Our Address: 45 Cavalier Boulevard, Florence, KY 41042
Contact Us: For enrollment information, please email Perspectives: info@nkyperspectives.com
For sponsorship or other support opportunities, please contact Rob Seideman: foodforthoughtinc@gmail.com or 970.379.3628
Who are we?
Perspectives isn’t just a program. It’s a lifeline for students with autism, Down syndrome, and other developmental diagnoses to learn the social and life skills that so many of us take for granted. It’s also more than just the lessons we teach. We’re a community built on understanding, empathy and growth, a place where adolescents and young adults discover that they matter, belong, and deserve the same opportunities for meaningful connections as everyone else.
Perspectives’ founders saw
a need and decided to do something about it.
Daily Living Skills (DLS) are the most important predictor of success for a person with autism, Down syndrome or other developmental diagnosis, far more important even than academic achievement. Without well-developed DLS, they are almost certain to struggle with basic needs, social inclusion, and securing employment.
Yet there aren’t nearly enough resources in Northern Kentucky (NKY) to meet the demand for developing DLS. In fact, when it comes to services for adolescents, teens and young adults, there’s essentially a black hole.
Our Founders
Debra Geers, M.Ed., Ed.L Executive Director
Amy Reed Marketing Director
Mary Erickson, M.S., CCC-SLP Director of Programming
John Helmle Board of Directors
Kris Lawler Board of Directors
Ryan Voelker Board of Directors
# of Students in NKY with Autism or developmental disability: 4,675
# of Students in NKY ages 11-21 currently receiving DLS services: 250
Perspectives solves this problem by providing students the opportunity to develop DLS and other critical life skills in real-life environments that allow them to thrive at home, in the community, and among their peers.
Dan Scroggins Board of Directors
DLS Programming in NKY for Ages 11-21
The Data
Daily living skills (DLS) are the tasks that individuals do to take care of themselves at home, school, and in the community. Autistic adolescents without an ID (intellectual disability) have DLS that fall far below what would be expected based on their age such that they are often 6-8 years behind their same-aged peers. This gap between age and DLS is present in early childhood and continues to widen over time. Age-appropriate DLS have been linked to more successful outcomes for autistic adults in attending and graduating from college, finding and keeping jobs, living independently, and achieving positive wellbeing.
– From A Randomized Clinical Trial Targeting Daily Living Skills in Autistic Adolescents Without an Intellectual Disability Before the Transition to Adulthood.
Students with autism with average and above average IQs and abilities have lower success outcomes when they transition into adulthood than individuals with lesser abilities, because of a lack of DLS.
“Sure, some of these students may find jobs bagging at Kroger, for example, but some could be doing so much more if they just had the social skills to go with their other skills and abilities.”
children ages 3-17 have a developmental disability
Individuals with disabilities are the largest minority group in the nation, estimated at 20 percent, crossing lines of age, ethnicity, gender, race, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.
1 in 10 1 in 36
children have autism
Our Mission
We provide students the opportunity to develop DLS and other critical life skills in real-life environments.
Perspectives provides students the opportunity to develop DLS and other critical life skills in real-life environments.
Our Vision
To inspire more programs in Northern Kentucky in order that all individuals with disabilities in the community can navigate life’s journey with a sense of belonging, confidence and purpose.
Core Values
Leadership
We aim to be the model that inspires others in the region to create much-needed programming for students with disabilities.
Empathy
We are dedicated to meeting each child where they are and helping them reach their full potential.
Urgency
We understand that services that benefit people with disabilities and their caregivers are needed yesterday, not tomorrow.
This is Ethan's Story
Ethan is a smart young man, kind, with a heart full of dreams. But for Ethan, the world feels like an obstacle course. Every day, he faces challenges that others might not even notice—like trying to make friends at school, understanding the social cues in a conversation, or figuring out how to navigate the complexities of a job interview. While his peers seem to effortlessly connect, Ethan often finds himself standing on the outside, unsure of how to take that first step toward meaningful friendships and independence.
And Ethan isn’t alone. Many teens and young adults with autism, Down syndrome, and other developmental diagnoses share a similar experience—a sense of isolation, frustration, and confusion about the social world. They know they are capable of achieving their goals, but without the right tools, their journey can feel lonely and discouraging. Many have the potential to thrive, but they simply need a safe space to learn, grow, and practice the skills necessary to navigate the world around them.
And Ethan isn’t alone. Many teens and young adults with autism, Down syndrome, and other developmental diagnoses share a similar experience—a sense of isolation, frustration, and confusion about the social world. They know they are capable of achieving their goals, but without the right tools, their journey can feel lonely and discouraging. Many have the potential to thrive, but they simply need a safe space to learn, grow, and practice the skills necessary to navigate the world around them.
“The DSAGC has so many opportunities that look great but we just can’t make transportation work.”
– NKY Parent
"My daughter is actually getting up and getting ready for school without help…I think she sees how it can feel good to be independent!”
– Parent of STRW student
“Do you have a program for my child?” “Yes,
“If my child just had one friend, just one.”
– Parent of student at Perspectives
What are families doing now?
Currently, most families in Northern Kentucky are handling a lack of services one of three ways:
1. They’re traveling to Cincinnati or Louisville, where comprehensive programming is well established.
2. They’re "pinballing" from one narrow-focus NKY program to another. In NKY, there are 20 narrow-focus programs offering speech/ language, gym/sports, tutoring, dance, etc. to students ages 11-21.
3. They’re doing without (aka relying on schools.)
None are acceptable. Traveling to Cincinnati or Louisville, or pinballing from one resource to another (from speech therapy to dance class to life skills class), is time consuming and expensive, taking most families 1.5 hours of daily travel time that could be used for family time that’s just as important, particularly since many of the families already sacrifice quality time for multiple therapy visits their children require daily or weekly.
“Availability is quite limited in KY.”
“We can’t find a program that suits my teenagers needs.” – NKY Parent
“If my child just had one friend, just one.” – NKY Parent
The Current Landscape
ABA vs Non-ABA Programming
Kentucky offers insurance riders and waivers for families with children with autism and/or developmental disabilities.
This certainly isn’t a bad thing, but it does result in a disproportionate number of ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) providers, because ABA is one of the only interventions that are billable to insurance.
Yet, ABA is just one of many interventions, and families deserve more options!
In the spirit of the tenet, Nothing about us without us, we sent a survey to hundreds of students, caregivers, parents and experts in NKY in order to ensure Perspectives’ programming and facility design represent the community we serve.
What we heard, loud and clear, was that Life Skills, Independence and Socialization represent the largest unmet needs in NKY.
Area of Focus Programming Features
How is Perspectives meeting the need?
Perspectives is the only comprehensive social skills program in the Tri-State with its own state-of-the-art facility. This is so meaningful to the region that it transforms the entire dynamic. Whereas it used to be the case that families from NKY had to drive to Cincinnati for critical services, families from all over the Tri-State will now be driving to NKY to attend Perspectives!
Perspectives provides two evidence-based, non-ABA, DLS programs: STRW and PEERS
STRW focuses on independent living skills like Personal Hygiene, Laundry, Cooking, Shopping, Banking and Budgeting.
PEERS focuses on social skills like Developing and Maintaining Friendships, Conversation, Handling Disagreements, and Electronic Communication.
STRW
is the first evidence-based intervention for autistic teens that targets building age-appropriate daily living skills to facilitate a successful transition from high school to the adult world.
PEERS
is an evidence-based social skills program for adolescents in middle and high school who are interested in making and keeping friends and/or handling conflict and rejection.
Key Outcomes
We scaffold goals so that large concepts are broken down into small, attainable pieces. When the time is right, we combine those smaller skills and advance larger lessons through practice, encouragement, frequent check-ins and input from families, and real-time application.
Short Term
1. Students feel a sense of belonging and start forming lasting friendships
2. Families feel the support and relief that comes from a team having their back
3. Many families gain 1.5 hours each day by not having to travel to Cincinnati to get the services needed
Long Term
1. Students utilize DLS and other critical life skills they’ve learned to thrive at home, in the community, and among their peers
2. Students benefit from Perspectives’ community network of potential future employer businesses
Outcome Measures: STRW
How do teens improve after completing the STRW intervention?
Recent efficacy studies on the STRW intervention have demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful gains of 2-4 years in domestic, personal, and community DLS after completing the intervention.
Gus was a 16-year-old teen who completed the STRW intervention during the fall of 11th grade. He had daily living skills that ranged from 5 to 9 years of age when he began STRW and really struggled doing things independently without help from his parents.
During STRW sessions, Gus and his mother worked towards his personal goals of (1) getting himself ready for school each morning independently, (2) making dinner for his family once per week, (3) doing his own laundry each
week, (4) helping with grocery shopping, and (5) making a budget with the money he earned from a part-time job.
At the end of STRW, Gus gained over 6-years of daily living skills in just 4 months! He continued to build age-appropriate daily living skills prior to enrolling in a community college after he graduated from high school.
Our Facility
We toured existing facilities in the Greater Cincinnati region, like LADD, CABVI, and the Heidt Center, as well as organizations outside the Tri-State, and incorporated design elements that we liked in those buildings into our design.
We conferred with experts, including our region’s foremost expert on programming for people with autism, as well as the experts at People Working Cooperatively’s Whole Home Innovation Center for people with disabilities.
We took every step to ensure that Perspectives’ facility is state of the art for people with disabilities.
Expert Input on Key Design Elements for Clients with Autism:
Experts recommend soft, warm-toned lighting, soundproofing with carpeted floors, and flexible classroom layouts with dividers. Key features include secure entrances, staff-only restrooms, private single-use restrooms, and organized, colorcoded storage. Calming aesthetics—pastels, minimal patterns, and glass panels for visibility—along with quiet retreat areas, support a distraction-free environment.
Sponsorship
Founding Sponsor Recognition
An anonymous funder with a vested interest has provided an existing building. Perspectives is seeking founding sponsors to help develop it into a state-of-the-art facility.
Campus/Facility (total of everything below except Scholarship Fund)
Kitchen
Demo Apartment
Job Skills Center
Snack Shop
Game Room
Family Resource Room
Theater Rec Room
Classroom #1
Classroom #2
Classroom #3
Classroom #4
Transport Van
$1,027,362
$67,091
Name above building entrance exterior and lobby. Founding role and recognition explained prominently on website and in continuous display of events and happenings on lobby’s large screen. Name in all marketing and media communications, on all banners and signage at community events, and on Perspectives’ transport vehicles. In essence, whenever and wherever Perspectives is mentioned, so will this sponsor! Unlimited tickets to all events. Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
Name above Kitchen entrance and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. Name in all related marketing, media communications, and invitations, e.g., Join us in the [Your Name] Kitchen for cooking classes during the month of September! Name/logo on aprons, menus, and everywhere there’s an opportunity!
$90,660
$27,315
$69,465
$61,702
Name above Apartment entrance and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. Name in all related marketing, media communications, and invitations, e.g., Join us in the [Your Name] Demo Apartment for Snacks & Movie Night on the 15th of every month! Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
Name above Job Skills Center entrance and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. Name in all related marketing, media communications, and invitations, e.g., Join us in the [Your Name] Job Skills Center for Interview Prep night October 10th! Name/logo on all computer screen savers Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
Name above Snack Shop entrance and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. Name in all related marketing, media communications, and invitations, e.g., Join us in the [Your Name] Snack Shop for lip-smacking treats prepared by Perspectives students! Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
Name above Game Room entrance and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. Name in all related marketing, media communications, and invitations, e.g., Join us in the [Your Name] Game Night every Wednesday! Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
Name above Family Resource Room entrance and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. Name in all related marketing, media communications, and invitations, e.g., Join us in the [Your Name] Family Resource Room for an informative session on Special Needs Financial Planning January 12th at 6:30pm! Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
$59,915
$82,860
$82,860
$82,860
$82,860
$86,820
Name above Theater Rec Room entrance and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. Name in all related marketing, media communications, and invitations, e.g., Join us in the [Your Name] Theater Rec Room for a showing of The Peanut Butter Falcon June 18th at 7pm! Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
Name above Classroom entrance and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. Name in all related marketing, media communications, and invitations. Name/logo on Smart Board. Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
Name on sides and rear of Van and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. This sponsorship probably gets the most recognition because everyone who sees the van while in traffic will make the connection that [Your Name] cares about the community! Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration. Wheelchair-Accessible Van
$120,000
Sensory Room
$43,290
Scholarship Fund $250,000
Name above Sensory Room entrance and prominently included in continuous display of key sponsors on lobby’s large screen. Name in all related marketing, media communications, and invitations. Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
Contributions of $50,000 and above are displayed prominently on website and in continuous display of events and happenings on lobby’s large screen. Name in all marketing and media communications and on all banners and signage at community events. Complimentary table at every annual gala and celebration.
