NEW CENTER OFFERS ACTIVITIES FOR SPECIAL-NEEDS CLIENTS

In the months before high school graduation, most students weigh a number of options before deciding what they want to do with their lives.

But for young adults with special needs, graduation from a local state school often means that parents would have to stay home or scramble to find a relative or appropriate person to care for their children during the day.

However, with the recent opening of Horizon Enrichment Center in Cape Girardeau, four families have found a program that offers special needs clients fulfilling activities and gives their families a respite from daily caretaking.

The center, which opened in February, celebrated its recent licensure by the state Division of Aging and Department of Mental Health with an open house and reception Friday. The center provides a day program for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities in the Cape Girardeau area who are 21 and older.

As many as 33 adults with special needs can participate in the program.

"There was nothing for them," said Jennie Bell, founder of Horizon and the mother of a program participant. "They didn't have any place to go and no interaction in the community."

A mother's quest

Bell has worked more than two years to develop the center. She said she knew there were other parents looking for services, and they began to work with people at St. Vincent de Paul Church and Southeast Missouri State University to develop a program that filled the need.

"It is a very unique program," said advisory board president Jane Perry. "It was really through Jennie's dedication and the way the church and university stepped up that we were able to get this going."

Four students currently attend the six-hour program, where they work on academic, social and personal skills with teachers. Activities include development of educational and daily living skills such as money and time management, basic meal preparation and personal hygiene skills.

Before becoming involved at the center, Jackson resident Scott Anderson said his mother drove to his home daily from Oran, Mo., to care for his 21-year old son, Adrian. Anderson said his son has developed socially and looks forward to the daily bus ride to the program.

"It's a big deal for him," Anderson said. "It relieves my mom of some of that work, and he really enjoys it."

Pat Wilson of Cape Girardeau said her daughter, LaToya, has blossomed from having daily social interaction with peers her age. LaToya previously spent her days with her grandmother while Wilson was at work.

"We had tried the job coaching and things like that, and none of that ever worked out," Wilson said. "This is giving them an opportunity to interact and develop and get away from the stigma that they're not normal.'"

Center director Vivian Griffor said most of the participants don't fit into sheltered workshop or supported work settings and have, for the most part, been sitting home with family members.

"That was the big reason why the families felt there was such a need, because there wasn't anything to speak of for them," Griffor said.

Horizon Enrichment Center is located at 1913 Ritter Dr. in the former Notre Dame High School. For more information, contact Vivian Griffor at 290-5115.