The young man standing outside the apartment complex in suburban Tucson was very helpful and assured me I had found Chapel Haven West. I later found out he was a Chapel Haven student waiting for his bus ride to his job where he was learning to be an auto mechanic and was on the verge of successfully graduating from the program. My offhand impression was of a very polite and self-assured young man no different than many others of that age I've seen. There were maybe signs of a little more shyness than usual for that age, but nothing out of the ordinary.

He directed me to the office of Ken Hosto, Director of Chapel Haven West, who explained that this program was an outgrowth of the 40 year old Chapel Haven program in Connecticut. The expansion into Tucson was established almost five years ago. Ken explained that Chapel Haven West serves in Tucson a coed population of about 20 young adults at least 18 years of age who are on the autism spectrum or have related social disabilities. Most enrollments take place in July and the two year program teaches students 1) Life Skills, 2) Self-Determination, 3) Vocational or College success, and 4) Social Communication.

The plan, Ken explained, is for the students to have a paid job by graduation. The possible exception might be a student going full time for his or her college degree. The program provides the services the students need in order to transition into Independent living. The program explains themselves as using an Assisted Living Model. This does not include serving therapeutic needs, just the needs that come from spectrum, social or developmental difficulties. The staff is always with the students during the first few months to ensure they are safe. As each student demonstrates better decision making ability and responsibility, the staff gradually eases off and gives the students more independence. Some, after graduating from the program, will move across the street and take advantage of the supportive living program. This is real independent living, but there is enough staff contact that help is readily available if the student starts having trouble.

Ken took me for a tour of the apartments the students live in and they were clean and relatively neat. They were nothing fancy but had the basics a college student might need. Actually, they were much cleaner than many college dorm rooms or apartments I remember from my college days.

Ken then took me over to the University of Arizona campus where the first year students spend a significant amount of their time. Chapel Haven has a formal relationship with the University and the students spend a lot of time at the SALT program. All the Chapel Haven students also take a for-credit independent study class open to all Univ. of Arizona students. This gives them student status with rights to the University exercise equipment, to the SALT Center, student discounts and admission to University activities etc. Part of the goal is to give all the students a University experience even though they might not be planning to work toward a degree.

I had the chance to attend a class with the Chapel Haven students in the SALT Center (A Center for all University of Arizona students with Learning Disabilities). The class was in career planning, and the topic of the day was getting a job interview and how to conduct themselves during and after the interview. They were respectful and appeared attentive. However, I suspect they were like most college students with some only pretending to pay attention. :) In their second year the focus becomes more on employment opportunities like the young man I first met waiting for his ride.

The apartment complex was not pretentious, and the physical appearance was purposely low key and designed to blend into the neighborhood. I couldn't even find the Chapel Haven sign until I was getting ready to leave it was so small and tucked away in a corner of the entryway. A casual glance of the apartment complex would show just a bunch of young college people getting on with their lives. The only noticeable difference might be the frequent comings and goings of a school van ferrying the students over to the University campus or to ferry them to a job or other needs.

My time spent on this visit was pleasant; the young adults looked good and obviously were busy getting on with their lives. I can see why Chapel Haven West did well in my annual survey last Fall for our Parent Empowerment Handbook.