Independent Living Skills Training

for Teens and Adults with Autism

Ever since you learned that your child had a diagnosis of autism, your thoughts have focused on the future.

  •  What will life be like for him or her?
  •  Will he or she be able to have a career
  •  Will he or she develop meaningful relationships?
  •  What will he or she do after I’m gone?

You certainly need to think about what you can do now to prepare your child for what comes after high school and the years beyond.  Adolescence and the college years are a challenging time for many young adults and their families, even without a disability.  We know that those challenges are amplified when dealing with the needs of an autistic child. The time to start planning is now. We suggest that you start researching the services that will help your child build the prerequisite skills to perform at his or her maximum potential, whether it’s in college, on a job setting, or in the community at large. It is estimated that 800,000 children in the US have Autism Spectrum Disorder – what happens when these children grow up?Vista has been researching this question……and we have a solution. To address the needs of these young adults, we have developed a Teen and Adult Program:

  • Transition to Adulthood (13-19)
  • Skills for Independent Living (20+)

These programs provide a customized set of services and training that are designed to work toward agreed upon goals.  We are confident that as a result of participating in our programs, your child will be  prepared to cope with the stresses, spontaneity and choices of everyday life.

Teenagers with Autism: Transition to Adulthood Program (ages 13-19)

boy on job for blog postDuring adolescence, young people struggle with physical and hormonal changes, emotionality and situational challenges in school and with peers. All of which, combined, may create a deterioration of behavior for even typically-developing children.  Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder also have these challenges but their disability further hinders their ability to cope. Can you relate to any or all of these questons?

  • Is your teen starting to rebel because he or she wants more independence?
  • Does your child behave in a socially inappropriate manner?
  • Does your child lack interests outside of computer, television and IPod?
  • Is your child isolated and have few, if any, friends?
  • Is your child living in a world in which all of his or her needs are met without any effort?
  • Does your teen have poor academic skills, a poor work ethic, and only a minimal sense of any need to take care of him or herself?
  • Does your child play video games at every given opportunity to the exclusion of interacting with other people?

Adults with Autism (20+): Skills for Independent Living Programs

random7As your child becomes an adult his or her needs change. Our program is designed to adapt to these changing needs.  The goal of our Adult Program is to increase an autistic adult’s capabilities in areas critical to his or her next stage of life. Vista’s adult clients are served by our “Skills for Independent Living” program. The skills are developed in three separate modules, which can be implemented alone or combined with one another. The approach that we recommend will be determined by the results of our individualized assessment that we prepare prior to the start of the program. Skills for Independent Living Program Modules

  • Living Skills
  • Social Integration Skills
  • Vocational Skills