New Focus Academy - Autism Support Community

Age Groups :: Teens, Young Adults (18 - 30)

Gender :: Female | Male | Transgender

Welcome to New Focus Academy:
New Focus is a specialized school and Autism Support Center for students aged 12-18 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental challenges. We provide a nurturing, home-like setting to help students build independence and self-esteem while addressing cognitive, organizational, and emotional difficulties.

What Makes Us Unique?
✔️ Cozy & Spacious Campus – Low program capacity for individualized care, a 5-acre campus with a home-like feel, 2 students per room with private bathrooms, and sensory nooks for privacy.
✔️ Comprehensive Therapies – Relationship and brain-based approaches integrated into individual, family, group, and recreation therapy using research-based strategies.
✔️ Personalized Academics – Tailored Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) with hands-on learning, small class sizes, in-person teacher instruction, project-based opportunities, and vocational training to prepare students for real-world success.

Who We Support: Our Student Profile
Autism Spectrum Disorder • Neurodevelopmental Disorders • Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder • Nonverbal Learning Disabilities • ADHD & Attention Disorders • Executive Functioning Deficits • Learning Disorders • Cognitive Deficits • Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) • Mood Dysregulation • Controlled Psychosis

🏠 The Autonomy House
An independent living opportunity for students to transition from structured care into more independent lives with guidance and support.

🌟 Life Focus Transitions 🌟
For young adults ages 17.5-26, Life Focus Transitions provides neurodiverse individuals comprehensive support to develop a thriving, autonomous lifestyle.
✔️ Dedicated 3-person apartments with private, single bedrooms. 🏡
✔️ Residents practice life skills with supportive staff specializing in autism support strategies.
✔️ If needed, residents can earn a high school diploma with support from caring, in-person teachers. 🎓
✔️ Develop workplace skills and build your resume through our comprehensive vocational track.
✔️ Work specifically with our team on developing skills to succeed in a job or college.
✔️ Positive all-gender community environment.
✔️ Access therapeutic support tailored to neurodiverse young adults.

Learn more about our autism support communities, get in touch with our team today!

Video

General Information

Partner's Name

New Focus Academy & Life Focus Transitions

Director of Admissions

Janelle Ayala

Admissions: Rolling or scheduled?

Rolling admissions

Admissions

Professional Associations/Affiliations

National Association of Therapeutic Schools & Programs (Professional Member)

Other

Does the program have more than one location for this particular program?

How does the program prevent clients/students/patients from leaving (running) from the program?

Staff Secured

Average Length of Stay

Maximum Age of Participants

Minimum Age of Participants

Location of Program

Suburban

Gender(s)

Female

Male

Transgender

What is the average number of clients you see per year?

Link to weekly or daily schedule

http://newfocusacademy.com/typical-week/

Only accepts participants who are voluntarily enrolling only.

Maximum Enrollment

Can support 18 yo, if they enroll before 18?

Yes

Call For More Information

Certified to accept students with I-20 Visa (SEVIS)

What are the interview requirements for applicants?

Day Visit

No Required Interview in Person

Call for More Information

Other

Religious Affiliation?

Billing & Payments

Payment Type

Insurance (see above for specifics on insurance)

Private | Self Pay

Call for more information

Cost per month/workshop/programming (in USD)

18000

What percentage of participants receiving funding from a state Adoption Assistance Programming?

What percentage participants who are Court Ordered?

What percentage of your participants are 'Private Pay'?

What percentage of your participants are funded by the School system? | FAPE / IDEA

What percentage of participants are 'State Funded' (example: medicaid)?

Is there an enrollment fee/outfitting fee/payment in advance?

Yes

If applicable, is the last month’s fees due at enrollment?

Yes

Insurance

Do your students receive insurance coverage for more than two weeks?

Call for more information

Do you have an insurance utilization person?

N/A

in-network?

Levels of Care

Treatment Categories | Levels of Care

Residential Treatment - Autism Spectrum

Residential Treatment - Intellectual Disabilities

Transitional Living - Social Skills/Life Skills/LD/ASD

Participant Age Group(s)

Teens

Young Adults (18 - 30)

Accreditation

Professional Associations/Affiliations

National Association of Therapeutic Schools & Programs (Professional Member)

Other

For licensed programs, by state or under 18, please select Incidents required to be reported to the state:

Other

Academic Accreditation

Cognia Accreditation

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Other

Ownership

Ownership Type

Private Company - Owners On-Site

Facility Operations | Type of Land

Privately Owned

Leased By Program

Who owns the land?

New Focus Academy

Additional Professionals & Medical Rule Outs

Are there medical rule outs

Yes

Possible medical rule outs

Need for Detox?

Pregnancy

Minimum IQ

Is there a minimum BMI

Can program accept insulin-dependent diabetics

Yes

Are there additional professionals?

Neurofeedback Specialist

Occupational Therapist

Psychiatrist

Recreational Therapist

Registered Nurse

Speech & Language Pathologist

Additional types of therapies

Speech and Language Therapy

Percentage of clients on meds at enrollment

> 50%

Psychiatrist

On staff

Clinical Operations

What is the largest caseload a therapist can have?

Max 8 Students

Percentage of licensed therapists?

> 50%

Average number of days/week therapist are with clients?

Do clinical assistants work with lead therapists?

Treatment Modalities

Types of Therapy Offered

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Animal-Assisted Therapy

Art Therapy(with certified art therapists)

Behavior Modification

Canine Therapy

Child Trauma Academy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Expressive Art Therapy

Eye Movement & Desensitization and Reprocessing

Mealtime Support Therapy

Motivational Enhancement Therapy

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Neuro Feedback

Occupational Therapy

Psycho educational

Recreation Therapy

Social Thinking model

Telephone Therapy

Other

Does the program have a level/phase system?

If yes, are phases/levels are they tied to privileges?

Does program have a milieu-driven residential model? (Staff are trained in model)

Yes

If yes -- select all that apply

DBT Certified Program (Staff + Therapists)

Client Centered/Person Centered Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Family Teaching Model (offshoot of Boystown)

Positive Peer Culture (PPC)

Other

Integrated Wellness

Art

Breathing Techniques/Breath Work

Meditation

Other

Does program use time out rooms?

Family Involvement

HIGH: Family Expected on weekly calls (or more) & to attend all family workshops (weekly , monthly or quarterly)

Family involvement

MIDDLE: Family can opt in & out of their involvement based off the timing and current issues in treatment

What is the typical amount of time a family should expect before hearing about an major incident?

Type of Family Therapy/Work Offered

1 hour max call with therapist per week

Family Handbook

Family Workshops Available

Flexible length of call with therapist per week

Parents Visit as Needed

Therapy - Group

Is there group therapy?

Yes

Average number of hours per week facilitated by licensed therapist

Average number of hours per week of group processing? (i.e. run by staff, interns, grad students, etc.)

Average number of formal family therapy hours per week (not social calls to teen)

Is video conferencing accessible for family therapy?

Yes

Therapy - Individual

Is there individual therapy?

Yes

Number of individual therapy hours student receives on a difficult week?

Number of individual therapy hours student receives on typical week?

Percentage of licensed therapists?

All therapists are licensed by the state of operation

Therapist average case load

Percentage of full time therapists who have a private practice outside a program?

Not Applicable

Does the Clinical Director carry a case load?

Staff

What percentage of the line staff are full time employees?

> 50%

Line staff to student ratio during awake hours

Does program run background checks on all staff?

Yes

Is there an educational requirement for staff?

Yes

If Yes, what is it?

High School Diploma

Average number of hours staff are trained before their first shift

Are night staff awake or asleep

Awake

Programming

Dorm/Housing

Single Rooms with Shared Baths

Doubles

Neurodiverse Specialties

ADHD/ADD

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Clinically Complex (possible behavior, genetic, students "who are puzzles")

Development Delay

Genetic Disorders

Intellectual Disabilities

Mood Deregulation &/or Anxiety

Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities (NLD)

Pervasive Developmental Disabilities (PDD)

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Speech & Language Disorders

Other

Type of Programming Offered for Neurodiverse Students

Academic & life skill Focus

Academic focus

Academic, functional living skills, life skills and social skills focused

Clinically-driven programming (addresses individual life, living, social and academic needs)

Academics

School Name (if applicable)

New Focus Academy

Type of Academic Calendar

Year Round School (either quarters, trimester, semesters)

Grades Served

K-12

Possible Community College/College

Call for more information

Can programming support a student to complete a GED?

Yes

Post high school options offered

Finish high school blended learning

Average student to teacher ratio

What does the Teaching/Classroom look like?

Packets with teacher support

Traditional teacher-led class

Online school/Classes

Teachers support blended learning

Other

Is the program able to implement IEP's

Yes

Can provider handle a student who is more than two grade level's behind in reading?

Yes

Can program support a student who wants vocational training?

Yes

Does the school have AP Classes or the ability to give or take a student to the AP Test?

Not Applicable

Does the academic program have the ability to provide ACT or SAT Tutoring (on or off site)?

N/A

Transitions

Do you offer transition services for participants/students?

Yes

If Yes, select all options that apply to your program

Additional Therapist To Work With Student Or Family As Transition

Transition House Associated With Program

Formal Transition To Another Therapist

Family Or Student Coaching Support For Certain Amount

Support Family And Participant Until 18 Years

Are there additional fees that apply to transitional options?

Call for more information

Percentage of families that participate in various transition programming?

Call for more Information

Assessments

Does the client receive a neuropsychological evaluation?

Who completes the psychological evaluation?

Contracted separately by family/client

Technology

Computer Access

Students have Laptops

Call for more information

Cell Phones

Earned Privilege

Staff secured at Night

Research

Percentage of clients who return home, or to a more traditional setting (like transitions to college or gap year, boarding school, etc.)

> 50%

Has the program previously been part of an evidence-based study?

Is the program presently part of an evidence-based study?

Workshops

If you have workshops choose all that apply.

Family | Group

Accommodations

Nearby Hotel

Call For More Information

If you have a workshop, where is it located?

Varies Based on Workshop

Average Length of Workshop

2 Days