Mission Statement
- Every person with autism has unique gifts to contribute to society.
- The Gottschall Autism Center is committed to facilitating the revelation of those gifts.
- The Center partners with families to provide children and adults with optimal health interventions, support services, educational enrichment, and employment opportunities.
Children with autism are physically sick and in pain.
Autism is a whole body disorder; a complex, multi-system health problem, encompassing the central nervous system, immune system, endocrine system, and gastrointestinal system. As a result, the physical effects of autism can impair speech, cognition, metabolic health, behavior, sleep, mood, and every part of a child and family’s life. Most of these children have severe gastrointestinal problems that are unrecognized and therefore untreated. Early biomedical treatment is essential so that these children can have a better chance to learn, communicate, experience real joy and happiness, and develop warm and satisfying relationships with the people in their lives.
The Gottschall Autism Center will provide an individualized biomedical, nutritional, and parent educational program. Families are given the opportunity to relax and reclaim their optimism in a respectful, loving environment. No one else can match the experience and dedication of a parent. We seek to empower parents by giving them the tools they need to help their child work towards health.
In Massachusetts, 1 in 122 children have been diagnosed
on the Autism spectrum.
What happens once these children grow up?
Autism was once thought to be a rare developmental disorder but is now being diagnosed with alarming frequency. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control have estimated that 1 in 166 children are on the Autism spectrum. The Massachusetts Department of Health reports that from 2006 through 2013, an estimated 600 to 750 children PER YEAR will be turning 22 and losing their state educational entitlements. (12/2005 study)
A tsunami is on the horizon. Parents with older children are scrambling, parents with teens are struggling to plan ahead, and even those with elementary school-aged children are rightfully concerned. What services and programs will be available for my child? The Gottschall Autism Center will be part of the answer.
In addition to helping heal our children NOW, The Gottschall Autism Center is also looking toward the FUTURE. Individuals with autism require special consideration when designing employment options. There are many factors that will facilitate success and accomplishment, such as:
- An appropriate working environment which would include open spaces with natural lighting, ample opportunities for physical activity and sensory integration.
- Supports tailored to the individual. This would encompass visual supports, communication programs, predictable routines, clear and concise instructions and expectations.
- Knowledgeable professionals.
The Gottschall Autism Center’s First Adult Employment Initiative
Farming provides an opportunity for a reciprocal partnership. The farm setting offers rich, varied and abundant opportunities for self-paced distraction-free activities, giving everyone an opportunity for accomplishment and ownership. The Gottschall Autism Center will create a farm community as a viable option for adults with autism that will allow them to make a significant contribution to their communities. The day employment opportunities offered will focus on agriculture (i.e. planting, harvesting, horticulture, and landscaping), cooking, maintenance, and office work.
We are currently seeking corporate sponsors as well as the donation of land suitable for an organic farm and teaching facility in southeastern Massachusetts. For more information, please call Pam Ferro, President, at (508) 941-4791.
