Rutgers spearheads unique program to support adults with autism

It is a great day when we can all be proud to be a part of the Rutgers community for reasons which have a more significant impact than being the home of the grease trucks or the football team winning a big game.

Today is definitely one of those days as Rutgers is spearheading a completely unique program which will provide adults with autism the chance to live and work in a university setting.

This step forward comes in the form of the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services (RCAAS). With offices set to be on Douglass Campus, the RCAAS’s first step will allow up to 60 adults with autism to work at the university with the aid of clinical staff and graduate students. In the next step in their plan, 20 adults with autism will be able to live with graduate students in apartment-style residence halls, while continuing to work a university job. This opportunity will allow those with autism to live and work independently, giving them the chance to live up to their absolute potential in a unique setting.

Broadcast Hall of Fame inductee, “Autism Speaks” board member,  and former CEO of Sirius XM Radio, Mel Karamzin, along with his daughter Dina Karamzin, executive director of the Mel Karamzin Foundation, and the Rutgers University Foundation are central figures when it comes to fundraising for this new program.

Mr. Karmazin told Rutgers Today, “The Rutgers center will offer adults with autism a one-of-a-kind support program that makes independent living and a fulfilling life possible. It will rise to the challenge of giving program participants the tools they need to achieve their potential – from earning a living to navigating social interactions to building meaningful relationships.”

$35 million in fundraising for the development of two buildings on Douglass is the eventual goal of the RCAAS to truly get this program started.

Led by the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, this program is an amazing step forward in making sure our friends, peers, siblings, parents and cousins with autism have the ability to live up to their tremendous potential we already know they possess. Those involved with the development of this program are truly attempting to be part of the solution, rather than just vocalizing the problem, and personally, I’m proud to attend a school that is willing to take those steps.

As any of us who know someone with autism already understand, given the proper guidance and opportunity to live and work independently, adults with autism have the capability to do amazing things, and hopefully colleges and universities around the country and world will attempt to be part of the solution as well. In a recent interview with CNBC, Mr. Karmazin said, “There is nothing like this program that Rutgers is doing anywhere in the United States. The resident aspect of this will stay until people are at least 60 years old, so this isn’t a temporary thing while you are going to college.”

In the end, even though it is tempting to base our level of school pride completely on how well our football team is doing , there are extremely noble and innovative things being done at Rutgers with the development of the RCAAS. It makes one truly proud to be part of a community like the one at this school. As students and members of the Rutgers community, we should all strive to follow in the footsteps of those involved with the RCAAS’s development and work towards a solution, rather than continuing to talk about the problem.

Thank you Mr. and Ms. Karmazin, President Barchi, the clinical staff, graduate students and all others involved with the development of this program for beginning the journey towards better care for adults with autism and inspiring us all to do better, as we know we can, and should, one step at a time.

You can donate to the RCAAS official website here.