News
July 20, 2022Plans for Anderson Center for Autism in Latham NY
Anderson Center for Autism, based in Staatsburg, NY, today announced that it is making progress on plans to open an additional location at 7 Century Hill Drive in Latham. Housed there will be Anderson Center Clinic and the second location for Anderson Early Learning Academy (the other Early Learning Academy classrooms were launched in 2021 in Stanfordville, NY, where they continue to exist at Cold Spring Early Learning Center).
The preschool program is rooted in the evidence-based practices of Applied Behavior Analysis, aimed at serving individuals in an inclusive setting. Early education will be provided, along with speech, occupational, and physical therapy services. Each year, it will have capacity for 32 students with autism and related disorders; the Early Learning Academy is expected to open in January of 2023.
Anderson Center Clinic in Latham will likewise offer Applied Behavior Analysis programs and services, but for people of all ages. The anticipated opening for the Clinic is October, 2022. Said Dr. Tina Covington, PhD., BCBA-D, LBA, Chief Operating Officer at Anderson Center for Autism, “Stakeholders from the Capital Region joined us for an event several months ago and the message was clear: people with autism in this area have not had access to the services that are needed. We have long wanted to expand Anderson Center for Autism’s footprint, and we are thrilled to be developing a presence in Latham, which will allow us to share decades of experience delivering top notch care and programs to the residents of that area. We have also been able to forge relationships with school districts and universities that will be instrumental as we carry out our objectives. Just as we’ve seen in everything else we have done, we can make a meaningful impact when people work together to ensure that people with autism have every well-deserved opportunity for success available to them. It is exciting to think about the myriad ways we will be able to contribute to a higher quality of life for people with autism and their families in our State’s Capital Region.”
Covington and colleagues from Anderson reported that it continues to expand its relationship with SUNY Empire State College, which is a key part of the success of the Latham Center.
Explained Covington: “For those students who aspire to build careers in the autism field and are pursuing degrees to that end, Anderson’s Center in Latham will provide hands-on learning experiences and training on evidence-based practices that will be invaluable. It is no secret that there is a shortage of professionals in the autism community, and Anderson Center for Autism is excited to educate the next generation of professionals in the field of autism.”
Anderson also intends to build relationships with Albany Medical Center, St. Rose, and local school districts.
Added Covington, “1 in 44 people are now diagnosed with autism, and to ensure that we are doing all we can for this population, we must bring groups of people together just as we’ve always done at Anderson Center for Autism. A commitment to collaboration has long been a cornerstone of our success and has ultimately resulted in countless success stories for the people we serve. Partnerships with entities such as SUNY Empire State College, Albany Medical Center, and St. Rose, and local school districts, as well as with interested community leaders and elected officials, will empower us to deliver the best in top-notch preschool programming, clinical services, and other opportunities.”
Patrick Paul, CEO/Executive Director of Anderson Center for Autism noted: “Anderson’s Clinic and Center in Latham is going to allow us to offer the continuum of care across the life span that people with autism and their families really need. From those first days of early intervention right through the school years and into adult life, we want to do all we can to carry out our mission of optimizing the quality of life for people with autism. We are very enthusiastic about building on our work as we expand into the Capital Region, and we look forward to getting to know the families we get to serve in our Clinic and Early Learning Academy there.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said,“Ensuring that there are quality services from childhood to adulthood are vital to the wellbeing of people with autism. ESD is pleased to support Anderson’s Clinic and Center as both a means for providing jobs within the community and more importantly, for providing the tools to remove existing barriers to the workforce for its adult clients.” Anderson’s Clinic and Center is supported by a $235,000,000 Empire State Development capital grant that was recommended by the Capital Regional Economic Development Council.
Anderson’s Center in Latham is expected to employ approximately 40 team members local to the site. Learn more about career opportunities at:
https://www.andersoncenterforautism.org/careers.
