Important News about School-Age Autism Services

Greetings St. David’s Center Partners and Families,

I am writing to share news about a change in our Autism Day Treatment services. At the end of the summer, we will close our School-Age Autism Day Treatment program in the form it has been operating for the past several years. We are closing this waitlist now as we prepare to end the service in three weeks. We know any change can be difficult, so we are grateful for your understanding as we adjust our programming to continue to provide the highest-level care possible.

We have so loved working with children and families in our School-Age Autism Day Treatment program and learning how we can best support their unique journeys, as well as those of younger children. However, after several iterations to the program over the years, we did not see the kinds of outcomes we typically expect from St. David’s Center programs, especially when children had not previously received autism intervention.

We did see success with the children who were transitioning from our Preschool Autism Day Treatment into our School-Age Autism Day Treatment as they began elementary school. As a result, this program will operate solely as a transition service for our Preschool Autism Day Treatment graduates in preparation for school entry.

We truly believe that those agencies with more extensive expertise working with older children and adolescents on the autism spectrum around the Twin Cities can provide the most successful treatments for school-aged children. You’ll find an extensive list of resources for you and those in your networks to consider in this link.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Vanessa Slivken, MA, LMFT

Executive Director, Minnetonka Site, St. David’s Center