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Transition Programs for Young Adults With Autism​

STRiV Forward in Orem, UT, offers transitional and therapeutic living for motivated young adults between the ages of 17 and 25 struggling with past substance use and mental health struggles. We offer individual transition programs for young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to help them achieve independence and personal growth. 

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Guiding Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum Through Transitions

At STRiV Forward, we offer specialized transitional programs designed to support young adults on the autism spectrum as they navigate the challenges of achieving independence. Our approach combines personalized attention, a safe learning environment, and evidence-based therapeutic support to foster essential life skills and social development. With a focus on experiential learning and mentorship, students engage in real-world experiences that promote resilience and self-advocacy. Our goal is to empower each individual to thrive in their journey toward adulthood while receiving the guidance they need to succeed in their personal growth. 

Start Your Journey to Healing Today

We’re dedicated to helping young adults grow and develop independence through structured programs and meaningful connections. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help!

What Sets Us Apart

Personalized Transition Programs for Young Adults With Autism

Our transition programs for young adults with autism are highly specialized to support students with unique needs and challenges. Small class sizes and student-to-mentor ratios ensure each student receives individualized attention. We focus on the challenges students with autism face and provide the therapeutic experience needed to manage or overcome them.

Safe Environment to Explore and Learn Life Skills

We offer a supervised, semi-independent living experience where students can practice real-world skills safely. Students are encouraged and allowed to try and fail, which builds resilience and courage. This allows for the development of several critical life skills, such as self-care, caring for their own space, and managing time wisely.

Evidence-Based Support for Mental Health and Social Development

We utilize evidence-based therapies that support the healing of mental health and social development among peers. Therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, and positive psychology are all used to help our students find healing and forge connections with others.

Fostering Self-Advocacy and Independent Living Skills

Our goal at STRiV is to help each student learn how to be self-sufficient and advocate for their needs. We work to ensure students can remain safe, healthy, and happy under their own power, utilizing the skills they learn while living with us. Even something as simple as learning how to do laundry and cook a meal can be immensely powerful to an individual student.

Community-Based, Experiential Learning With Mentorship

Students enjoy a supportive community built around mental health, companionship, growth, and learning. Learning and growing are made exciting through experiential activities and community events, all led by caring and professional mentors.

Experienced and Collaborative Staff Team

Our team of experts has decades of combined experience in assisting young adults with autism and other mental health challenges achieve independence. We collaborate with families and other providers to craft a personalized transitional program for each student. 

Three Simple Steps to Starting Your Recovery

Getting Started is Easy!

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Step One

Call Today!

Reach out to our compassionate admissions team any time for a 100% confidential consultation and immediate support.
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Step Two

Verify Insurance

Our specialists will quickly coordinate with your provider to maximize your coverage and minimize your out-of-pocket costs.
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Step Three

Schedule Admissions

We will help you coordinate travel logistics and set a start date so you can begin your journey to recovery in a safe, welcoming environment.

Supporting High School Graduates and Emerging Adults

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High school students transitioning into adulthood face challenges, even those who are neurotypical. Students with level 1 autism spectrum disorder (formally known as Asperger syndrome or Asperger’s) have a much harder time transitioning in comparison. Part of special education services includes teaching life skills, but it can be difficult to practice these skills safely in real-world settings.

Enrollment at STRiV Forward offers transition programs for young adults with autism. Students live semi-independently and can put the skills they learn into practice.

Individualized Support for Neurodiverse Students

STRiV is equipped to assist students who need specialized support in pursuing higher education and careers, as well as in preparing for adulthood. This includes students with an individualized education program (IEP) and/or students with co-occurring conditions such as an intellectual disability or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Our mentor-to-student ratio is approximately 1:4, allowing for personalized attention for each student.
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Challenges Young Adults With Autism Face During Transition

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Executive Functioning and Life Skills Development

Some symptoms of autism can both help and hinder the development of various life skills. Though some autistic students may excel at establishing a routine, they may struggle with distress tolerance or flexibility. They may also be highly focused on specific interests and struggle with emotional regulation and effective communication.

Our executive functioning coaches have the specialization needed to recognize the strengths and challenges our students face. This targeted attention helps strengthen existing skills while encouraging the learning of others. 

Social and Mental Health Needs

Perhaps the most common symptoms of mild autism in young adults involve difficulty in understanding social cues and forming close relationships. Losing support services meant for adolescents as our students transition into adulthood can leave them feeling confused and alone. Students may also struggle with common co-occurring disorders, such as ADHD or anxiety.

We offer a comprehensive transitional living program for young adults with autism. Students will share the common space with a roommate, but have a private bedroom and bathroom, so they can have space when needed. Many of our therapeutic events involve the local community through volunteer work and experiential peer activities. Students may also explore the local community and engage in activities such as book clubs or pottery classes. This gives ample opportunity to create and maintain social connections while at STRiV.

STRiV Forward utilizes personalized treatment plans for each student, which include targeted treatment for autism and co-occurring mental health challenges. Our sensitive, trauma-focused approach to treatment ensures that each student gains the focused attention they need to be successful. 
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Preparing for Postsecondary Education and Career Development

It can be difficult for some individuals with autism to pursue a career or postsecondary education without guidance. This is especially true with students who also have an intellectual disability that makes learning in a typical setting difficult. 

To help our students prepare for life after STRiV, we offer career and educational counseling. Students can seek employment and/or academic or vocational programs with the assistance of STRiV staff. This includes seeking and obtaining the services and accommodations needed to help our students have the same opportunities afforded to nuerotypical students. 

Helping Young Adults Thrive

Looking for mental health services or transitional living for young adults? STRiV Forward can help. Contact our admissions team today to learn how you and your loved one can begin the journey towards independence and growth.

How Our Transition Program Supports Young Adults With Autism

Semi-Independent Living With Mentorship and Guidance

Students at STRiV live in fully furnished apartments with two private bedrooms and bathrooms. They are responsible for most of the upkeep of their apartment, including keeping their living space clean, washing clothes, and cooking under supervision. Although students have mentorship and guidance, they are still given space to try, fail, and try again, building confidence and self-assurance over time.

Community-Based Learning and Experiential Activities

Being part of a community is important at STRiV, and students are encouraged to participate through volunteer opportunities and peer experiential activities. We believe that students learn best by doing, so they are free to explore the local community to find hobbies, education, employment, and more. This helps our students with autism forge peer connections and explore life more thoroughly. 

Life Skills and Executive Function Coaching

Executive functioning skills are critical for young adults with autism as they can improve flexibility and strengthen existing skills. Students gain coaching in important skills such as emotional control, response inhibition, stress tolerance, and more. This helps students mitigate some of the symptoms associated with autism and helps improve overall daily functioning.

Students also learn life skills important to maintaining independent living, such as budgeting, cooking, self-care, and communication. 

Evidence-Based Therapeutic Support

Our treatment approach at STRiV Forward utilizes a combination of evidence-based psychotherapy, holistic modalities, coaching, and peer support. Students with autism will receive typical therapies to help improve daily functioning as well as treatment for co-occurring mental health challenges. This offers a comprehensive approach to treatment that can be easily personalized to meet the needs of each student. 

Daily Life and Routine in Our Transition Program

Structured Schedule for Growth and Independence

Though the schedule may vary depending on individual needs, each day is structured to encourage positive growth and independence. This includes time for meals, chores, coaching, classes, social time, and free time. Students are encouraged to work positive habit-forming skills into their daily routine, such as sleep hygiene, exercise, and proper nutrition. The daily structured hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. After that, students may rest, study, or socialize. 
co-occurring disorders with Striv Forward
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Integration With Education and Career Planning

Students attend academic or vocational programs as part of life at STRiV. This can include vocational rehabilitation, which helps students with disabilities overcome barriers to obtaining and maintaining employment, opening career opportunities for students who may have believed they were incapable of having a career. Students may also seek further education and certification with the assistance of our academic coaches.

All of these programs are designed to show our students with autism that, although they may need assistance, they are still capable of accomplishing amazing things if they are willing to work for it.

Community Living and Experiential Opportunities

Living at STRiV means being part of an accepting community. Students are free to explore the local community and all it has to offer. They may see a movie, join a club, discover a new hobby, or find fulfillment in giving back. Students can also engage in experiential opportunities to encourage wellness and socialization, such as yoga, trips, and wilderness-inspired activities.

Family Collaboration and Support for Successful Transition

Partnering With Caregivers and Providers

STRiV Forward collaborates with caregivers and other providers to provide comprehensive care to our students. For students with autism, it can be comforting to continue to work with providers who already know them. Others may need help transitioning from pediatric to adult care. This allows us to create a transition plan together that will offer the support and resources needed for a stable transition. 

Integration With External Support Services

Autism is a disability, and as such, students with it are entitled to services that will help them integrate into adult life. Educational and employment services, such as coaching, training, and placement, are all utilized at STRiV. 

Our transition services include working with students and families to navigate the complicated aspects of autistic adult life, such as finding accommodations through the Department of Education (DOE) and dealing with Social Security. We are dedicated to helping our students fully prepare for adult life, and that includes setting them up with services that will continue to assist them once they graduate from STRiV.

Helping Young Adults Thrive

Looking for mental health services or transitional living for young adults? STRiV Forward can help. Contact our admissions team today to learn how you and your loved one can begin the journey towards independence and growth.

When to Consider a Transition Program

Young adults with autism often struggle to find a place where they can safely learn how to be adults with guided support. Transition programs for young adults with autism may need to be considered if they are struggling, becoming burned out, and/or need guidance. Our admissions team can help you decide if STRiV Forward has what your loved one needs to successfully achieve independence. 
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FAQs

What is a transition program for young adults with autism?

Transition programs for young adults with autism are designed to help individuals develop essential skills for independence and adulthood. This includes training and skill development for education, employment, and independent living. Our transitional program at STRiV Forward utilizes individualized support, training, mentorship, and social skills development to help our students transition from adolescence to adulthood. 

STRiV Forward supports the development of critical life skills by utilizing executive functioning coaching and mentoring. Students live in semi-independent housing, which allows them to practice skills in a real-world setting. Neurodivergent students are given the space to try new skills, while also always having access to supervised support. 

Yes! STRiV Forward is located close to Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah. With small class sizes and individual attention, students with autism spectrum disorder can pursue higher education while enrolled at STRiV. Utah Valley University is fully equipped with disability services to give students with developmental disabilities the support they need for a degree. 

Our transition program is designed to collaborate with families and their loved ones’ health care providers to create a fully personalized autism transition plan. Families are involved during initial planning and through updates throughout their loved one’s care. We believe that the support of loved ones is crucial for long-term healing and growth, and as such, families are closely involved and supported. 

STRiV improves the well-being of our students with disabilities by:

  • Teaching critical life skills for independent living
  • Offering assistance for job placement, school planning, and career coaching
  • Promoting the development of positive self-esteem, courage, and self-advocacy 
  • Providing resources for long-term support
  • Encouraging healthy living, such as exercise and eating well
  • Collaborating with other health care providers for comprehensive care
  • Providing community and socialization opportunities 
  • Creating a safe and encouraging environment for exploration and skill development 
  • Helping students seek needed continued support and accommodations post-STRiV
We are fully committed to making sure each student who graduates from STRiV does so with a higher sense of courage, joy, and eagerness for continued personal growth.

Yes! STRiV Forward works with various external providers and services to assist our students with autism achieve their goals. The needs of our students vary, and as such, we are prepared to seek external services and providers to provide comprehensive care.