ADMISSIONS

PRE-ADMISSION PROCESS

Clients considered for the New Beginnings for Tomorrow program are young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities. Clients who attend New Beginnings for Tomorrow require a full comprehensive-day habilitation program where there is structure, repetition of learned skills, and generalization. Many of our clients have challenges in the areas of communication, activities of daily living, vocational, and social/emotional skills. The mission of our program is to provide our clients with the tools necessary that will lead to employment and to live as independently as possible.

CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTANCE

Admission will be open to any qualified client regardless of race, gender, sexual identity, or religion and will not be limited to the residents of any particular towns within a ten-mile radius of the program.

A guardian or Support Care Provider initiates the interview process. New Beginnings for Tomorrow staff conduct initial tours for interested families and support agencies. Paperwork giving updated information regarding the client must be sent to the program to be reviewed prior to scheduling an intake appointment.

The paperwork will be reviewed, and a decision is made whether to invite the client, the client’s guardian(s), and the Support Coordinator for an interview or to inform the Support Coordinator or Guardian that New Beginnings for Tomorrow is not an appropriate program to address the client’s needs.

Such an important decision is based upon many factors, not the least of which are the paperwork describing the client’s functional and psychosocial abilities/impairments. We look for a reasonable “match” between the programmatic strengths of New Beginnings for Tomorrow and the client’s own needs.

QUESTIONS CONSIDERED FOR DETERMINATION

  • Is the client diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Multiple Disabilities, or ASD-related disorders and social impairments?

  • Are the client’s cognitive ability and level of language skills sufficient to access the daily programs and activities offered?

  • What is the length of time the client can attend activities?

  • How does the client adapt to settings in the community (noise, crowds, etc.). Does the client have a tendency to wander, hide or elope?

  • What are the client’s medical needs?

  • What ability level is the student’s social/emotional skills?

  • Can the client function in a 1:3 staff to client ratio?

  • Does the client display self-injury and/or aggressive behavior at a level that will require an intensive, individualized behavioral plan?

  • What level of support will the client requirements with self-help skills such as toileting and feeding and dressing?

When there is a positive outcome to the intake interview process, the decision to accept the client is discussed with the client, guardian, and Support Coordinator. However, if the outcome is ambiguous and the interviewing staff wish to seek further information and to discuss their misgivings with necessary staff, the family and Support Coordinator are so informed and the final decision can be delayed as we gather further information. Once New Beginnings for Tomorrow accepts the client, we work closely with the family and Support Coordinator to discuss services and individualized goals outlined in the Individualized Service Plan.