My husband Roy, our two-yearold son Paul and I anxiously waited for our new baby to be born into our family. Our daughter, Dara, arrived in 1966 and by 1969 we knew Dara had some problems, but just how serious these problems would become was unknown to us at that time.

After Dara's third birthday, things began to change rapidly for all of us. At the age of five Dara was diagnosed as hyper kinetic and retarded. At five and a half, she was given the label of emotionally disturbed. Institutionalization was suggested as the form of treatment. The public school district was not an option for her as the school district simply stated that they had no classroom or program suited for Dara and they, too, suggested institutionalization. By the age of six she received the diagnosis of schizophrenic, psychotic and severely mentally retarded. Then, at age seven, diagnosis was finally agreed upon: autism.

These months and years were extremely difficult for us. They are still very painful. Dara's demands and her behavior created days that made us feel as though we would not make it. Facing each new diagnosis, searching for help that was not there and getting through each day in tact was a challenge for each of us.

We went through all of the searches that parents do and found that the prevalent professional opinion for the treatment of autism was, of course, institutionalization. We knew that it was not for Dara. She needed help. She needed a program. We also needed guidance in methods and ways to help her regain what she had lost during those years after age two. We believed that the help she needed did not lie in any institution.

We read about autism. We read about the psychogenic theory and Bettleheim and then we read of the behavioral theories. Popular treatments at that time included psychogenic therapy, aversive therapy, behavioral therapy and psychotherapy.

Dara attended three private schools until she was fifteen years old. In 1979 we had decided that there had to be a better way to reach our daughter than what we were experiencing.

At a meeting early in April 1982, we were asked by the director of the school Dara was attending if we believed that the psychogenic therapy Dara was receiving was helping her. I replied, "No." We were then told that in that case Dara would have to leave.

In May of 1982, we established Esperance Center to better serve teenagers with disabilities. We had savings of $35,000 that we lent to the corporation. I was told by the Regional Center that it would be impossible to establish a group home, vendorize and license it by September. During that summer I designed a residential program suited to the Regional Center's specifications, filed a licensing packet to meet licensing requirements and filed for our non-profit status. We had a mission and paid no money out during this process. We rented a home on Point Dume and with help of our friends and family furnished it and had it ready in September.

We were licensed on September 28th, and our first resident, Dara, at the age of fifteen, moved in September 29th. By December we had six teenagers residing in the home. Our first income came in November when Esperance Center's bank account was below $2,000. Gradually the account grew, and Esperance Center repaid us the $35,000 and has remained stable ever since.

The other step involved in opening Esperance Center was to insure that an appropriate educational program was in place for our residents. I knew then, that all children of school age were entitled to a public education thanks to Federal Law PL 94-142 that was passed on November 29, 1975. This law provides all children with disabilities, ages three to twenty-one, the right to an appropriate education through their local public school system. I approached the school district during the summer of 1982 and advised them that in September they would have six teenagers with very special needs attending their school district. They advised me that they did not have a class for such children.

After discussing PL 94-142 a special class was established in Santa Monica for our teenagers and a special teacher was hired to teach them, Mr. Richard Jacoby. Richard designed his classroom after the special education models. Three hours after his first student entered, his classroom had been redesigned by this student, Dara

School was difficult for our teenagers. The bus would arrive at 7:00AM and return at 5:00PM. They were expected to stay in their seats for the two-hour ride and behave. Their behavior problems often led to them being sent home or suspended from school. We managed to get an aide for the long bus ride and eventually the class moved to Malibu, which was the end of our two hour special ed bus.

In 1986 Esperance was able to purchase its own home. We moved from Point Dume in Malibu, to Malibu West. Two of our teenagers reached the age of twenty-two in 1988, and the school was no longer able to provide an educational program for them. They had become adults and Esperance began the transition from group home for teenagers, to an adult residential facility. There was no day program for adults in Malibu at that time, so I approached the Regional Center and asked to be vendorized to establish one. I was told then that such a program was not needed in Malibu, but I convinced the person in charge that if there were two individuals that needed such a program, there was a need.

I was able to design a program based on the philosophy that all parts of the program must be individualized and be based on the individual's strengths not weaknesses. I am proud to say that Esperance Center remains true to this philosophy. Our day program is community based and non exclusionary. Our program offers mobility training, community integration, self advocacy, supported work and a behavioral component. We were able to find employers who gave our clients a chance to work. These employers were not the major chains that were then hiring those with disabilities, but local people with businesses located in Malibu. Without them we could not have succeeded. We began with two adults with autism, and now have twenty-eight clients of all abilities. We present an annual play in which everyone has a part, and the community and family members fill the auditorium and watch our clients thoroughly enjoying themselves.

The Malibu community has been very supportive of our adults. Our dentist, Dr. Neibergall, has been caring for our resident's teeth for almost eighteen years doing check-ups and cleanings probono. As stated above, several businesses provide employment for our day program clients and pay these clients minimum wage or better. This year we received a grant from the city of Malibu to add the additional component of art therapy to our day program, and have been invited by the city to have an art show at the Malibu City Hall the end of the year.

As both a director and parent, I share my knowledge in the field with staff and have strived to share my feelings as a parent. I try to get the staff to appreciate the love, caring and hope we as parents feel for our children no matter what their age, and the disappointment we continue to feel when our children do not succeed. I am proud of our staff. These dedicated direct support professionals are the backbone of our program. Without them we could not provide quality programs. I am pleased with Esperance Center, and what the center has accomplished and achieved for our clients. But, we can always do more. Esperance Center must never remain static. It must seek new ways, knowledge and methods to provide the best program for our clients that it can.

My husband and I have become very knowledgeable in the field of autism. We continue to learn everyday and take advantage of seminars and conferences in the field. 17 years ago our daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy. Today she suffers from refractory seizures, and we are again searching and growing in knowledge: this time in epilepsy.

This Article has been submitted by the Jeremy's Prophecy Dot Com team for informational and educational purposes. Jeremy's Prophecy Dot Com is a website dedicated to telling the story of Jeremy Jacobs, a character in the novel, Jeremy's Prophecy Dot Com.