young adults at the Hattie Larlham Center for Children with Disabilities in Mantua, Ohio, and to adults at community-based homes throughout Ohio.

A team of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and therapists tend to the complex health requirements of Hattie Larlham residents, whether they live at the Hattie Larlham Center for Children with Disabilities or in community-based homes throughout Northeast Ohio.

Other programs include:

The Hattie Larlham Toys and Technology Library is a free community library of toys and communication, mobility and learning devices adapted to meet the physical needs of children and young adults with developmental disabilities.

Foster care program for people with disabilities.

Summer camps through The Play Center at Hattie Larlham.

Offers a medical center and home for children and young adults with developmental disabilities.

Offers residential services for adults with developmental disabilities with 24-hour medical support.

Summit County

Week-long programs offered throughout the summers and school breaks that teaches children with mental and/or physical disabilities how to ride a bicycle without training wheels.

There are several camps throughout Ohio. Visit their website to find the camp nearest you (the locations are updated often).

Some scholarship available.

Financial aid accepted.

For children ages 8-18

Quality residential services for individuals with developmental disabilities in either drop-in or 24-hour settings. They provide services for 5 counties in Ohio: Stark, Medina, Wayne, Tuscarawas, and Summit.

Second office information:
(330) 256-9938
1171 North Carpenter Rd.
Brunswick, OH 44212

School for children with autism, from kindergarden through 8th grade. The school is operated through the Summit County Educational Service Center. The school also offers a high school vocational program.

Children wishing to attend must acquire a district referral for admittance. It is a public school program and is not eligible for private pay enrollment.

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

Summit County

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

Summit County

Summit County

Dr. O’Shea’s areas of interest include adolescent gynecology, alternatives to hysterectomy, and minimally invasive surgery.

Must be between the ages 22 – 34

Works with children and adolescents ages 2-adult. She will service clients throughout Northeast Ohio. Services offered include school consulting, ABA consulting and therapy, academic and behavior intervention, parent training, and workshops.

A Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship provider. Accepts Medicaid insurance and CareSource.

Welcoming Christian church services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their friends, family and other supports.

Services are held in two different locations in the Cleveland Area:
1st Saturday of each month, 5:30pm:
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church — Hudson

3rd Saturday of each month, 5:30 pm:
First United Methodist Church – Cuyahoga Falls

Overall Program Brochure

Sibshops are designed to be a safe, fun, and special place for these kids, where they will find peer support and education that is recreational, with an emphasis on fun. The group is open to siblings in 3rd through 5th grades. Each Sibshop will be a three-hour session from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, with lunch included.

Read this flyer for more information.

Solutions Behavioral Consulting offers a variety of programming options individualized to meet each child’s needs. All of the programs are developed based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

Behavioral Consultation services provided by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) and include implementation of the IEP by utilizing evidence-based practices. Also offers: group ABA sessions, speech therapy, individualized tutoring, a new adapted swimming lessons program, and a Little Learners school prep program for preschoolers. Helps individuals ages 2-22.

SBC serves the following Ohio counties: Portage, Summit, Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Stark, Lorain

They accept United Health Care insurance.

Summit County

This organization addresses the needs of runaway, homeless and street youth and their families in the community by providing outreach services that promote safety, well being, self sufficiency and permanent connections with caring adults. They are a division of Shelter Care, a residential program for children.

S.O.S. is an emergency drop in shelter that provides services to youth ages 16 to 21 who live in Summit County.

Camp for people age 5 through adulthood who love sports. The camp is $225/week, with some financial assistance available.

Summit County

The Blick Center provides a variety of clinical outpatient, residential, day program services and other support services for individuals with developmental disabilities, behavioral health needs and other related conditions.

Services include speech, occupational and physical therapies, day programs, residential services, behavioral health including individual and group counseling, plus case management and representative payeeship services. The Blick Center can also provide behavior assessments from licensed BCBAs and sponsors a social group/day program for adults with intellectual disabilities called College for Living. The Blick Center was awarded the Best Practices Award from the Governor’s Council on People with Disabilities.

Accepts Medicaid, Medicare and CareSource insurance plans.

The program contracts with local school districts to provide academic instruction to students with a developmental disability and challenging behaviors. Their four classrooms are staffed by teachers, assistants and aides who are trained in behavioral support as well as each student’s Individualized Education Program.

The program is available for students with a developmental disability who have an IEP and are experiencing behavioral problems that require a higher level of intervention than their home school district can provide.

A grant-funded integrated research and intervention preschool classroom for children three to five years of age who have developmental concerns. The preschool incorporates components from TEACCH and ABA philosophies into its program.

A free public community school for students in grades 7 through 12 (ages 12-21) who learn differently. Some are gifted, others have learning disabilities caused by dyslexia, ADHD, Asperger’s or other disorders on the Autism spectrum. All struggle to learn in mainstream educational systems. They use unique teaching methods that encourage lifelong learning.

An adult theatre program for people of all abilities with an interest in learning and creating theatre. The program will provide training in skills essential for creating theatre and enhancing the quality of life.

Through role play, theatre games, mask work and character study, participants will strengthen their social and emotional awareness. The theatre provides a safe space for practicing the ability to self-advocate, follow directions, collaborate and to create and meet deadlines.

TES will conduct a comprehensive evaluation that determines a child’s strengths and weaknesses and will guide treatment planning. They provide educational services for children and teens ages 3-18 and their families. They have branch offices in California, Michigan and Ohio. Their headquarters is in South Pasadina, CA.

Services offered include:
Waiver services as an Ohio Waiver Provider
Speech and Language Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Behavioral Support and ABA Therapy
Psychological Assessments
Tutoring

TES is an in-network preferred provider with many insurance companies, including a variety of PPOs and HMOs, as well as Medicaid. In addition they accept the following forms of payment: personal/cashiers checks, money orders, and credit/debit cards via PayPal.

Classes are available to educate on several topics essential to independent living, including rights and responsibilities, self-awareness, sexuality, health management, vocational planning and financial management.
They can also assist individuals with nursing home transition.

They accept Medicaid.

Summit County

UDS serves individuals of all ages with all types of disabilities – from the mildest to the most severe. They are committed to offering high-quality options to help fulfill social, vocational, community living, low vision and transportation needs.

In addition there is a Toy & Resource Center for parents of children with special needs and a program with sports programs sanctioned by the Special Olympics.

Summit County

Zane’s Inc. helps children and adults with special needs in Northeast Ohio by educating their families about beneficial resources that will improve academic achievement. They do this through funding assistance, community outreach programs, and parent support services.

They also assist with financial support that can be designated for things such as: camps, therapies, respite, assistive or adaptive equipment, or communicative devices that help to meet daily challenges.