12-06-2004, 12:12 PM
http://www.thetowntalk.com/html/510252AD...739E.shtml
St. Mary's moving toward goal of becoming autism center
Jim Leggett / Community Editor
Posted on December 5, 2004
St. Mary's Residential Training School has taken a major step forward in its quest to become a premier center for the care of autistic people and research into autism.
Dr. Gina Green, a consultant from San Diego, visited the center and the surrounding area "to meet with people in the community interested in autism and to determine what the needs are.
"Resources in this part of the state on autism are very limited," she said.
When St. Mary's celebrated its 50th year as an institution for the mentally *** earlier this year, a new direction was announced. The goal is to make St. Mary's a premier institution for the care of autistic children and much need research into autism.
Sister Mary Coleman, administrator, stresses that the center will always be for residential care of the mentally ***, and the new direction will not only include that but also concentration on autism.
Green says not all autistic people are mentally ***, but 75 percent to 80 percent have "some degree of functional mental retardation."
She said St. Mary's new direction is a worthwhile pursuit. Provided funding can be obtained, she said, the concentration on care for and research into autism can meet the needs for "personnel with expertise, people who can teach other people on what's effective. Continued training has to be ongoing, and there is no substitute for hands-on training."
While in Alexandria, Green met with people strongly interested in autism, including parents who don't necessarily want their autistic children to be residents at St. Mary's.
She also met with representatives of public schools and care providers.
Green said treatment for autism is important, as is research. "There are lots of theories about what causes autism. Nothing has been proven yet. It's pretty clear there is a genetic basis."
But, she said, "We don't have to know a biological cause to come up with a treatment. Cancer is a good example of that. Science has developed treatment for many kinds of cancer."
Green said autism "is diagnosed behaviorally." She said clinical observation and established checklists to diagnose autism are used, but that "is such an imperfect process. We get a lot of misdiagnosis."
She applauds the efforts of St. Mary's to concentrate on autism, noting there is a "terrible need for adult services. There has been a very pervasive belief that people with autism can't learn, that it's for a lifetime. That is just a fallacy."
Coleman said Green was brought in to analyze St. Mary's goals and to make recommendations. "We're doing the five-year strategic plan. That's the map. We have our dream, but we don't know exactly what that's going to look like.
"There are families who are not interested in St. Mary's as a residence for their children, but they are interested in the services that could be provided by an autism center, she said.
Bobbi Hess, St. Mary's director of development, said parents of autistic children could be helped through training on care and treatment of autistic children.
Green added, "The planning is just crucial. There's no shortage of possibilities and dreams. Planning determines what the priorities are, the available resources to address the most critical needs. And the needs are complex."
St. Mary's is now licensed for 152 residents, and 50 more beds are to be added in the form of group homes. Clearing of land for that addition has started, and construction should start next year.
Almost half of St. Mary's residents are autistic, and about three-fourths on the waiting list are autistic.
When St. Mary's becomes a premier center for autism treatment and research, it will have an increased economic impact on Central Louisiana, St. Mary's officials say.
St. Mary's moving toward goal of becoming autism center
Jim Leggett / Community Editor
Posted on December 5, 2004
St. Mary's Residential Training School has taken a major step forward in its quest to become a premier center for the care of autistic people and research into autism.
Dr. Gina Green, a consultant from San Diego, visited the center and the surrounding area "to meet with people in the community interested in autism and to determine what the needs are.
"Resources in this part of the state on autism are very limited," she said.
When St. Mary's celebrated its 50th year as an institution for the mentally *** earlier this year, a new direction was announced. The goal is to make St. Mary's a premier institution for the care of autistic children and much need research into autism.
Sister Mary Coleman, administrator, stresses that the center will always be for residential care of the mentally ***, and the new direction will not only include that but also concentration on autism.
Green says not all autistic people are mentally ***, but 75 percent to 80 percent have "some degree of functional mental retardation."
She said St. Mary's new direction is a worthwhile pursuit. Provided funding can be obtained, she said, the concentration on care for and research into autism can meet the needs for "personnel with expertise, people who can teach other people on what's effective. Continued training has to be ongoing, and there is no substitute for hands-on training."
While in Alexandria, Green met with people strongly interested in autism, including parents who don't necessarily want their autistic children to be residents at St. Mary's.
She also met with representatives of public schools and care providers.
Green said treatment for autism is important, as is research. "There are lots of theories about what causes autism. Nothing has been proven yet. It's pretty clear there is a genetic basis."
But, she said, "We don't have to know a biological cause to come up with a treatment. Cancer is a good example of that. Science has developed treatment for many kinds of cancer."
Green said autism "is diagnosed behaviorally." She said clinical observation and established checklists to diagnose autism are used, but that "is such an imperfect process. We get a lot of misdiagnosis."
She applauds the efforts of St. Mary's to concentrate on autism, noting there is a "terrible need for adult services. There has been a very pervasive belief that people with autism can't learn, that it's for a lifetime. That is just a fallacy."
Coleman said Green was brought in to analyze St. Mary's goals and to make recommendations. "We're doing the five-year strategic plan. That's the map. We have our dream, but we don't know exactly what that's going to look like.
"There are families who are not interested in St. Mary's as a residence for their children, but they are interested in the services that could be provided by an autism center, she said.
Bobbi Hess, St. Mary's director of development, said parents of autistic children could be helped through training on care and treatment of autistic children.
Green added, "The planning is just crucial. There's no shortage of possibilities and dreams. Planning determines what the priorities are, the available resources to address the most critical needs. And the needs are complex."
St. Mary's is now licensed for 152 residents, and 50 more beds are to be added in the form of group homes. Clearing of land for that addition has started, and construction should start next year.
Almost half of St. Mary's residents are autistic, and about three-fourths on the waiting list are autistic.
When St. Mary's becomes a premier center for autism treatment and research, it will have an increased economic impact on Central Louisiana, St. Mary's officials say.