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| News & Updates |
Please "like" us on Facebook at Mountain Creek Farms!
New Programs at MCF (Spring 2013)
Social Skills Group
A program specifically designed to meet the unique needs of our local teens and young adults with autism.
Weekly community outings to local landmarks, hikes in the local area, restaurants, movies, community centers and more are held as a means to
practice and generate newly acquired skills.
Our objective is to provide the participant with the following:
- An enjoyable and educational social setting where friendships can be developed and practiced.
- Increased awareness and knowledge of social skills limitations.
- Improved ability to initiate, interpret and respond to the verbal and non-verbal social cues used in various settings in the community to avoid unexpected behaviors.
- Improved knowledge about personal hygiene and self-care.
Please contact MCF for more information at 540-298-8302
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Why Choose and Support Mountain Creek Farms?
I. Environment
- Environment is quiet and peaceful, calming and relaxing -especially to those with auditory sensitivities
- Environment is safe – away from traffic, crime, strangers, etc.
- Lots of room to hike, ride bikes, etc. to engage in activities that lead to sensory calming
- Large acreage provides a buffer of space between neighbors or future developments
- Establishes a community where residents can relax and be themselves and be accepted
II. Types of Activities
For people with autism, farm activities tend to be especially meaningful. The activities are concrete and understandable: planting, harvesting, cooking, animal care. They are part of the natural “cycle of life".
- Working with animals is known to be therapeutic and relaxing
- Physical activity is healthy and calming
- Opportunity for meaningful employment, in a supportive environment, delivering value-added products and services
- Opportunities for continuous engagement throughout the day
- Develops current skills and teaches new ones, promotes independence, enhances self-esteem
- Lots of opportunities for lifetime learning, rec/leisure activities in an environment conducive to learning
- Programs are individualized to meet each person’s interests and abilities
III. Organization focused on autism
- Farm is focused on autism – provides strong understanding of the culture of autism and use of best practices
- Much more in-depth training and mentoring available for direct care staff
- Partnership with universities to help more people get trained to work with people with autism
- Farm can become focal point for autism training in Western Virginia and surrounding areas … training community, parents and professionals
IV. Community setting
- Provides many socialization opportunities – peers, staff, community, neighbors … outings, parties, work, leisure
- On-site management oversight and mentoring drives accountability
- Consistency of support across residential and day habilitation venues – same staff and programs and management cover all services
- Staff feels trained, backed up, appreciated, part of a team and not isolated
- Low transportation costs, as most day participants live in their own homes near their worksites
- Time is flexible – if they are late getting up and ready in the morning, they are not tied to bus schedules to go to day programs.
- Interactions with a group of trained staff daily, so staff substitutions are familiar
- Backup staff is available immediately in case of emergency or behaviors
- Provides a critical mass of people with similar needs to establish learning center, crafts, etc. that meet the unique needs of people with autism
- Sense of community – residents, staff, and parents become an extended family
- Continual on-site coaching, mentoring and oversight will improve direct care staff
- Provides more opportunity for community engagement – not tied to the interests of one housemate or staff. Farm events will draw the community to visit
- Sharing of lessons learned and best practices across homes, clients and staff
V. General
- This Farm builds on model of six current US farms (and several in Europe) – all are successful, completely full, with long waiting lists and virtually no turnover because of the effectiveness of the model
- This is the only farm for Autistic adults that is located in Virginia, and it will strive to meet the needs of residents located in the mid-Atlantic region
- Provides a sustainable model of lifetime care – provides significant peace of mind for parents concerned about “what will happen to them when I die?”
- Fills an exploding need for adult services and provides a learning laboratory for others to follow
- Quality of life can be much better – resulting in reduced medications and side effects, better alertness and engagement, happier demeanor and improved self-esteem
- Land cost for multiple homes, community buildings and green space in urban environment would be prohibitive - thus a farm model is an enabler
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