Addressing the Autism Treatment Gap
According to the CDC, therapeutic services have failed to keep pace with rising demand to treat autism, a neurological and behavioral disorder that affects 1 in 36 children. St. Gerard House hopes to change that. With a $500,000 grant from Dogwood Health Trust, the nonprofit is looking to expand its services in the region.
Grant Impact
The grant will provide “operating security” for St. Gerard House so that the nonprofit can focus fundraising efforts on growth, according to Julia Buchanan, director of development and community engagement.
“Dogwood Health Trust’s grant will stabilize our administrative capacity and give breathing room to shift our focus to the future,” Carolina Long Tindall, CEO of St. Gerard House, said.
Proven Model
St. Gerard House has developed a proven pod center based model for delivering the highest quality of care to children and adults with autism in Western North Carolina. The flagship program, The Grotto Therapeutic Center, is a year-round day program for children with autism aged 3-21. Individual outcomes lead to documented improvement in communication, social relationships, play, academic abilities, and adaptive daily living skills.
Success Stories
“In 2023, The Grotto provided over 25,400 hours of therapy to enrolled clients,” Buchanan said. “Of those, 56% graduated into mainstream education after receiving early intensive behavior intervention. This is the result of the quality of ABA therapy given at St. Gerard House.”
Economic Impact
As St. Gerard House looks to grow, it considers the positive impact on the local economy. The development of a single pod creates over 22 living wage jobs for behavioral health professionals.
“As we seek to expand using this model, we are able to create jobs in Western North Carolina while providing quality, evidence-based autism therapy,” Tindall said.
Mission and Vision
St. Gerard House began its work in 2010 with a mission to help individuals with autism and their families experience more joy and achieve meaningful life outcomes by providing evidence-based therapies, innovative programs, and continuous advocacy. Julie Wilmot, owner of The Gallery at Flat Rock and Art of 7th, is the board chair.
About Dogwood Health Trust
Dogwood Health Trust is a private foundation based in Asheville that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and communities across 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary in Western North Carolina. The organization focuses on housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness.
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