Marshall Magazine Autumn 2022

a u t i s m t r a i n i n g c e n t e r

Autism EXPERTISE

Over the past 38 years, Marshall has become a national leader in the field of autism.

By Amy Deal Photos by Rick Lee

P eople in the Huntington re gion might be surprised to learn that Marshall University is the home of a national leader in the field of autism. Born from the passion and dedication of autism pioneer Dr. Ruth Sullivan, the West Virginia Autism Training Center at Marshall has been serving the needs of individuals with autism since be ing established by the West Virginia Legislature in 1984. Their mission: “To support individuals diagnosed with autism as they pursue a life of quality.” The oldest program at the cen ter, now called Direct Services, has provided free multitiered support to both families and educators state wide. The services are designed to meet the needs of all West Virginians with autism and the people who

programs with local businesses and hosting a panel of business lead ers who help soon-to-be graduates understand what managers expect from employees. According to Dr. Marc Ellison, executive director of the center, the businesses involved also learn about the benefits of hiring people with autism. “A lot of companies are looking for the skills that people with au tism have; they just don’t know it,” Ellison said. “As employees they are extremely reliable, having stellar at tendance rates. What’s more, many are hyperfocused about their work.” Matt Kaiser is a 2015 graduate of Marshall and one of the students who benefited from the program. He said that the mentors were a huge part of his success, working with him to

support them. A community-based program, its services include behav ior and needs assessments as well as training parents and caregivers in positive behavior support techniques. School-based paraprofessionals who receive training become credentialed as “autism mentors.” In 2002 the College Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder was created, becoming the first of its kind in the nation. The only program offered that isn’t free, the fee-based initiative serves 60 -70 students each year. Around 60% of those students are from out of state, which brings revenue to the university for housing, meal plans and other services. In addition, it also teaches students how to transi tion into employment after college. Examples include summer workshop

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