♦?It has been a challenge to find qualified Day Care Facility Programs in the Virginia Beach area. I have found only one however it’s a small facility called “Indigo”.                           They would need to hire more qualified staff to take on more young adults that fall between high functioning but do not qualify through the state to work. 
♦?My son had attended 3 Facilities prior that were horribly run by individuals that want easy adults but do not have the activities that provide sensory stimulation, promote group conversations and assist in teaching them how to be productive in the community. In my opinion those generic facilities are just milking the Medicare Waver.  And thus my son was very upsetting and left my son traumatized. Those experiences left a fearful impression that different races where not a positive. This is Not how I grew up from a military household, moving around the US every 2-3 years. I learned that all races are uniquely different and therein lies the beauty of a diversified world. 
♦?We need more Providers that have Day Care Facilities for the Autism Spectrum of young adults & other high functioning individuals especially those individuals transitioning out of High School. 
As we know as Patents and have been through the LONG Waiting List on the DD Waiver to get services.
♦?We need to have a more solid approach & more options of Quality Providers to choose from to help these young individuals thrive and have a sense of being productive in their communities and increases their desire to keep learning once they have finished High School and are ready to transition. 
♦?A Transition Program needs to be enacted through Congress  in the Virginia Beach area. 
♦?Parents were promised from High School Teachers & Staff of all the options that were available once our kids have graduated HS. However the Funding & Laws have changed so much that once my son was ready to transition to a work program he was denied the “Right to Work” because of his Seizures. That it would require an assistant near by to keep him on task and or assist in the onset of a siezure. Seizures can be very common in individuals on the Autistic Spectrum Disorder ASD that can manifest at any age.

♦?My son has wanted to be a Farmer since he was 7 years old. Now at 23 How can Can We make this happen?  
♦?There was in 2004 and still is Now a large population of kids, young adults and older on the ASD Spectrum.

♦?Many of them are from military families.

♦?It was my understanding back in 2010 that if a Military Service member had a Special Needs Child the military would send them to San Diego California or Virginia Beach.  
And the Military was to provide more Funding for their children to the State of Virginia.
♦?Congress and the State of Virginia has Not provided that funding and have never been renforced to do so.

♦?Not all families in Virginia Beach are Military. 

♦?We need to pressure our now Democrat Senate & House in the State of Virginia to immediately start to implement this Funding from the Military to provide financial support for their own Servicemembers children.

♦?Then the DD Waiver Services Long Waiting List would move Much Faster in getting our kids the help they deserve & need to be functioning, productive & have an overall sense that THEY can achieve their desired career and be a huge part of their Community. They are valuable Human Beings Too!
♦?WE NEED TO RESTRUCTURE THIS PROBLEM and as Most Mom & Dads with Special Needs children and adults are STILL struggling. 

Thank you for reading, 

Mary C Hendrickson 

email: Drsnipm@hotmail.com