Virginia Institute of Autism – Roanoke

Every student at Minnick School in Roanoke has an IEP and comes to us through their home public school division as a private special education day placement. Students here range from 5 to 22 years old and have emotional and learning disabilities. The Roanoke site runs both a general program and an adapted program, including model classrooms designed around autism and multiple disabilities. Board Certified Behavior Analysts consult with students and staff every day. Our Student Support Professionals, who are master's level social workers or counselors, lead social skills groups and teach our social emotional learning curriculum in small groups. Career and technical education starts in elementary school, when each student begins an Academic and Career plan, and high school students work on practical life and independent living skills. With parent consent, we partner with the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services for pre-employment training. An Extended School Year program runs each summer for students whose IEP teams call for it. Children's Services Act dollars pay for each placement, so parents owe nothing for tuition, and the home district arranges transportation. Our license comes from the Virginia Department of Education, and VAISEF accredits our program.

Our Roanoke Southeast campus provides special education with a focus on autism. We offer pre-kindergarten programming and a classroom for ages 2 to 5, along with instruction through post-high-school education. At Rivermont School Roanoke Southeast, students can receive support from licensed BCBAs and BCaBAs. Our program uses adapted and general special education curricula and includes a sensory room, life skills apartment, gymnasium, transition program and vocational training. Enrollment begins with the student's home district and requires district authorization; parents are not directly charged tuition.

Our Rivermont School Roanoke Southwest program serves kindergarten through grade 12 students, with a focus on emotional disabilities. VDOE-licensed teachers and mental health associates provide instruction in smaller classes based on student IEPs. Licensed LCSW and LMFT clinicians provide individual and group counseling. Students can receive career readiness and transition services, social-emotional learning instruction, and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Speech, occupational and physical therapy are provided by Cora Health according to the student's IEP. The home district coordinates placement, and parents are not directly charged tuition.