By Sarah Harris
The state of West Virginia is full of hard-working individuals. West Virginians pride themselves on being strong, driven people who care deeply about their communities. One way in which they do this is by coming together every year in April to support Autism Awareness Month. Businesses, organizations and citizens partner to put on multiple events around the state to create acceptance and raise funds to support people with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Although the April events are incredibly important, support is needed year-round. In Putnam County, Bright Futures Learning Services (BFLS) and Community Autism Resources and Education Systems (CARES) are looking to partner with organizations ready to make a significant, continual difference in the lives of these individuals.
A Commitment to Caring
Jill Scarbro-McLaury, MA, BCBA is the founder and director of BFLS, a therapy clinic in Winfield that offers applied behavior analysis (ABA) to children on the autism spectrum. Bright Futures has served many children since it began in 2007 with Scarbro-McLaury working with one client at her grandmother’s kitchen table. Today, BFLS employs 25 individuals and serves children from more than seven counties. For her efforts, Bright Futures was awarded the West Virginia Small Business Administration’s 2019 Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year. Although the organization has grown, it cannot keep up with the demand as the prevalence of autism continues to rise.
The reality we face is this: autism prevalence is now one out of 59, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In West Virginia, it is estimated that roughly 6,000 children under the age of 18 have an autism diagnosis. ABA is a highly effective, research-based intervention that doctors recommend for the treatment of autism; however, West Virginia has less than 40 board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) currently providing this treatment. This means that less than 10 percent of the autism population in West Virginia has access to ABA, and of those 6,000 with autism, fewer than 600 of them actually have access to this physician recommended, life-changing intervention.
“I have seen so many families leave West Virginia because we just aren’t offering the services and supports that their children and their families need,” says Scarbro-McLaury. “I hate to see young, successful people—doctors, lawyers, hard-working professionals—leave the state, but I understand why they do it. We just aren’t serving their families well.”
ABA services are scarce in West Virginia and so are caregiver supports. Individuals who care for family members with special needs often suffer from burnout.
“These families need support. They need respite—a break from the 24/7 demands of special needs parenting,” says Scarbro-McLaury. “They need to know about resources that are available and that the community cares and supports them.”
A Data-Supported Approach
Scarbro-McLaury saw the need for more ABA services and a stronger support system for families. She started CARES with a group of concerned parents, creating a new nonprofit organization that aims to increase access to life-changing ABA therapy for children with autism and build community for their families. CARES and BFLS are working to train and retain more ABA providers in the state. By training and retaining more qualified professionals, more children will receive the intervention they deserve. This will not only impact these children and their families but the entire state as well. The lifetime cost for someone with autism is estimated to be $2-4 million. ABA’s high effectiveness rate, with 50 percent of people achieving best outcomes and 40 percent realizing significant gains, results in the cost per case decreasing by $1.6 million following ABA intervention.
CARES is also seeking to provide parent training, support research in and development of educational opportunities for children who have developmental and learning challenges and support professional development for ABA providers. CARES and BFLS are looking to connect with local businesses and citizens who want to make West Virginia a better place to live for families facing autism. They hope to provide more services for children and their families, keeping those families in their home state, and create more jobs for young professionals in the area.
If your business or organization is interested in partnering with CARES, please contact Executive Director Sarah Harris at sarahcareswv@gmail.com.
