Jun 17, 2010 By Patty Yauger 6 min read

Partnership leads to new autism program BULLSKIN TWP. – Highlands Hospital officials announced Wednesday that the healthcare facility has partnered with the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and California University of Pennsylvania to offer state-of-the-art services for area children suffering with autism.

The announcement ceremony held at the Pleasant Valley Country Club drew state and local officials, organization and area company representatives along with hospital employees and board members.

Hospital Chief Executive Officer Michelle Cunningham said the local program will mirror the one now in place at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital.

The Ohio-based hospital has two other similar partnerships with facilities in Kentucky and Missouri.

The local program, said Cunningham, will begin within the next year and offer specialized, full-time education using applied behavioral analysis and house a child development center that will provide developmental screening.

The yet-to-be-named center will be located along Breakneck Road on a five-acre property purchased by Highlands in order to establish the services.

Staff, said Cunningham, will be trained at the Cleveland Clinic.

“More than a year ago the board of trustees at Highlands Hospital approved moving forward with this project because it was part of our vision to meet this identified community need,” she said.

According to statistical information, one of every 94 children is afflicted with some sort of autism. It is estimated that more than 400 children ages 5 to 24 in Fayette County may have some form of autism, said Cunningham, and another 82 under the age of 5 that have yet to be diagnosed.

“Currently, there is no program in the area similar to the one at the Cleveland Clinic being offered,” said Cunningham. “That’s from West Virginia to Pittsburgh.”

Also announced was that California University of Pennsylvania graduate students in the field of special education will aid in the clinical operation of the autism center.

“The hospital benefits by having professionals trained on site in applied behavioral analysis who can then possibly fill the jobs that will be created by opening this center,” said Cunningham. “The two organizations can also collaborate on various grants and the experience gained by the students will be invaluable.”

Travis Haycook, senior behavioral consultant for the Cleveland Clinic Center for autism, said the center is now in its 10th year of operation with 110 children enrolled in the program and a similar number on a waiting list.

“Currently, autism is not curable, but it is treatable,” he said.

Like the Cleveland Clinic, the Connellsville site will teach children those skills that are often taken for granted by those not suffering with the disease along with academics, said Haycook.

The center interior design will be similar to a school classroom with no distractions.

Students enrolled in the program will attend sessions five days a week, year round.

The Cleveland program has been successful, said Haycook, and so will the Highlands Hospital endeavor.

“I can’t tell you how many kids said their first words to me,” he said. “Kids that were never suppose to talk; kids that were never suppose to do anything.

“That is also going to happen at Highlands.”

Dr. Kevin Koury, California University of Pennsylvania Dean of the College of Education and Human Services, said that the program partnership will benefit not only the students entering the special education field, but also the families with autistic children.

“Part of the CalU mission is to help our students build careers, and this partnership enables that to happen,” he said. “With the increasing incidence of children with autism spectrum disorders, and as the demand for special educators to teach these children increases, we are proud to be in this partnership.

“It promises to help our families with children with autism spectrum disorders and gives our teachers the training opportunity to apply their knowledge.”

Cunningham said that in order to implement the program, funding had to be secured and with the assistance of state Sen. Richard Kasunic, D-Dunbar, and the Connellsville Industrial Enterprises (CIE), it will become a reality.

According to Cunningham, a $600,000 grant was received from the state and CIE contributed $250,000 toward the project.

“This is a great day in Fayette County,” said Kasunic. “I’m honored to be a part of this.”

After learning that state funding was available for such programs, Kasunic said he contacted Cunningham and the two began formulating a plan to institute the program.

“We had no idea how we were going to get it done or what we were going to do, but I told her I’d get the money if she could get the program together,” he said. “And, it happened.”

The program, once implemented, will provide jobs in the local area.

“It is clearly a great opportunity,” said Kasunic.

CIE board member Floyd Huggins said the organization, too, was honored to help with the new initiative being undertaken by the local hospital.

During the ceremony, CIE board members Van Humbert and Bill Stoots presented Cunningham a $187,500 check. The project was earlier awarded $62,500.

Lisa Ferris-Kusniar, chief executive officer of the Fayette County Behavioral Health Administration and the parent of an autistic child, said that she is well aware of the need for such services in the local area.

Her son was not diagnosed as having autism until he had entered school and it was a 14-month wait to receive medical help.

“We lost very precious time,” she said, adding that after receiving needed treatment he is now attending school and successfully completed fourth grade. “It was a long haul.”

The county agency will aid the Highlands center with diagnostic testing.

Fayette County Commission Chairman Vincent Zapotosky found it difficult to hold back tears as he talked about the new program and the positive effect it will have for those with autism.

“As a leader, we are charged with many things. We try to accomplish a lot of goals,” he said. “Today is a day of true accomplishment. Today is the beginning of changing lives for the better and giving young people the opportunity to grow and mature.

“Today is the day that this county, this hospital and this board rallied together and said that we are not going to wait 14 months for an appointment for a diagnosis of autism. We’re going to diagnose it early and we’re going to treat it early.”

Fayette County Commissioner Vincent Vicities said that the partnership between Highlands Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic and California University will positively impact the county and the region.

“This is a truly collaborative effort of fine institutions,” he said. “It will do very well with the team that has been assembled.”

Cunningham, meanwhile, said that the program will offer autistic children and the families hope for their future.

“I have met many families who have struggled to obtain services for their children,” said Cunningham. “This program will mean relief for them and their children.

“Our children are our future and our children are the future of this county. Every child deserves the opportunity to become healthy, happy and productive adults.”