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A Capital Campaign for the RECREATION COMPLEX

Expanding recreation activities available at The Els Center of Excellence® campus.

Recreation Complex

Sebastián López Durán

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Sebastián López Durán was born in Guatemala in 1986 and belongs to Asperger’s Syndrome. He paints in a self-taught way a vocation to relate to the world. He paints to express, he enters every day in the world from his autistic world. Cubism innate not learned, like the one that Picasso dreamed after his long journey. Cyclopean characters, with scratched eyes and strong hands of six and eight fingers. It results the eripheral visions. Houses, cities, windows, signs and more signs, obsessive world and explosion of color.

 

 

An Eye-Opening Experience

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Three years ago, Riley Banker of Jupiter, Florida, ventured into the Els Center of Excellence, hoping it was somewhere he could make an impact. Riley’s initial attraction to the Els for Autism Foundation was its Founder, World of Golf Hall of Famer and four-time Major Champion, Ernie Els. An avid golfer himself, Riley was most interested in volunteering on the golf course. After he attended the Els for Autism volunteer orientation, he began assisting during the golf sessions at summer camp.

Volunteer orientation educates volunteers on the nature of autism spectrum disorder and the unique traits and behaviors of individuals with autism, so volunteers know what to expect.

“I learned a lot through the volunteer orientation, so when I started I knew that each person on the autism spectrum is very different,” Riley said.

While orientation prepared him to work with the traits of individuals with autism, Riley soon realized that the kids he was helping were not too different from most neurotypical kids he knew.

“They’re just kids that have been born a little differently and still need people to love and care about them,” he said. “No matter what part of the spectrum you are on, anyone can feel joy from hitting a golf ball.”

Kelley Coutts, Recreation Coordinator at Els for Autism says that Riley is a star volunteer, able to work with participants of all ages and abilities.

“He has worked really hard to build positive relationships with all of the participants,” Kelley said. “He has wonderful enthusiasm and energy.”

One of Riley’s favorite parts of volunteering is getting to experience each golfer’s improvement.

“No matter which level they start at, everyone is able to get better and progress over time. Having the opportunity to see a person improve is an irreplaceable feeling,” Riley said.

Riley is beginning his Junior year as a homeschooled student and will be taking dual-enrolled college classes, in addition, he will continue to volunteer during the tennis and golf fall recreation programs, as well as summer camp. He is accumulating volunteer service hours for the Congressional award, an award for youth that he has been striving for since he started high school. The Congressional awards are earned by reaching goals in four program areas – voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, expedition/exploration.

But for Riley, this is about more than volunteer hour requirements or medals. As an Els for Autism volunteer, he has been able to make an impact in the lives of others, and his life has been impacted in return.

“It’s one of the most rewarding experiences you can have.  Volunteering has been very eye-opening and has changed how I approach everyday life,” Riley said.  “I would recommend it to anyone.”

Now Accepting Nominations for The Els for Autism Spectrum Award

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Since 2015, Els for Autism Foundation has honored an individual with autism spectrum disorder with the Els for Autism Spectrum Award. Recipients of the Els for Autism Spectrum Award are individuals with autism who have shined a positive light on autism through his/her character, positive attitude, and contribution.

Nominations for the 2019 award are open through August 1, 2019. Submit a nomination and learn more about the award here.

The 2018 Els for Autism Spectrum Award was Adam Jones. Adam was honored at the Foundation’s 2018 Grand Finale celebration in Palm Beach, Florida. Read more about Adam below.

2018 Els for Autism Spectrum Award winner

Adam Jones

Adam Jones believes everyone deserves a chance.  Diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, growing up he had a difficult time communicating and engaging in society.  At the age of 17, Adam found his passion while watching the movie Seabiscuit which lead him to pursue his calling – working with horses and with people on the autism spectrum.

Today, employed full-time as a Barn Attendant at Madison Fields in Dickerson, MD, Adam is an advocate for employing adults on the autism spectrum and contributes to his community towards autism awareness.  He believes that people like him deserve a fighting chance and a way to find their true sense of self-worth.  Working with horses has helped him to be a role model for others as he is passionate, serious, and takes tremendous pride in his work.  “When people on the autism spectrum see me handling these huge animals,” Adam said, “they think, I can handle it too!”

Going Solo: An Introduction

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By Merrick Egber

It was an exciting day when I turned 30. For many people, the idea of spending what should be a celebratory event at the tragic site of Clear Lake, Iowa, in the Surf Ballroom where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper played their last show before the “Day the Music Died,” would seem a little bit depressing. However, I found the darkness and history of this site to be an interesting and exciting way to spend my 30th birthday. I had no companions, an acute phobia of heights, lived with my parents, and was a year into my part-time job at the Els for Autism Foundation.

Up until this point, my only jobs had been either temporary or part-time, and I was starting to feel old. I suffer from what I’ve termed “disassociative depression” (a depression at odds with my objective reality) anxiety, and constant suicidal thoughts. I wasn’t sure if I would even live long enough to see a full-time prospect, or live on my own, but two years later some dramatic changes would unfold.

I was interviewed for a few magazines, had the opportunity to speak in public at a few of the Foundation’s events, and in January 2019 I was declared a full-time Administrative Assistant for the Foundation–one of the few individuals with autism to have such a position.

When I started my new role, my first thoughts were of fear, of nervousness–those malnourished maladies of malaise still try to influence me heavily–but through the scaffolding process the Foundation has given me, it has been a somewhat easy slip to go from part-time to full-time.

Through this promotional update of my responsibilities, I finally convinced myself to put money down on a nearby apartment, to live alone at the age of 32, a time where much of my generation– especially the autistic members–still live with their parents.

This article series is not just to show people what it is like to be a millennial with autism who lives alone, I also hope to inspire and empower anyone who longs to be independent. Maybe, down the road, I’ll even have a companion which will show how far I’ve progressed in my life.

Lest you think that this comes completely unattached, dear readers, that is not the case. My parents have agreed to half-subsidize my monthly rent, and if everything falls through, there is still a beacon where they will be. They have also asked that I check in with them, when the times are right, and that I spend a day with them once a week, which I will see how much all of it is needed.

I may have mentioned previously, in a prior blog article, about an earlier experience in an independent living program up in Gainesville, Florida from 2004 – 2006, but that was a different situation with three additional roommates. It has always been my desire to live alone and this experience will resolve.

Our Global Reach Keeps Growing!

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In many countries, there is a distinct lack of access to information and to therapy providers specializing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

World of Golf Hall of Famer and four-time Major Champion, Ernie Els and his wife, Liezl, experienced this first hand.  Their son, Ben, was diagnosed with ASD in 2005.  At the time, he was three years old and they were living in the U.K.  After doing a lot of research, Ernie and Liezl discovered that schools and therapies were more available and further ahead in the U.S.  Since Ernie was playing a lot of golf tournaments in the U.S., it made good sense for the family to move.

But not all families can just pick up and move.  In 2015, to service U.S. and international families, the Foundation initiated its GOALS (Global Outreach Autism Learning Services) program.  This program gives families around the world an opportunity to access a highly-qualified transdisciplinary team, an integration of professional expertise, that includes: Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Music Therapists.  These professionals work together, using a train-the-trainer approach, to develop unique and individualized programs for individuals with ASD, their families, and therapists/professionals.

The GOALS program commences with a comprehensive, remote in-take process.  With the train-the-trainer program, a face to face consultation with the families and their therapists/professionals is set-up for typically one week in length.  Throughout the week, the family is provided with coaching, support and recommendations of best practice in ASD. A key component of the GOALS program is to support parent/caregiver and therapists/professionals in their ability to translate what they have learned into practice in their home environment. To ensure the customized plan and training is successfully implemented, the Foundation staff provides a report summarizing the recommendations.  The team follows up monthly via video conferencing to monitor progress.

To date, the Foundation has provided this program to over 115 families outside the U.S. as they have participated in a service within the GOALS program from countries, including Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, Honduras, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, UAE/Abu Dhabi, and Venezuela.

 

A Swimming Pool is Coming to The Campus!

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Recent research (1) indicates that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at a substantially increased risk of accidental death, particularly from unintentional drowning. Fatal drowning in children with ASD typically occur in water bodies (unsecured ponds, lakes, canals) near their homes. From 2009 to 2011, accidental drowning accounted for 91% of total U.S. deaths reported in children with an ASD ages 14 and younger. Wandering was the most commonly reported activity that led to drowning, accounting for 73.9% of the reported incidents.

The Foundation’s goal is to provide swimming lessons and water safety training to reduce the risk of accidental drowning in a positive and safe environment.  An additional study (2) has shown that children who receive swimming lessons and water safety training, at an early age even as soon as diagnosed, acquire the skills faster and thus may improve their survival chances if they wander into a dangerous situation. In this study, evidence was provided showing that children with ASD can improve water safety skills, which are important for drowning prevention after only 8 hours of intervention. The lessons and training planned include; infant /child swim self-rescue, swimming and water safety lessons (all ages), aqua therapy, aqua aerobics, swimming as part of the physical education classes for the two public charter schools on campus and use of the splash pad to promote social opportunities and to offer water experiences for individuals that cannot swim or are fearful of immersion in the pool.

The pool, splash pad and open-air pavilion has been fully-funded by a generous donor. With additional funding, the Foundation would like to cover the pool to allow for year-round instruction.  The aquatic center plan is currently in the architectural design phase. Breaking ground is targeted for early 2020 and the grand opening will be towards the end of the year.

 

  1. Study: December 2017/ Joseph Guan and Guohua Li/Characteristics of unintentional drowning deaths in children with autism spectrum disorder
  2. Study: December 2017/ Michele L. Alaniz, Sheila S. Rosenberg, Nicole R. Beard et al /The Effectiveness of Aquatic Group Therapy for Improving Water Safety and Social Interactions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Program/ Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Safety First!

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While too often we are notified of tragic events happening on school campuses across the U.S., the Foundation staff have been putting plans into place to manage unplanned events should one ever arise.  These events can come in many forms, natural events such as hurricanes and tornadoes or man-made events such as an intent to cause injury or disrupt operations.

The Foundation has been working diligently with the schools, law enforcement and many other organizations to establish safety plans which include campus evacuation, safety equipment, internal and external communication systems, and campus-wide training.  Our campus-wide Emergency Response Team is in place with key members from the Foundation, The Learning Center and The Learning Academy.

If we were to ever experience a worst-case scenario, the Foundation staff has developed a Campus Safety Crisis Counseling Plan, identifying both internal and external counseling support teams whereby counseling would be offered in individual, family, groups, classroom monitoring and/or education session for staff and families.

With our safety measures in place, we can react to most any type of an event with intelligence and awareness, in-place staff assignments, and a process for every individual on the campus to follow.

Expanding Adult Services Programs

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The theme of this year’s Els for Autism Golf Challenge Grand Finale, the culmination of the Foundation’s largest fundraising event, will be ‘Bridging the Gap’.  When young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) graduate from school at the age of 21, many have a difficult time developing a continuing education plan, gaining paid-employment, obtaining independent living, participating in community activities, or getting access to services.

This gap is so significant, the Foundation’s Adult Services team has been developing and delivering programs in three critical segments:

EMPLOYMENT Work Experience Program
Vocational Rehabilitation
Job Club
Bridge Program
CONNECT Mentor Program
INDEPENDENT LIVING Special Adults Life Skills Academy (SALSA)
Community Access Program
SOCIAL AND RECREATION The Spoken Wheel Society (Adults with autism social group)
Family Roundtable Discussions
Family Roundtable Cooking Lessons
Recreation including golf, yoga and music

For this newsletter article, we will focus on how the Foundation is ‘bridging the gap’ in the employment segment.

The flagship, Work Experience Program that started in 2016 partnering with PGA National Resort & Spa has now expanded beyond the hospitality industry and into the municipality industry with the Town of Jupiter and the healthcare industry with Jupiter Medical Center. To date, the Foundation has trained 81 number of participants and 52 have been hired into local businesses.

For participants in the Work Experience Program, the Foundation offers Job Club. This program provides instruction on pre-employment skills such as applying for a job, interview skills, letters of recommendation, teamwork, first impressions, self-advocacy, getting along with co-workers, handling criticism, and customer service.

For individuals needing additional skills before training in the community, Bridge Program provides a path for participants to matriculate into the off-campus Work Experience Program once specific criteria are met.

Read a few stories about graduates of the Work Experience Program that have gained paid employment:

The newest employment program launched by the Foundation in the fall of 2018 is the CONNECT Mentor program.  Research and anecdotal evidence suggest a mentor can have great impact on many aspects of an individual’s life and future success.  The CONNECT Mentor Program matches young adults who have completed the Foundation’s Work Experience Program and are receiving Supported Employment Services through the Foundation with young professionals in the community to support the mentee’s personal and professional growth.

After completing the first 10-month program, one of the mentors stated, “Since being in the program I have built confidence in my ability to mentor individuals with autism as they are looking to gain employment. I had no prior mentor experience in this capacity and the program guided me through any questions and concerns I may have had and was a great resource to lean on during the session. By participating in the program, I have expanded my professional skill-set and am better-equipped for leadership roles in the future.”

The Foundation’s Adult Services team is now focused on launching new microbusinesses on The Els Center of Excellence campus to train and employ individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities. ‘Spectrum Venues’ will be the first business and will offer a variety of rental spaces to families and to the community at large who would like to utilize the beautiful facilities while supporting the mission of the Foundation to help people on the autism spectrum fulfill their potential to lead positive, productive and rewarding lives.

For additional information on the Foundation’s Adult Services programs, contact Dr. Kerri Morse, email: kerri.morse@elsforautism.org

As a reminder, all Affiliate Events and Golf Challenge teams that raise $15K or more by September 18, 2019, qualify to attend the two-day Grand Finale in Palm Beach, FL hosted by Ernie and Liezl Els. By fundraising and qualifying to attend, you will be able to experience BRIDGING THE GAP in person.

 

A Cup of Success

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“We had such a great experience with Els for Autism events, with the community, and with our intern, it was no question if we could make it work with an adult, we were definitely going to give it a try.”

– Amy Duell, General Manager, Oceana Coffee Roasters

Oceana Coffee, Palm Beach County’s first specialty coffee roasting business based in Tequesta, Florida, had been engaged with the Els for Autism Foundation for several years, mainly through events in the local community. Oceana Coffee has been in business since 2009, with 2 cafe locations in the Tequesta area and a growing wholesale business. So, when they heard that there was an opportunity to work with an intern with autism from The Learning Academy at The Els Center of Excellence, they were eager to give it a go. When this rewarding experience with the intern ended, and an opportunity arose to hire an adult through the Foundation’s Adult Services Program, Oceana Coffee was quick to see if they could make it work successfully.

The hiring process started with defining the position and its requirements.  It was then a matchmaking process. They worked with the Foundation to interview several candidates until they found the person who could work well within the defined requirements of the position. The person they hired is Bryan Jaimes.  Bryan has been working at the roasting house since January 2019 and has been a valuable addition to their team. He started out with an eight hour per week schedule, and within two months was given an additional four hours because of his proven ability. Bryan is now working three days a week creating Oceana Coffee’s K-Cups and packaging them into boxes.

“He is super focused, super on point, and he always does a great job,” Amy Duell, General Manager at Oceana Coffee, said.  “He does every K-cup perfectly.”

Bryan participated in the Foundation’s Adult Services Work Experience Program, completing his 18-week program at Jupiter Medical Center. The program taught Bryan specific work skills and he now uses them to help him prosper at Oceana Coffee.

Bryan has a job coach, Paula Facey-Matthews, from the Els for Autism Foundation who visits Bryan at Oceana Coffee to ensure that he is staying on task and doing his job efficiently. Her involvement has faded greatly as time has passed since she went from being there with Bryan for each of his shifts to now visiting him once a week. “He has become very independent,” Paula said.

Amy stated, “The people helping [from the Foundation] are there every step of the way, any time of the day.”  This support level is what has made this process of hiring an individual on the spectrum so straightforward.

Since being hired, Bryan has grown with the company and has helped his co-workers grow as well. “I think every employee has learned patience from Bryan,” Amy says.

Over time, Amy has recognized Bryan’s deeper capabilities. “It opens up your eyes to see what’s possible,” Amy said.  It has been easy to give him more responsibilities and incorporate him into other daily tasks when his K-cup job isn’t as demanding.  “Bryan is a huge part of our team now,” she said.

Amy’s advice to other companies on the fence about hiring an adult on the spectrum is: “Don’t be scared to try it out, meet the individuals that are out there. It’s an amazing opportunity to help someone and to grow your team and your business.”

How to Find the Proper Dentist for Your Loved One with Autism

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Author: Dr. Greg Grillo (dentably.com) (May 2019)

You probably remember your first time going to the dentist and hearing the noise of various drills and tools. This can be an overwhelming experience for anybody, and these fears can be heightened for patients with special needs. As a dentist who’s been practicing for more than 17 years, I know how real these anxieties can be, but before you head to the dentist it’s important to find the right one. I’ve helped many families find the right dentist and have written a list of how you can begin your search.

Ask plenty of questions

As you’re searching for the right dentist for your loved one with special needs, it’s important to ask a lot of questions. You want to find someone who is the perfect fit and this is the only way you’ll know. Some questions to ask prospective dentists are:

  1. Are you comfortable working with a patient with additional needs? 

The dentist you choose should be comfortable caring for patients that have additional needs. If the patient is a child, start by talking to pediatric dentists in your area. Pediatric dentists have 2-3 years of extra schooling and will be able to accommodate better for their visit.

  1. What experience do you have working with patients with special needs?

While speaking to a potential dentist, ask them if they’ve had experience working with patients who have special needs. Ask what their experience was like, and listen for specific examples of how they worked with someone with special needs. Dentists with previous experience will have more knowledge overall of what it’s like providing care to a patient with additional needs. They will naturally be more comfortable working with your loved one.

  1. Can you make any special accommodations during the appointment?

Each patient is unique in their needs and you want to make sure those needs can be met, whatever they may be. Some common accommodations are having specific toothpaste flavors used, reducing waiting room times, and having the dental chair remain in the same position the entire visit. These may seem small but can make all the difference in assuring the comfort of the patient.

These are just a few questions to get you started but be sure to ask any question that’s on your mind. No question is a bad one and you will feel more confident choosing a dentist who can answer any and all questions.

Use referral services

There are quite a few referral services available to you to find recommendations for dentists in your area. A quick google search will be able to lead you to local dental offices as well as other online resources that can help you find the type of care you are looking for.

Another great way to find recommendations for special needs dentists is by talking to your primary healthcare provider. They are a great source for finding the right dental care for your loved one. Friends or other family members that have seen a special needs dentist will be able to provide you with insight as well.

Do not give up

The most important thing to remember when finding the perfect dentist for your loved one with special needs is to never give up. If you’re struggling to find the right dentist, keep searching. There is one out there for you and your loved one. It can be a trial and error process and that’s okay. Embrace the learning experience with you and your loved one and make going to the dentist a great experience.  Keep pushing until you find someone who is just right. Going to the dentist should be a positive experience, not one that’s dreaded. Always keep your loved one’s needs in mind when searching for a dentist and the right one will come along in no time.

Choosing a dentist is an important decision you’ll make for your loved one with autism.  You’ll want to ask the right questions and search for clear answers so you can make informed choices. Use your instincts and choose a dentist who feels right. Use health care providers, friends, and family members to find recommendations and never give up on your search.