Panel Discussion from FOCUS Center for Autism
Donna Swanson, Founder, Lauren Gardner, Fresh Start School,
Alex Cable, Alumni, and Sharon Cable, Volunteer
Lauren Gardner introduced the panel and described the contents of information folders placed on each table. Lauren turned the program over to her great-aunt, Donna Swanson, founder of FOCUS Center for Autism. Donna provided a brief history of the Center. Prior to founding the Center, Donna had a private nursing practice and was seeing more children identified on the autism spectrum. She fell in love with these children and decided to approach her husband, Fred, about starting a foundation to help autistic students about 20 years ago. FOCUS Center began at the facility on Dowd Avenue. The program has grown over the years and now includes the Fresh Start School, supportive housing programs in Barkhamsted and Torrington, Autism Services, and the Annex for older students.
Donna explained that anxiety is the most common symptom of autism because sensory issues are prevalent in most cases. One of the sheets in the folder explained the manifestations of anxiety.
A child is diagnosed with autism every 20 minutes. The diagnosis is very complicated due to the wide variety of co-symptoms. FOCUS provides the resources to help deal with these issues.
Alex Cable is an alumni of the Center who first came when he was eleven. He is now twenty-six. He regularly participates in the panel discussions that FOCUS holds periodically to provide honest perspectives through sharing personal experiences about what works and what doesn't. In addition to autism, Alex has a movement disorder. When Alex hit puberty at age 13, he wanted to show his affection for the young ladies by hugging and kissing. He created his own behavior modification plan by setting a 1000-day goal to control his emotions. He said it worked very well. Alex's mother, Sharon, also contributed her comments. She said that Alex was a wanderer. She had to come up with methods for keeping track of him, so that he wouldn't wander off.
The Fresh Start School services students from age 10 to 21. It is in its 4th year of state certification and needs four more students to reach the goal of 20 students. The school recently added "The Annex" to provide job opportunities for the older clients.
Some of FOCUS's students qualify for support through FAVARH. Alex was one of those students and held several jobs under their work programs. The center does not have a formal relationship with FAVARH but they work together as colleagues. Steve Morris and Donna said they try to create opportunities.