Autism_Hope
New Member
Reged: 03/02/08
Posts: 2
Loc: Pennsylvania, United States
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When I found out about this forum it was this topic that intrigued me enough to join it.
I have lived (as has my husband) my entire life in Pennsylvania. Right before my son (JR) was diagnosed with autism we were entertaining the idea of moving to a state with a more mild climate as I have arthritis.
After JR was diagnosed we were told to stay in PA because we have some of the best services for autism number 3 in the nation preceded only by NY and NJ. That was seven years ago and at the time services were not very good here so I can only imagine how bad the rest of the country was.
Things have gotten much better in PA since then. We have a governor and secretary of public welfare that have been working very hard to get even better services for our children. In 2007 the speaker of the state house was changed to Dennis O'Brien who happens to have a nephew on the spectrum as well. He is pushing for insurance parity for our families as well.
JR's school is also the only one in central PA that deals with moderate to severe autistic children using ABA and CLM (competent learner model). Autism is all Vista deals with and it's a great school/program. Our local Intermediate Units can't even come close to what Vista can do.
So the way things are looking in addition to being born and raised in PA it looks like we will die here as well. Oh well I guess it could be a lot worse. 
--------------------
Be At Peace,
Deborah
If God brings you to it,
He will bring you thru it.
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lkbiggs
New Member
Reged: 04/03/08
Posts: 1
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Deborah,
Thanks for your post. I am visiting central Pennsylvania later this month, and will be looking for more information on services for my 14 year-old austistic son. I may be moving to Hershey or Danville. If you know anything about these areas, I hope you will contact me.
-Kelly
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wendyh
New Member
Reged: 09/30/07
Posts: 2
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If you go to the danville area they have a great developmental pediatrican at geisinger hospital. Dr. Scott Myers, we travel an hour and half to see him, but he is absolutley worth it. 
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Momma1974
New Member
Reged: 10/08/08
Posts: 4
Loc: Pa
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Hi.
By any chance is the school you are talking about the charter school? I have heard many good things about it. If it is, would you please PM me with more information. Thank you so much
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suet003
New Member
Reged: 10/13/09
Posts: 4
Loc: Washington, DC
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Hi, Could anyone advise how PA is for services for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities? What's it like after graduation, and you are "on your own", basically?
Thanks for any info.
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Mavo68
New Member
Reged: 11/22/09
Posts: 1
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Can anyone tell me how the Wilson School District in Berks County is. We visted PA last week and will be moving there in june. We also visited the Vista school and from what i was told that Wilson schools don'treally refer to vista. I didn't want to run the risk of going to a school district that sometimes will refer to vista. From what i have been told and read that the wilson schools have autistic support classrooms in many of their schools.
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Linnycat
New Member
Reged: 12/06/09
Posts: 3
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Mavo68: I work with children with Autism, and I have a client who attends a school in the Wilson district. Overall, I've heard wonderful things about the schools, but not so wonderful things about the Autistic support class rooms. These rooms are often lead by individuals who have little education/experience in Autism treatments. I'd look into the class rooms...even request a visit to see the way things are really run. I've been in numerous schools where things are a lot different on the inside than what they lead parents to believe.
As for Vista in Hershey...it is a FANTASTIC educational center for children with Autism. I'm actually in my final semester of my Master's degree program and I am an intern at the school. I have learned so much, and have EXTREMELY high standards now for which agency I would choose to work for. Any district who says they wouldn't refer to Vista if that is what a child needed...is obviously not looking out for the best interest of the child.
Good luck in your endeavors!
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