Brighton, MI: $12M center for autistic adults opens; "first such center in the United States"

A major expansion at the Oxford Recovery Center promises to offer children with autism safe and controlled experiences in "real-world" situations.

Officials with the organization say The Village of ORC at the Oxford Recovery Center, the first such center in the United States, is designed to bring therapy and hands-on experience together for those who struggle with person-to-person interactions.

The organization hosted a grand opening on Saturday, June 11 at 7030 Whitmore Lake Road. The $12-million, 35,000-square-foot building took more than a year to complete. ...

The Village of ORC includes 12 functioning "retail stores," as well as a park featuring a road, curbs, sidewalks, benches, street lamps, stoplights, cross walks and an indoor playscape.

The 12 stores include a grocery store, smoothie station, toy jungle, village café, coffee house, pet store, Dino Dentistry, gift shop, a Huntington Bank ATM and hair salon. All proceeds go toward the Oxford Kids Foundation....

Those adults enter the program because they are having trouble keeping jobs because of autism-associated behaviors. According to Peterson, only 8% of young adults with autism have meaningful employment. The COMPASS program allows individuals to self assess and work on goals. ..