Our Mission: The Shafer Center for Early Intervention is committed to providing resources and treatment to children on the autism spectrum and their families during the critical formative years of 18 months to age five. The Shafer Center for Early Intervention utilizes a whole-child approach to autism therapy to maximize the potential of each child. By creating a central resource for autism education, assessment and treatment, The Shafer Center for Early Intervention aspires to replace fear and uncertainty with hope, knowledge and support, to aid in re-establishing family balance, and to help put children on the path to realizing their fullest potential.
The Philosophy: The Shafer Center for Early Intervention uses a whole-child approach to autism therapy. This means that every child is assessed to determine his individual strengths and weaknesses and to establish a set of goals unique to the child. As part of this approach, each child is monitored to evaluate the ongoing effectiveness of the programs in which he participates. In this way, each child’s program can be efficiently tailored to meet his needs.
Every child is unique; therefore, The Shafer Center for Early Intervention uses a variety of teaching techniques compiled into a multi-disciplinary approach. Speech and language, applied behavioral analysis and verbal behavior, and sensory integration techniques are all seamlessly integrated into the Center’s core curriculum. This multi-faceted method helps children to learn in a variety of different ways. The ability to apply different self-educational methodologies helps children to become more flexible learners in the classroom and in the community at large.
An essential component of The Shafer Center for Early Intervention is the generalization of skills. The skill sets that are taught at the Center are generalized, so a child can take that skill from the classroom and use it in the home or vise versa. Parents play an important role in this aspect of the programming, and the Center encourages their participation and an environment of open communication to reach a successful model of achievement.
