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The Mission of FARR

FARR’s mission is to “raise the bar” and re-define achievable goals for children and adults with autism. Current estimates are that 1 in 166 children will receive a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (which includes Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder). With current treatments and educational programs many of these children are expected to speak and to eventually make good academic progress. But, the devastating effects of Autism will remain throughout their lives and will constitute a major impediment to a quality of life for all but a small minority of those afflicted.

Even after years of intensive treatment, estimates are that at most 10% are expected to gain full-time employment and less than 5% are projected to live independently. Friendships and relationships outside of the immediate family are rare and marriage is almost unheard of. Debilitating anxiety, hopelessness, unemployment, or marginal employment and isolation are still the norm for adults with this disorder.

It is the strong belief of FARR that people on the autism spectrum can learn to overcome their challenges and successfully manage their lives in real-world dynamic, complex environments. We believe that, with the development of proper remediation methods, many if not most people on the autism spectrum can, with proper help, attain productive, self-supportive employment, independent living and meaningful emotional relationships.

To accomplish this ambitious mission, resources must be focused on developing effective educational tools and programs that address abilities previously considered out-of-reach for people with autism, specifically flexible thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, perspective-taking, learning from past experience, planning and future thinking, emotional self-regulation, and experience-sharing communication. While other autism-related foundations are funding massive genetic and biological research programs which may have benefits to future generations, FARR seeks to provide the means for current children, teens and adults with ASD to have productive, fulfilling lives.

FARR advocates for and supports the development of effective educational programs related to the specific cognitive, emotional and social deficits which continue to present overwhelming obstacles to a quality of life, for the vast majority of people on the autism spectrum. FARR is specifically interested in scientific and educational efforts that seek to do the following:

• Instruct and empower parents and family members to help their children reach their potential
• Provide parents with tools needed to maintain quality of life for the entire family
• Develop educational curriculums, focusing on remediating core autism deficits, that can be transferred to school settings
• Develop consensual standards for defining and evaluating successful intervention, based upon reducing the degree to which autism impacts quality of life
• Identify and build abilities that are direct foundations for future quality of life
• Develop cost-effective methods providing affordable access to effective remediation to all families, regardless of their economic circumstances.