Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

CUSTOMIZED OPTIONS

New Heights Autism Support Society helps families overcome ASD difficulties

Jan 21, 2020 | 4:42 PM

KAMLOOPS — According to Autism BC, one in every 51 children between the ages of six and 18 have Autism Spectrum Disorder. Here in Kamloops, there are several service providers who help families who have children on the autism spectrum.

In 2017, a new, non-profit society was started in the city, to teach children with autism the necessary skills to prepare them for school and life beyond the classroom.

“Once you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism,” Patricia Kennedy explains.

Kennedy is a Category A Behavior Consultant on the Registry of Autism Service Providers List in B.C., and has been working with children with autism spectrum disorder for the past 15 years.

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“That doesn’t mean there are not similarities in different areas,” Kennedy says. “However, we’re all similar, too. But we’re also unique individuals.”

In 2017, she, along with a group of parents, started New Heights Autism Society, a non-profit organization that helps provide customized unique therapy options for kids on the autism spectrum.

“I think we have 55 [kids] currently, throughout the province,” Kennedy says.

Clients of New Heights are located far and wide throughout B.C.

“We do Merritt, Lillooet, Lytton, Chilliwack, Sicamous, Salmon Arm, 100 Mile House, Williams Lake, and Quesnel.”

Gigi Morton’s son has been working with Patricia for several years. She says her son gets a variety of benefits from the hours he spends at New Heights.

“He just loves coming here to the program,” Morton says. “The tutor is qualified — she’s actually a teacher. As they offer more programs, my son will be spending more time here.”

Located on Tranquille Road, New Heights offers a peaceful place where trained Behaviour Interventionists — or as Kennedy calls them, Building Independence workers — guide kids on a variety of different skills.

“I usually work on Fix It [grammar] first. If I have to, I work on math. I’m done science now, and we’re just doing our socials now,” Nevada Philbrook, New Heights student, explains. “I’m also working on art and English.”

Nevada just celebrated his 14th birthday. Kennedy worked extensively with his Mom, Sheila Cummings, to access some unique funding that allows Nevada to go to school full-time at New Heights, which has benefitted the young man in several ways.

Image Credit: CFJC Today

“There’s no real crash down behaviors after school,” Cummings says. “We were seeing a lot of heightened body tension and anxiety, and he could be quite angry when he got home from school. We don’t see any of that anymore.”

Nevada is working towards his Dogwood certificate with the help of the New Heights Autism Support Society. The goal is to help teach him the necessary skills and coping mechanisms that will allow him to succeed on his own once the provincial funding he qualifies for runs out.