ROI Great Lakes Center for Autism Treatment and Research

All money raised at the 2012 Hole Stroll will go to the
Great Lakes Center for Autism Treatment and Research.

1 in 100 children in the United States have autism. In Kalamazoo County this equates to 500 children. In order to assist them and their families to have the highest possible quality of life it is essential that they be offered state-of-the-art, evidence-based programs utilizing empirically validated effective therapies. ROI and WMU share these strategies and collaboratively will offer a program that is unique to Michigan and the Midwest.

In addition to providing vital services to children and their families, GLCATR will have a positive economic impact on the greater Kalamazoo area. GLCATR will employ 38 full time staff and will create a building renovations project costing approximately $1.7 million. The vast majority of the 38 full time employees of GLCATR will be graduates of WMU, creating opportunities for those graduates to remain in Kalamazoo and apply their skills with children the programs support. GLCATR will also have an annual operating budget of $3 million, with most of its revenues coming from outside of the Kalamazoo area.

• GLCATR will provide an intensive residential treatment program for the most challenging children with diagnoses of developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the State of Michigan. This program will serve 12 children at a time and serve approximately 20 children per year.
  
  
• The typical ages of the children will be 7 through 17.
  
  
• There are three bedroom areas so children can be separated by gender, size and vulnerability.
  
  
• We expect to serve a child for 6 to 18 months.
  
  
• Children will receive intensive clinical services and will have every opportunity possible to return home.
  
  
• Training and supports will be offered to the family while the child is being served residentially. This will greatly increase the likelihood of a successful transition back to his or her natural home.
  
  
• Children served will be from Kalamazoo County but to be a viable program for children with these severe levels of need, the program will serve a larger area.
  
  
• The WMU Department of Psychology will proved clinical expertise, graduate assistants and internships valued at over $200,000.00 annually.
  
  
• It is likely GLCATR will receive referrals from throughout the Midwest.