Director - Tom Austin
802-258-9537 (V/TTY)
866-970-0138 (VP)
Email: taustin@vcdhh.org
William Center at Austine School
The William Center is the response of the Austine School-Vermont Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VCDHH) to the special needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and youth whose emotional/behavioral disorders prevent them from being served in more traditional special education programs. The William Center is approved and licensed by the State of VT, Dept. of Education.
Located on the beautiful 174 acre campus of the Austine School for the Deaf in Brattleboro, VT, the William Center at Austine meets the needs of a very low incidence group of youngsters, in need of specialized programming and related services.
The William Center houses two (2) separate programs. Students in either program are accepted only after a comprehensive evaluation by clinical staff either at William Center at Austine or at facilities chosen by the Local Education Authority (LEA). Transportation between school and home is provided for 7-day students of both programs who live within driving distance of Austine. Special transportation arrangements are made for students who live far distances. Home visits are scheduled with parents.
Behavior Program
This educational residential program serves emotionally and behaviorally disordered Deaf children and adolescents who need more intense psychological and educational programming than other programs are able to provide. Located on the campus of The Austine School the program has its own classrooms, residential unit and staff.
William Center at Austine Behavior Program is in operation twelve (12) months a year, seven (7) days a week with 40 days of summer school including one week of camp on the campus of The Austine School for the Deaf.
Programs and Services
The Behavior Program services are designed to serve all areas of a student's life;
Educational /Clinical
Academic- Small, individualized classes
Pre-Vocational training; assessment, job training, work experience and job placement services.
Counseling- Full-time counselors using a variety of counseling and therapeutic approaches with weekly individual and group therapy.
Support Services- Access to Austine School's comprehensive services in the areas of speech and audiology, psychological testing and evaluation, medical and health-related services, interpreter services for deaf or Spanish-speaking parents.
Daily support from health office in regards to mediation management.
Regular psychiatric consultation to include weekly case conferences and clinical
supervision.
Residential
365 day per year, emphasizing development of independent living skills, problem solving skills, appropriate use of leisure time, and socially appropriate behaviors
Extracurricular- A wide variety of social and recreational after-school activities, including sports, student work programs and supervised community field trips. Access to Austine School Activities will be encouraged and dependent upon student behavior performance.
Behavior Management Services
Individual, structured behavior management programs, developed to meet each student's needs
Family Service- Parents group, home visit or telephone conference by counseling and administrative staff, parent training and counseling
Transitional Services- Support for students returning to regular academic and pre- vocational programming
Consultants- In psychiatry, neurology, occupational and physical therapy, and behavior management.
Family Education Program
In order to help the child develop and maintain positive relationships with family members, a family education program is an integral component of the program. Staff members bring each student home periodically. ASL counseling, and family meetings are arranged on a regular basis. Access to community resources will be encouraged.
Admission Considerations
Students served by the William Center at Austine Behavior Program have histories of repeated maladaptive behavior in school, home, and the community. These behaviors of concern may include:
Oppositional Defiant Behavior
Resistance to authority
Isolation
Failure to respond to ordinary social stimuli
Outbursts of verbal and/or physical aggression
The absence of rudimentary verbal control
Many students also exhibit language and learning disabilities. However, the program is NOT, as a rule, appropriate for students demonstrating the following behaviors and/or needs:
Active risk of suicide
Active risk of serious violence to others
Primarily medical needs
Severe or profound retardation
Long-term custodial care needs
Need for full-time psychiatric care
Autism Program
This educational residential program serves Deaf children and adolescents on the Autism spectrum who need more intense clinical and educational programming than other programs are able to provide. Also located on the Austine's campus, the program has its own classrooms, residential unit and staff.
The Autism Program operates twelve (12) months a year, seven (7) days a week, and will accept day, 5 day and 7 day students. Students have 40 days of summer school including one week of camp located on the campus of Austine. All students are provided 1:1 assistance in the classroom managed by a full-time teacher and 1:1 supervision and assistance in the residential program.
The Autism Program services are designed to serve all areas of a student's life:
Educational /Clinical
Academic- Small, individualized classes
Pre-Vocational training; assessment, job training, work experience and job placement services.
Counseling- Full-time counselors using a variety of counseling and therapeutic approaches with weekly individual and group therapy if appropriate.
Support Services- Access to Austine School's comprehensive services in the areas of speech and audiology, psychological testing and evaluation, medical and health-related services, interpreter services for deaf or Spanish-speaking parents.
Daily support from health office in regards to mediation management.
Regular psychiatric consultation to include weekly case conferences and clinical
supervision.
Intensive support from occupational physical and speech and language therapists.
The use of technology to enhance behavioral interventions and communication
options.
Residential
365 day per year, emphasizing development of social interaction, pragmatic language, independent living skills, problem solving skills, appropriate use of leisure time, and socially appropriate behaviors
Extracurricular- A wide variety of social and recreational after-school activities, including sports, student work programs and supervised community field trips. Access to Austine School Activities will be encouraged and dependent upon student behavior performance.
Behavior Management Services
Individual, structured behavior management programs, developed to meet each student's needs
Family Service- Parents group, home visit or telephone conference by counseling and administrative staff, parent training and counseling
Transitional Services- Support for students returning to regular academic and pre- vocational programming
Consultants- In psychiatry, neurology, occupational and physical therapy, and behavior management.
Family Education Program
In order to help the child develop and maintain positive relationships with family members, a family education program is an integral component of the program. Staff members bring each student home periodically. ASL counseling, and family meetings are arranged on a regular basis. Access to community resources will be encouraged on a regular basis.
Admission Considerations
Students served by the William Center at Austine Autism Program have a diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum.
William Center at Austine Admission Procedure
Referrals to William Center at Austine are most often made by the prospective student's Local Education Agency (LEA), although referrals may also be initiated by a student's parent or guardian or by a social service agency. If a referral is not initiated by the LEA, it is strongly recommended that the LEA be included in the referral and evaluation process as soon as possible.
Students in the program are accepted only after a comprehensive evaluation by clinical staff either at William Center at Austine or at facilities chosen by the Local Education Authority (LEA).
Following the comprehensive pre-admission evaluation and a decision by the LEA, IEP Team to place the student in the program, students enter for a trial, diagnostic placement. Following this stage, staff members work with the LEA and family to develop and implement an appropriate Individualized Education Plan and/or treatment plan. Admission of appropriate students may at times be delayed so the additional staff can be recruited and trained. Students' performance is monitored closely, and regular reports are issued to referral agencies, parents and LEAs. Formal progress reports and report cards are issued on the standard Austine School schedule.
Program Fees
Tuition is charged to school districts or other agencies placing students in the program. Fee schedules may be obtained from the program director.
For more information contact:
Robert Carter Tom Austin
President, VCDHH, Inc Director of William Center
bcarter@vcdhh.org taustin@vcdhh.org
802-258-9530 802-258-9537
Brenda Seitz
Admissions Director, Austine School
bseitz@vcdhh.org
802-258-9535
