A Supportive Community

The Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services (RCAAS), which opened at Rutgers University–New Brunswick earlier in 2021, held a dedication ceremony in September. The center, serving adults with autism spectrum disorder through vocational, academic, and recreational programs, addresses a need in the state and nationally: an estimated 50,000 youth with autism age out of the K–12 education system each year, with few options to support their continued development. “People with autism do not have the opportunity to participate and succeed within our society in the way that it is currently arranged,” said Christopher Manente, the executive director of RCAAS. “We strive to demonstrate that all people with autism can succeed when they are embraced by a supportive community.”

This story originally appeared in Rutgers Magazine.