Groundbreaking Autism Intervention for Vulnerable Children and their Families

Mental health

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Autism is a different state of being, feeling, experiencing, thinking, and relating to the world. In California, 1 in every 22 eight-year-old children has Autism. Yet, interventions to help them continue to focus solely on correcting their behavior and helping them fit into everyone else’s idea of what is “normal.” This can lead to feelings of alienation and despair and to further withdrawal from society. Vista’s Autism Center is seeking to break this mode by bringing to Los Angeles a groundbreaking therapeutic model that focuses instead on understanding the child’s unique feelings and struggles. This approach aims to understand their special way of experiencing the world, their anxieties which are aroused because of their different structure, their feelings, dreams, and hopes. It does not try to change the child’s behavior, but rather works to establish emotional links that will enable the child to live and thrive in a world that is often confusing, terrifying and nonsensical to them.

There is no cure for Autism, nor does there need to be. History shows that our most prominent artists and intellectuals include many neurodiverse individuals. Rather than trying to change the child, Vista’s new Autism Center is bringing to LA a groundbreaking therapeutic approach developed by Dr. Durban that has been successfully applied in Europe and Israel for over 30 years and has helped thousands of children. We are launching a first-year pilot to observe how this model operates within the LA community. This grant will support financial aid to 20 autistic children ages 1 to 7 who would otherwise not be able to afford this type of therapy. Each child will receive three sessions per week for six months, and their parents will be seen twice a month. This in-depth, intensive psychodynamic treatment creates a stable, continuous and predictable setting that allows the psychotherapists to follow every nuance of the child’s emotional responses, anxieties and unique needs. Once the child feels safer and better understood, he or she is able to open up, express themselves, approach the world with less confusion and anxiety, and better utilize their natural assets. Since navigating the social world requires an ‘emotional map’, which neurodiverse children struggle with, our goal is to provide them with emotional skills that will serve as social skills. Simultaneously, their family is gradually introduced to the child’s internal world, ensuring better communication and understanding.

Therapists using this method in other countries have witnessed young clients develop beyond expectations, establish better connections with the world around them, and create meaningful, productive lives. This approach helps kids enjoy school, nourish relationships, and ensures that they are better able to utilize their special talents. They feel seen, heard and accepted, and are often able to thrive. This brings immense joy to their families, who frequently feel overwhelmed trying to help their child navigate the world. As more people establish a deeper emotional understanding of autism, acceptance of neurodivergent individuals in LA will grow.
We will begin with a three-year demonstration project and will gradually increase the ages and number of children served as grant funding allows. Our goal is to expand our network of trained therapists all over the County, enabling families to easily access services. Long-term plans include seeking status as an evidence-based practice in the US.

We will measure success by the number of families receiving services, number receiving financial aid, and number of sessions provided. Treatment goals are developed collaboratively between the clients and their clinician within the context of a thorough admission assessment, which includes presenting of problems and impairments in functioning. When appropriate, therapists administer clinical assessments every six months, which may include: CANS, PSC-35, YOQ, M-chat and ADOS. These measures allow clinicians to examine key symptomatology, including anxiety and depression, as well as critical issues such as psychosis, harm to others, and self-harm. Additionally, all clinicians fill a monthly standardized report describing the child’s progress on a variety of emotional, cognitive and communication factors. Desired outcomes for clients include: increased self-awareness; decreased anxiety and depression; increased ability to deal with life stressors; and improved functioning.