History Society for Treatment of Autism (STA) is an Alberta-based registered charitable organization providing comprehensive treatment and educational services for people with autism and related disorders. STA offers quality support, consultation and educational services for families and communities in Alberta. Organization Uniqueness Autistic children are qualitatively different from other special needs populations. Therefore, treatment service designed for other populations are not appropriate for the autistic child. Although there are a number of organizations that provide early intervention services, there aren1t any other service providers in the region who provide autism-specific services to children from young children to adulthood. Society for Treatment of Autism does work with these other educational services and referral agencies to provide a unique, relevant services and to develop new programs. Society for Treatment of Autism is dedicated to providing excellent individualized autism treatment services. Society for Treatment of Autism is unique because it ensures tailored one-on-one treatment for each child. Every child is special and every child has different needs. Society for Treatment of Autism responds to these needs. Organizational Structure Presently Society for Treatment of Autism has 127 staff members. Of this staff, 120 are dedicated to providing treatment. Our administrative component is only 5.5% of our overall budget. On an agency-wide basis, Society for Treatment of Autism has a volunteer program with an emphasis on fund raising, administrative, technological and communications support. Society for Treatment of Autism Background Society for Treatment of Autism started as one facility, Margaret House Residential Treatment Centre, which opened in the spring of 1973. Initially, six children were accepted into the residential program from the Psychiatric and Education Centre at Alberta Children1s Hospital in Calgary. The impetus for establishing a residential treatment program came from the Calgary Association for Autistic Children, a parent support group. Before Margaret House, these children were treated or housed as mentally handicapped, with no specific treatment for autism. From 1975 to 1985, Margaret House grew to include a classroom in addition to the residential component. The classroom site was used for day programs targeted to both community and residential children. Margaret House also changed in other ways - it shifted from being primarily a custodial care facility to a dynamic treatment centre. Active treatment approaches were implemented and discharge criteria were created. Services expanded once again in 1989 with the opening of a facility for early childhood services called Discovery Centre. This renovated house provided, and still provides, a day-program for children two to six. About this time, to complement its existing services, Society for Treatment of Autism introduced speech language therapy to its clients. In the 1990s, treatment modules were broadened to treat children in their own homes as well as in classrooms. In the last few years, this home-based option has increased in popularity to the point where it is now the most requested service. Presently Society for Treatment of Autism provides residential, classroom and community based programs for about 75 children. While we would like to be able to treat more children, our service capacity is dictated by funding. The development of every Society for Treatment of Autism program was lead by community requests in response to its changing needs. The community has also generated the projects included in that proposal. Parents and caregivers have long been expressing a need for outreach and transitional services and have been turning to Society for Treatment of Autism because of our expertise and specialization. At Society for Treatment of Autism, we are proud of the gains we've made in autism treatment. Beginning with nothing in 1973, we've created and sustained successful therapeutic services with the help of a very supportive community. In that time, we have lobbied the government to motivate policy change and have increased the advocacy voice of Albertans. As well, our expertise has been called on to set up treatment programs in Nova Scotia, B.C. and remote regions of Alberta. Still, there is much work to be done. To guarantee future success, we continue to liaise with other community agencies on an ongoing basis. We also strive to involve parents in their child1s treatment by providing skill-building workshops and by soliciting their input in evaluations and treatment methods.

Web page maintained by Laura de Boer.
Last updated June 2007.