CooperRiis, a residential mental health treatment and healing community in Western North Carolina, is pleased to welcome people with autism/neurodiversity to its Farm campus beginning this September. This enhanced programming will specifically serve people who have mental health challenges that are considered the primary diagnosis and who are on the Autism Spectrum. This programming and these services are designed to fold into the mission of CooperRiis, which is to improve the lives of individuals struggling with mental illness by helping them work towards achieving their highest level of functioning and fulfillment.

CooperRiis’ CEO & President Dr. Eric A. Levine believes that the CooperRiis model is optimally designed to serve people with neurodiversity and mental health challenges. With his specialized background and 30+ years of experience as a special educator, program developer and consultant, he served a wide range of children and adults with multiple disabilities, including autism. CooperRiis’ clinical team is guided by Dr. Levine’s expertise in enhancing their services to meet the needs of people with neurodiversity to better prepare them for independence.

“I’m a believer in programs that maintain possibility and hope as core values while also stretching to serve a broader spectrum of people. CooperRiis is a place where people come to heal and learn new skills to help them better manage the challenges they are experiencing to return to their lives. Serving people with neurodiversity within this mission is a natural addition to our program model.”

Dr. Eric A. Levine earned a doctorate in Education Leadership (Ed.D.), an Ed.S. in Career Transition and Assessment, a master’s degree in Special Education from George Washington University, and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland.

About CooperRiis Healing Community

Founded by Donald R. Cooper and Lisbeth Riis Cooper, CooperRiis is a non-profit, CARF accredited residential healing community in Western North Carolina, with a full continuum offering four levels of care. Since 2003, CooperRiis has been helping adults living with mental health challenges including anxiety, major depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, dual diagnosis, and now autism/neurodiversity achieve their highest levels of functioning and fulfillment. A personalized recovery approach combines clinical therapies, community work & service, education, and integrative wellness practices.

Visit http://www.cooperriis.org or call 828.899-4673 for more about CooperRiis Healing Community and its approach to mental health treatment.