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Program That Helps Students With Autism, Other Special Needs Attend College Names New California Director

Posted on: Monday, 3 December 2007, 12:00 CST

MONTEREY, Calif., Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- College Living Experience (CLE), a program to help students with autism and other special needs attend college, has named Douglas Quinn, Psy. D., director of its Monterey program.

College Living Experience provides intensive assistance with academic, independent living and social skills to college students with special needs such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Asperger's Syndrome, non-verbal learning disorders and other learning disabilities as they attend college.

Quinn, a graduate of St. Thomas University in Miami, earned a master's degree in divinity from the Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C., and a master's in counseling psychology and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Ryokan College in Los Angeles. As a Catholic church missionary, Quinn worked with young people through family outreach and gang-prevention programs in Boston and Washington, D.C., and worked in higher education as a campus minister at the Ohio State University.

Quinn has served as foster family social worker and as a therapist at Rossier Park School in Buena Park, Calif., where he worked extensively with children with ASD, Asperger's Syndrome and pervasive developmental disorders. Quinn worked with more than 20 Southern California school districts, helping to create and implement a variety of individually based academic and behavioral programs for students with special needs.

About CLE

CLE assists students who are accepted at any nearby college, university, technical or vocational school. CLE professional staff members work closely with students to provide structured tutoring sessions, independent living skills training and social outings. Students live in apartments near the CLE offices and student centers and receive intensive support in three primary areas to complement their higher-education goals:

-- Academics: Each week, students attend two to five 50-minute tutoring sessions conducted by professional tutors. They also attend a weekly course review and study-hall sessions three or four times a week. -- Independent living: CLE staff work individually with students to introduce apartment living and provide support for the development of life skills. Students receive assistance with establishing and maintaining a checking account, paying monthly bills, shopping, preparing meals, cleaning and managing other daily-living necessities. -- Social skills: All students enrolled in CLE are paired with a mentor who takes on the role of a big brother or big sister. Students have the opportunity to participate in social-skills groups that gather around specific activities, such as bowling and cooking. Students may also participate in social skills and stress management groups that meet with the staff psychologist at least once a week.

"By offering daily tutoring, independent living assistance, social events and access to a staff psychologist, we make sure all the needs of our students are met," Steven Roth, Ed.D., executive director of CLE, said. "We focus on students' needs so they can focus on their dreams."

Students from around the country can enroll in CLE programs in Austin, Texas, Chicago, Denver, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Washington, D.C. CLE is currently accepting applications at all locations for the January 2008 semester.

CLE is a division of Educational Services of America, the nation's leading national provider of special, alternative and post-secondary education programs.

"The greatest fear of parents of exceptional children is, 'What will happen to my child when I'm gone?'" Mark Claypool, president and CEO of ESA, said. "Many parents never consider college as an option and they worry their children will not be prepared for independent adulthood. With the support and services of CLE, exceptional students can attend college, earn degrees and achieve the academic and social skills they need to live independently."

For more information on CLE, visit http://www.cleinc.net/ or contact Patricia Giner, national director of admissions, at 800-486-5058.

About Educational Services of America

Educational Services of America is the nation's leading provider of K-12 and post-secondary alternative and special education programs Based in Nashville, Tenn., ESA owns and operates more than 120 schools and programs in numerous states throughout the country. ESA provides highly personalized academic and behavioral services for students through the following branded areas: College Living Experience, College Living Prep, ESA Exceptional Schools, Ombudsman Educational Services and Spectrum Center Schools. For more information, visit http://www.esa-education.com/ .

Educational Services of America

CONTACT: Jan Morrison of Lovell Communications Inc., +1-615-297-7766,jan@lovell.com, for Educational Services of America

Web site: http://www.esa-education.com/http://www.cleinc.net/

Source: PRNewswire

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