Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Schopler, Eric; Bourgondien, Mary

doi: 10.1007/BF02206541pmid: N/A

Schopler, Eric; Hennike, J.

doi: 10.1007/BF02206542pmid: 1699923

The history of residential care for those with autism and other developmental handicaps is summarized for the past 200 years. Residential trends toward community integration in the past three decades are traced for autism in general and for one state institution in particular. Parallel cycles for residential care from previous periods are identified. Some negative side effects of current trends are identified if the needs of the population with handicaps and the community are not better integrated in the future.

Bourgondien, Mary; Elgar, Sybil

doi: 10.1007/BF02206543pmid: 2228913

Existing residential services for adults with autism vary in size, location, and source of funding. Most service options have been designed for individuals with handicaps other than autism and therefore have difficulty addressing the needs of all but the highest functioning autistic adults. This paper provides a review of the characteristics of autism that affect adaptation to residential settings. A description of existing residential options based on the combined experiences of Great Britain and North Carolina is presented, and directions for future research are then discussed.

Kay, Bettye

doi: 10.1007/BF02206544pmid: 2228914

Bittersweet Farms, a rural Ohio farm community for autistic adults, is presented. The land and facility are described, and the importance of certain elements of location, physical plant, and layout to the program model are discussed. The Bittersweet Farms program model is presented in detail as it applies to each aspect of rural, group living, and the contribution of each of its main features to the success of the Bittersweet Farms community is discussed.

Rumanoff Simonson, Linda; Simonson, Stephen; Volkmar, Fred

doi: 10.1007/BF02206545pmid: 2228915

Benhaven, a residential program of group homes providing intensive programming for autistic and neurologicaly impaired children, is described. Its major program factors of administration and management, treatment, support services, and family and community involvement are presented in detail. Benhaven's mission as an educational placement for preparing residents to function in the least restrictive environment on their way to future living situations is stressed.

Holmes, David

doi: 10.1007/BF02206546pmid: 2228916

The service needs of those with autism and the response to those needs by the Eden Family of Programs are described. The Eden Family of Programs is described in detail, giving its history and discussing its participants, staff, schedules, programs, normalization, human rights, administration, and trustees.

Jack Wall, A.

doi: 10.1007/BF02206547pmid: 2228917

Autistic people not living with their families live in 11 group homes throughout North Carolina. These homes, funded by both state and federal sources, are affiliated with TEACCH, the state agency for the identification and treatment of autism. This article looks at several aspects of group homes including cost effectiveness, staff selection and training, level of structure and programming, composition of the client group, adherence to a central philosophy, and the role of administration. Evidence suggests that group homes are a viable and cost-effective residential option for autistic people. While more group homes are needed, development of other residential options is encouraged.

Schroeder, Carolyn; Schroeder, Stephen

doi: 10.1007/BF02206548pmid: 1699924

A community resource network, Annie Sullivan Enterprises, Inc., is described as a system for community integration of children and youth who have developmental disabilities and mental health problems. A brokerage model is espoused for accessing and delivering services. The model is based on Hobb's (1975) view that organization of human services must be based primarily on the client's needs rather than on the needs of the service agency. Lessons and recommendations based upon 7 years of successful operation are described.

Mesibov, Gary

doi: 10.1007/BF02206549pmid: 1699925

Historically, the normalization principle has been influential in promoting a comprehensive community-based service delivery system for people with developmental handicaps. However, its effects were more positive a decade ago when the issues were simply inhumane institutions or more individualized community-based alternatives. Issues in community-based programs for developmentally handicapped people have become more diverse and the choices more complex. In the current climate, the effects of the normalization principle have polarized issues for several reasons: The theory works better than current practice, the criteria are vague and the goals unattainable, normalization takes the focus away from individual client needs, the theory discourages diversity, normalization has become a rallying point for inappropriate practices, overzealousness of normalization advocates has polarized issues, normalization promotes an undesirable value system, and normalization ignores handicapped clients' deficits. What is needed to replace the normalization principle today are guiding concepts that are clearer, more responsive to client needs, and more reflective of value systems that are in the best interests of handicapped people.

Bourgondien, Mary; Schopler, Eric

doi: 10.1007/BF02206550pmid: 2228918

There is an ever-growing need to expand both the number and range of residential services for individuals with autism while developing strategies for assuring the quality of these programs. Future program development will be facilitated by an empirical approach to the critical elements that have been identified throughout the articles in this issue.