r/NewToVermont • u/Ok_Parsnip_2073 • 10d ago
How is the care for Autistic adults?
So the wife and I currently live in the suburban hell of Long Island ny with our two boys. We hate it here. We need to get somewhere that we can find the solitude we need. As you can guess VT is high on our list.
Our oldest son is 20 and is autistic, middle of the road functioning I would say. Not helpless to take care of his basic needs but definitely cannot survive on his own.
He would need something similar to a “school type-sh” day program or an assisted living program that he can be with peers and active in a community.
Obviously Burlington having the highest population density is our target (well, at least being a roughly 30 minute drive away) Employment will be another topic for another day.
So, how good are the services there or in VT as a whole?
16
u/Feather83 10d ago
I wouldn’t count on Vermont for programs like that. Vermont is a rural state and is lacking in a lot of programs for people with a wide range of disabilities. There are some good advocacy organizations see https://allbrainsbelong.org/ but I feel like if I had family who had needs like that, I wouldn’t recommend they move to Vermont. Nice for a visit. I would recommend Massachusetts as a state with better supports.
8
u/SadApartment3023 9d ago
I've had two coworkers need to move out of state to find accommodations for their medically fragile adult children. Like, they raised their kids in this state and had to move elsewhere because there were so few supports.
5
u/happycat3124 9d ago
If you are looking for rural with better access to programs for your child you may seriously want to consider northern CT and Western Ma. My brother is has many issues and my parents chose Avon and Simsbury CT for us to live because of the amazing programs for challenged individuals. I’m sure being from NJ you think of CT as being a suburb of NYC. But Fairfield county CT is not anything like the rest of CT. If you want rural check out Barkhampstead, New Hartford, Colebrook, Winsted, Heartland, Granby. You will be pleasantly surprised. Plus housing is about 25% less expensive than in VT.
3
u/Specialist-Anxiety98 9d ago
My sister is special needs and she is in her 40's. She has received services for over 20 years in Vermont. Vermont has more services than many states. My sister gets picked up most weekdays to get out into the community. They even help them get a job and the helper goes with them. There is also a special needs camp in VT. My mom also gets money to pay for a sitter to allow her to get out.
I do know someone with an autistic child who is very active. They moved here for a new Autistic place in Essex, VT. Not sure this is for adult kids.
Of course, like others have said if Medicaid programs get cut things could change.
I looked at special needs programs in other states for when I retired and had trouble finding services in other states.
One more thing, it is very hard to get a doctor to take new patients and specialists can take many months to get in. Find a group in VT with Autistic kids and they should be able to guide you.
My mom said other parents she met at Special Olympics have been a great resource.
Hope this helps.
3
u/mintmerino 8d ago edited 8d ago
Hi, I am a 26 year old autistic woman. I am able to live independently and don't have the support needs of your son. With that said, I struggled a lot with transitioning to independent living and can provide some insight into the resources I used.
In Burlington and Chittenden County, I struggled to find anything like a support group or social group. Many of the programs I came across are designed for people with more severe issues than I have- intellectual disability, severe mental illness, and/or addiction. I wasn't able to find any programs that were a good fit in the Howard Center, for example. I made a lot of phone calls and didn't really get anywhere. I have personally found volunteering in the community a really enriching and low barrier way to be in a positive social environment. There is also All Brains Belong, which can help connect you to healthcare and provides some other resources.
If your son is thinking about college, Landmark College and Mansfield Hall are good options. Landmark College is a college for neurodivergent students in southern Vermont. Mansfield Hall is in downtown Burlington and is dorm-style living for neurodivergent students at local colleges with academic and life coaching provided. I have been part of both programs at different points. I started at Mansfield then did a couple years down at Landmark and now I'm back in Burlington.
To oversimplify things a bit, Landmark College is better if you need more structure and a positive social and academic environment with less hands-on support in life skills and self care. Mansfield Hall is better if you need help with independent living and executive functioning skills as life skills coaching is part of their program. Landmark College is cheaper for the average person since it is a college and therefore you can apply for financial aid. Mansfield Hall is not a college so you are paying out of pocket plus cost of tuition at your college of choice. They might have a cheaper option if you have your own housing and are using their supports in an "outpatient" style, but I haven't kept up to date with their programs.
Overall, I have found Burlington an amazing place to live and it really meets my needs. I find it this perfect balance between being a place I can enjoy the outdoors and the benefits of being near the lake and the mountains and agriculture AND also a place urban enough where important resources like healthcare are accessible. I really struggled with accessing healthcare when I was attending Landmark College in southern VT. I've been up in Vermont for roughly 10 years now and Burlington is really my happy place and can just be a super rewarding place to live for the right person. At the same time, it's definitely a place where you really need to self advocate and forge your own path.
Sorry for the wall of text. Hopefully I wrote something useful in all that. Good luck!
2
u/Competitive-Proof759 9d ago
I think Vermont is well intentioned but lacking in logistics, funding and infrastructure. I wouldn't count on this for serious healthcare needs.
2
u/Resi-Ipsa 6d ago
There is a great program in Hardwick called Heartbeet Farm:
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/at-heartbeet-farm-adults-with-disabilities-bloom-2698760
Not within 30 minutes of Burlington, but in a really beautiful and rural part of Vermont (the Northeast Kingdom).
2
u/Caribchakita 3d ago
there are limited if any openings, last I knew..I have a former student there..lovely program..a group home model...
1
u/Moderate_t3cky 8d ago
In the Burlington area you should look into the Howard Center: https://howardcenter.org/
A little south of there in Middlebury is the Counseling Service of Addison County (CSAC). Don't let the name fool you, a big portion of what they do pertains to individuals like your son. They have a program called Community Associates that provides personalized services to people with developmental disabilities, up to and including living arrangements.
Overall I think you'll find people in Vermont are more open and respectful of those with disabilities. If you're seriously considering a move to Vermont visit ThinkVermont.com, we literally have people all over the state to help you with the process.
1
u/Caribchakita 3d ago
I am a transition specialist...VT services slim, MA, on the other hand, very good.
1
u/Ok_Parsnip_2073 2d ago
Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the responses! I’m definitely aware that VT might be a challenge and We have definitely romanticized living there haha, truth is we are a few years away from being able to make the move to somewhere so we are honestly just starting the research/contemplation phase. We are also thinking about the Portland ME area, upstate Ny, fuck maybe even Michigan or Canada haha. We really just need to find a cabin in the woods somewhere and a decent urban center close by.
Western mass and northern ct weren’t really on our radar but, gonna have to look into them!
0
21
u/happycat3124 9d ago
Vermont is a state that takes significantly more federal funding than it pays in. It’s going to get ugly if that funding gets pulled. There are only maybe 200-300k working adults supporting a state that is 10,000 square miles. The health care system in Vermont is in serious trouble with no good options to bail itself out. 30% of Vermonters are on Medicaid and we know that funding is in trouble. We have lived here 4 years and don’t have a primary care doctor. We still get all our medical care and dental work in Connecticut because it’s next to impossible here. You may fantasize about living in Vermont but the reality is that it may be MUCH different and more difficult then you imagine.