About Us:

Uniquely Qualified

I am a bridge between vocational experts and autism experts. As far as I know I am the only person in the country who has both professional training and experience in finding appropriate work for people with disabilities and  special education training.* That is have a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling  and am a certified rehabilitation counselor. In addition I am a special education teacher with an Education Specialist Instruction Credential, Mild/Moderate.  I have advanced post graduate studies in autism and an Interdisciplinary Professional Leadership Certificate in Autism. 

My 20+ years' of experience have been as a generalist with various disabilities and specializing in the autism spectrum  and related disabilities for the past five years. The autism spectrum is the most complex and difficult disability I have ever worked with because it is a developmental disability and interrupts normal social and communication development, and because the associated disabilities are so  specific to each individual that each case is unique.

I literally start over every time I get a new client and carefully determine the nature and extent of the disability and how to address the unique combinations of strengths, weakness, and aspirations of each person I work with.  It takes great skill and patience to achieve effective and lasting results.

I worked with my first person on the autism spectrum in 1973 at a large residential facility for severely disabled adults. He was non-verbal and nothing I did worked with him. That was 40 years ago when autism services were in their infancy and autism was rare—one in 100,000. I never forgot him. Now the rate is one in 68—vocational best practices are just now being developed, placement techniques are being explored and research based and effective services are only recently published or in press.

All my services follow best practices, are research based, and have documented effectiveness whenever and wherever possible.

W. Scott Standifer, PhD, the author of the only book on vocational services for adults on the autism spectrum says there is a disconnect between autism expertise and vocational experts. I am a bridge between these two areas of expertise. That is what makes my services unique.

*If you know of anyone else with these qualifications please let me know! And tell them to link with me on LinkedIn. I would like to collaborate with them. Adult Autism & Employment, W. Scott Standifer, PhD http://ncsec.k12.sd.us/Adult%20Autism%20%20Employment.pdf