NEWS

At St. Joseph’s Villa our staff never stop believing in children and their families — or each other! On August 31st the staff of the Sarah Dooley Center for Autism went to Richmond Ropes Course (http://richmondropes.com/) located in Fulton Hill as part of a team exercise.  Through a series of physical and mental challenges we […]

The start of a new school year is one of the most exciting times at Sarah Dooley Center for Autism.  As we prepare to welcome students back to our school, we encourage families to become familiar with key health and safety information that has been prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Our teachers and faculty […]

The following post was made by Adam Dreyfus, Director, Sarah Dooley Center for Autism at St. Joseph’s Villa. Penn State University researchers have concluded that as much as 65% of the increase in autism rates could be attributed to changing diagnoses, primarily children being moved from the category of Intellectual Disability into the Autism Spectrum […]

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that the state’s public schools have earned the U.S. Department of Education’s highest overall rating and the second-highest score for serving students with disabilities under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). “In every school division in the Commonwealth, there are special educators who are committed to preparing all students to […]

The following post was made by Adam Dreyfus, Director, Sarah Dooley Center for Autism at St. Joseph’s Villa. Science adds anxiety to parents, then says ‘we were wrong.’  A study claiming that children born by c-section were 21% more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder found that, upon further analysis, that there was […]

The Sarah Dooley Center for Autism at St. Joseph’s Villa is focused on helping individuals successfully transition to adulthood and live as fully and independently as possible.  In the same vein, a new online resource is now connecting individuals with autism and other disabilities to employers in their community.  The Spectrum Careers, launched by Rangam Consultants in partnership with […]

14-year old Dylan Greene has a unique interest. Vacuum cleaners have fascinated him ever since he was 2 years old, about the same time he was diagnosed with autism. The story of his birthday present, a live demonstration from a vacuum salesman and company gift of a Kirby vacuum, has gone viral. NBC12 covered the story and included […]

“As tough as parenting can be, it becomes even more difficult when our children are diagnosed with a chronic illness or disability. Taking care of your own physical and emotional health is an important part of providing support for your child.” This comprehensive article by Fawne Hansen, a health coach specializing in stress-related conditions, identifies […]

Two special education professors from Mogilev State University in Belarus, Professors Elina Katliarova (PhD in Psychology, Chair of Psychology Department) and Irina Komarova (PhD in Pedagogy, Dean of Faculty of Child Pedagogy and Psychology) toured St. Joseph’s Villa and its Sarah Dooley Center for Autism (SDCA) on December 4. During their visit, the Belarusian professors observed instructional techniques […]

Today 1 in every 68 children is diagnosed with autism.  While the increasing rate of autism is alarming, there is hope. Lifelong differences can be made in a child’s social, behavioral and cognitive skills with early detection of treatment. However, even though pediatricians are able to diagnose autism as early as age two, the average […]