Elevated Insights Assessment (EIA) offers psychological assessment services to support preparing your neurodivergent teen’s transition into adulthood!
Check out this amazing list of community resources for neurodivergent individuals transitioning to independence.
Local Community Resources for Teens and Young Adults Transitioning into Adulthood
Social & Life Skills Groups/Individual Programming
- Peers® Denver
- Location: Denver, CO
- Phone: (720) 645-8827
- group@peersdenver.com
- Description: PEERS Denver is a 16-week evidenced-based social skills program designed for young teens through young adulthood.Age Ranges: Teens in middle school – high school or 18-32
- Insurance Accepted: Kaiser only
- Beyond Classroom Walls
- Location: Aurora, CO
- Contact: Liz Peterson
- Phone: (303) 330-3309
- Description: Beyond Classroom Walls offers “real life” language and social skills groups for youth and young adults (i.e., middle school through young adulthood). Only available until 2023.
- Insurance Accepted: Medicaid Waiver
- Inclusion on Purpose
- Location: Lafayette, CO
- Phone: (720) 515-4487
- https://www.inclusiononpurpose.org/
- Description: Inclusion on Purpose provides supported community connections through Life Skills Coaches, mentorships, and employment services for adults.
- REVEL in Life
- Location: Denver, CO
- Phone: (720) 502-4927
- info@revelinlife.org
- https://www.revelinlife.org/
- Description: REVEL supports offers 1-on-1 programming across the home, clinic, and community settings to support independent living skills, practice home routines, and to generalize skills into their community. They also have a REVEL Lounge to provide a social setting to implement skills. Ages 14 – Adulthood
- Insurance Accepted: Medicaid Waivers and Mill Levy Funding. Private Pay rates are on a sliding scale.
- Garden Inc.
- Location: Denver, CO
- Phone: (303) 306-8259
- https://gardenautism.org/
- Description: Garden Inc. offers several Teen and Adult social programming that aids an individual into their young adulthood.
- Insurance Accepted: Vary by group. Some accept Medicaid SLS & DD Waivers, and Scholarships. Others are private pay.
- Independent Living Experience (ILE)
- Location: Colorado (multiple locations)
- https://independentlivingexperience.com/
- Description: Independent Living Experience (ILE) is a customized support service for adults with disabilities. Focusing on the areas of Employment, Independent Living, and Social Skills, ILE services are 100% community-based and individualized to each client. Services included in their model are executive functioning supports, job coaching, independent living skills, and building a social community.
- Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Social Group through Boulder Valley Psychotherapy
- Location: Virtual format
- Phone: (720) 591-4664
- https://bouldervalleypsychotherapy.com/rpg-therapy
- Description: Boulder Valley Psychotherapy is now offering a Young Adult virtual D&D Group.
- Insurance Accepted: Private Pay – $75.00 per 120-minute session
Higher Education Supports & Resources
- Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)
- www.ahead.org
- AHEAD is a professional membership association for individuals committed to equity for persons with disabilities in higher education.
- The Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (CSESA)
- https://csesa.fpg.unc.edu/ https://csesa.fpg.unc.edu/families/supporting-transition
- The Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (CSESA) is a research and development project funded by the U.S. Department of Education that focuses on developing, adapting, and studying a comprehensive school-based and community-based education program for high school students on the autism spectrum. They also provide several helpful handouts:Communicating with College Professors Handout
- KFM Making A Difference – Autism Scholarship
- https://kfmmakingadifference.org/
- KFM Making a Difference offers students with autism college scholarships, with 130 recipients in the past 10 years.
| Employment-Related Supports, Training, & Opportunities | ||
| Name | Location & Contact Info | Description |
| Inclusion on Purpose | Lafayette, CO
(720) 515-4487 |
Inclusion on Purpose provides supported community connections and employment services for adults. |
| T.A.C.T | Denver, CO
(303) 295-0163 https://www.buildwithtact.org/ |
Teaching the Autism Community Trades (T.A.C.T.) seeks to encourage and empower the full spectrum of individuals with autism through education and employment in the skilled trades. |
| REVEL in Life | Denver, CO
(720) 502-4927 |
REVEL supports offers 1-on-1 programming in the community and employment programming for teens – adulthood. |
| Garden Inc. | Denver, CO
(303) 306-8259 |
Garden Inc. offers Employment & Independence Cultivation Programming for adults. This includes a skill assessment, prevocational skill development training, career exploration, interview skill development, job development, supported employment, job coaching, and more. |
| Department of Vocational Rehabilitation | Denver, CO | The DVR offers a variety of programs and services to help individuals with disabilities obtain and maintain employment. They offer programming for supported employment, self-employment, independent living, aid in applying for disability benefits, and youth and transition services. |
| SWAP – School to Work Alliance Program | State-Wide | The SWAP program is an initiative between the DVR and local school districts to provide case management and direct services to young adults with disabilities. |
| Independent Living Experience (ILE) | Colorado locations | Independent Living Experience (ILE) is a customized support service for adults with disabilities. Focusing on the areas of Employment, Independent Living, and Social Skills, ILE services are 100% community-based and individualized to each client. Services included in their model are executive functioning supports, job coaching, independent living skills, and building a social community. |
| Local Employment Opportunities | Brewability: Englewood, CO
Dirt Coffee Bar: Littleton, CO Blue Star Recyclers: Denver, Colorado Springs, & Boulder, CO. |
The following are local businesses that aim for employment inclusion!
Brewability Pizza & Brewery: https://brew-ability.com/ Dirt Coffee Bar: https://www.dirtcoffee.org/ Blue Star Recyclers: http://www.bluestarrecyclers.org/ |
| American Disability Act (ADA) | www.ada.gov | The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law ensuring that adults with disabilities receive appropriate workplace accommodations and avoid discrimination. |
| Transportation Support and Programming | ||
| Name | Location & Contact Info | Description |
| Access-A-Ride | Denver, CO
(303) 299-6000 |
Access-A-Ride provides local bus transportation in the Denver metro area for people with disabilities. This program helps individuals who cannot access RTD’s fixed-route bus and train system to maintain their freedom to travel around the metro area.
Access-A-Ride also offers an Access-on-Demand with Uber program, offering another curb-to-curb ride alternative. |
| Garden Inc. | Denver, CO
(303) 306-8259 |
Garden Inc. offers Employment & Independence Cultivation Programming for adults includes transportation training. |
| Autism at-a-glance (via CSESA) | Online Handout | Getting a Driver’s License Handout |
| Relationship and Sex Education: | ||
| Name | Location & Contact Info | Description |
| Garden Inc. | Denver, CO
(303) 306-8259 |
Garden Inc. offers Sex & Relationship Education Programing for young adults. |
| Advocacy & Guardianship Supports | ||
| Name | Organization/Contact Info | Description |
| Easterseals | https://www.easterseals.com/co/ | “Easterseals Colorado is fostering an inclusive Colorado by ensuring all people with disabilities, older adults and caregivers have the programs and supports they need to live, learn, work and play in schools, workplaces and throughout our local communities. As a vital resource for all people with disabilities, older adults and caregivers in rural and urban communities across the state, Easterseals Colorado provides programs and supports that enhance quality of life and create opportunities for greater independence at home, at work and at play.” |
| The Arc of Colorado | https://thearcofco.org/ | The Arc of Colorado provides system advocacy, public awareness, community education, and support for self-advocacy organizations across the state for persons with I/DD and their families. Each of the 14 local Arc chapters, provide unique services based on the needs of their community. |
| THRIVE Centers | www.thrivectr.org | The THRIVE Center aims to inform and empower families as advocates for children through young adults with disabilities to achieve meaningful participation in schools and communities. |
| Autism Society of Colorado | www.autismcolorado.org | The Autism Society of Colorado provides important information about autism, local resources and events, and navigating the community. They also publish a quarterly newsletter and provide parenting classes, support groups, and parent-to-parent support programs. |