Children have fun and learn communication skills at the primarily University student-staffed A.C.E. program.
Sacramento State is partnering with United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Greater Sacramento to help children with autism gain important life skills that will enhance their ability to participate in the community.
The after-school program, called the Autism Center for Excellence (A.C.E.), helps children ages 8-12 who have a diagnosis under Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) develop skills to participate in community-based recreational and social programs.
Autism is a neurological-based disorder that appears early in life and affects about one in every 150 children. “Children with autism are typically compromised in their ability to appropriately respond to social interaction with peers. They may also have deficits in language, motor and other skill areas,” says A.C.E. director and Sacramento State Department of Kinesiology and Health Science professor, Scott Modell.
Children with autism never outgrow the disorder, but early intervention programs can help increase their communication and social skills. “A.C.E. is the only after-school program in the Sacramento region designed specifically for individuals with ASD ages 8-12,” Modell says. “It is a structured social-recreational program that teaches children with autism how to participate in large and small group activities and helps develop their social, motor, and communication abilities.”
The staff at the center is comprised primarily of Sacramento State students who work under the direction of the professional staff which include speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, adapted physical activity specialists and board certified behavior analysts.
“Because of the unique needs of children with ASD, it was important to build a support staff that could provide a comprehensive assessment of each child’s language, motor and social skills, and be able to asses and address problem behaviors that can occur in children with autism,” Modell says.
The program began in September but has been in the works for several months. A six-week pilot, which was conducted in May, was funded by UCP of Greater Sacramento. The current program is subsidized by UCP of Greater Sacramento and Alta California Regional Center.
“We are very committed to this program because it clearly addresses an unmet need in our community and provides a valuable service to children who have unique needs,” says Doug Bergman, president/CEO of UCP of Greater Sacramento. “We believe that A.C.E. is a model program that can be replicated throughout our service area.”
The center is located at Sacramento State in Solano Hall, room 1000 and can support up to 30 children per day. Center hours are 3 to 6 p.m. daily. Participants are referred to the program through Alta California Regional Center.
