May 30, 2016, By Pam McLoughlin- "Chapel Haven has always been in the national forefront of teaching independent living to those with autism and other special needs - and now they're taking it to new levels with a campus transformation that will include an assisted living area so clients can age in place. The existing campus that houses Chapel Haven's award-winning programs will also undergo major reconstruction to create state-of-the-art classrooms, offer the newest technologies for learning and be designed with the population in mind, including by reducing blind corners so it's easy to see around corners and color-coding for walls to provide visual cues. They also will build a community center with a gymnasium and theater, as well as storefronts where students and community members can do business. “We’re going to finally have a facility to match the excellence of our program,” Chapel Haven president Mike Storz said. “It’s designed with the population in mind…It will be constructed in a way that individuals will be able to learn from their environment, rather than depend on staff to navigate the environment.” In addition, the organization has received a $5 million grant from a family’s foundation to create a replicable, sustainable employment model for clients, as meaningful employment is a component of independent living. The employment rate for people with disabilities is only 20 percent, compared with 70 percent for the general population..." Click HERE to comment and read full article.

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