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Many adults with autism fall off "the cliff" after they age out of formal schooling at 21. A bold new project seeks to change that.
ASBURY PARK, N.J. — Corey Mohr wakes up at 6 a.m. each day, brushes his teeth and eats breakfast, which he prepares with his mother’s help. Patty Mohr makes sure he’s dressed before she leaves for work.
Then, nothing.
“He paces around the house,” Patty Mohr said. “Sometimes he’ll go on the computer, but he doesn’t have anything that will hold his interest. He paces from one end of house to the other.”
Corey, who lives in Manalapan, is 23 and has autism. He’s verbal, and he can follow directions, but he needs support. For Corey and others like him, there is little to be had outside of the family unit. Many adults with autism fall off “the cliff” after they age out of formal schooling at 21. The adult daytime programs that do exist were shut down by the state during the pandemic.
“You have all these special services, then you hit 21 and it’s over,” Patty Mohr said. “You’re on your own.”
A bold new project seeks to change that. The Monmouth Ocean Foundation for Children, a nonprofit with a track record of helping youth with special needs, is launching The Achieve Academy for Adults with Autism.
I believe what this nonprofit is doing is great, there should be more programs or jobs that accept adults with autism. With the proper guidance and teaching, adults with autism can handle doing most task.