A HISTORY LESSON...

AN ASSESSMENT...

AND A PLAN.

How We Started

• I was a special education teacher looking for a program to enable my son to be engaged in his community and maintain peer relationships
• GOAL started with an Adult Day Program in 2012 with $2,000, two kids–including mine, and a free space in Central Christian Church, two staff
• We had five full-time participants in January 2013, and the staff increased to three
• By 2016 GOAL had 16 participants and four staff. Participants go to work at several places in the community, paid and unpaid, five days a week, two hours each day. They were divided into three groups that went to three different places daily.
• In 2017, 22 students from the former SAIL program started at the GOAL school age program on February 1, 2017. Some of those students have graduated from St. Francis High School and Penta County Vocational School.

Where We Are Now

• The tenth anniversary of the start of GOAL. Twenty-five school-age students from ages 3 to 22. Students are on Autism Scholarship or placed by local school districts as an alternative placement. Many students that were not successful in their home districts are successful at GOAL due to the small class sizes, high staff-to-student ratio, staff training, and school philosophy. GOAL’s philosophy is meeting the students where they are, teaching to their strengths, and a caring and nurturing environment.
• Twenty participants in Adult Day Program.
• Twenty staff members.
• ·All signs indicate we have a program that students, parents, and staff love.
  
  

Where We Are Going

• GOAL now owns our building and lets the remaining members of Central Christian Church have a space for free on Sundays to have their church services. The building has been extensively remodeled inside and out and is still slowly being renovated. Plans for a circular driveway are in place to improve traffic flow and parking.
• New programs are in process to help serve the needs of the autism and disability community:
• After-school program for school-age students ages 3–22. Separate after-hours program for young adults on a waiver for ages 18–35.
• Friday Night Movie Nights for students/young adults (DATE/FREE NIGHT FOR PARENTS!)
• Weekend/night respite mini camps (not overnight yet!)
• Summer/winter camps during our breaks (two weeks in June, two weeks in August, two weeks in December, and one week in the spring).
• GOAL non-profit organizations to fundraise and get grants for scholarships for extra tuition for students, equipment, and services not covered by insurance for GOAL students and non-GOAL students based on need.
• GOAL parents will be asked separately to participate in insurance-based billing to facilitate bringing in more services for our participants including speech, OT, PT, and in-house mental health personnel. GOAL has recently added a behavior specialist to train and consult with staff and parents.
• Plans for future expansion of the program, five-year strategic plan, and succession training plan so GOAL may continue indefinitely.
• GOAL is collaborating with other autism and disability organizations in the community. This has proven to be the best way to continue to improve services for people with disabilities.
• For the sake of our children (young and older) all of us who are providing services or just want to help, love, and care about our children and adults need to work together to give them the best lives possible.
   
  

Remember, it takes a village…