TEACCH - Treatment and Education for Autistic and related Communication-handicapped CHildren

TEACCH is an evidence-based service, training, and research program for individuals of all ages and skill levels with autism spectrum disorders. Established in the early 1970s by Eric Schopler and colleagues, the TEACCH program has worked with thousands of individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families. TEACCH provides clinical services such as diagnostic evaluations, parent training and parent support groups, social play and recreation groups, individual counseling for higher-functioning clients, and supported employment. In addition, TEACCH conducts training nationally and internationally and provides consultation for teachers, residential care providers, and other professionals from a variety of disciplines. Research activities include psychological, educational, and biomedical studies.

TEACCH’s Year in Review

• Received more than 3,500 new referrals for services
• Provided diagnostic and treatment planning services to almost 800 new individuals with autism and their families
• Helped more than 125 young children with autism in our model pre-school and our in-home early intervention programs
• Provided consultation and training to more than 130 classrooms in K-12 schools statewide
• Supported nearly 200 adults with autism in finding and maintaining gainful employment
• Trained more than 8,500 teachers and professionals through various training programs both here in North Carolina and in other states and countries—more than 3,500 of them being teachers and other professionals from North Carolina
• Helped to educate more than 1,000 undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students at UNC

Current Research Activities at TEACCH

• In partnership with UNC’s Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Center, TEACCH has developed a UNC Autism Research Registry that has enrolled more than 4,300 TEACCH families since 2001 and has made 7,000 referrals to 31 researchers working on 48 different autism studies.
• In collaboration with SymTrend, Inc., TEACCH is working on an NIHM project to develop PDA devices that assist adults with autism with their daily work and living skills. •
• Courtesy of a grant from Autism Speaks!, TEACCH is developing a training program for Guilford County middle and high school special ed teachers who are working to transition their students with autism into real-world jobs after graduation. •
• In conjunction with the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, TEACCH is collaborating on an NIMH-funded project to establish a Professional Development Center for educational professionals working with students with ASDs.
• In conjunction with the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, TEACCH is participating in an NIMH-funded project to determine best practices for early intervention programs for young children with autism.