Brightening the lives of people with autism.

The Children’s Annex was named 34 years ago when Susan Buckler and Jamey Wolff first started the program with two students in one classroom at The Dutch Reformed Church in Woodstock, New York.  Our program was never an “annex” of another agency, but over the years, we certainly annexed ever larger spaces as our program continued to grow from small church classrooms to a vacant public school and finally in 1987 and 1994 respectively, we built two beautiful center-based day schools: The Kingston Annex and The Ellenville Annex.

In 1980, The Children’s Annex began serving students with autism.  We were one of the first programs in New York State specializing in educating this complicated population. Over the last 30+ years, we have served thousands of children on the autism spectrum with needs that range from mild to significant.

Five years ago, The Children’s Annex started another program for the community. The Children’s Annex Clinic opened its doors offering after-school social skill groups and counseling for both children and adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and high functioning autism. Diagnostic evaluations for autism became available to both children and adults.  Experienced staff began consultations on best practices for autism to school districts and agencies.  Our trainings and workshops cover topics pertinent to the entire autism spectrum. Finally, we have just finished a film for and about young adults with Asperger Syndrome and high functioning autism.

Serving people of all ages, we are no longer for children only.  We provide a spectrum of services for people of all ages and serve the entire autism spectrum. We are also no longer only a school program, although our schools in Kingston and Ellenville remain at the heart of our services.  Finally, we are not the temporary structure that the word “annex” implied, but a strong vibrant agency serving over 250 people with autism annually.

We proudly announce our new agency name, Center for Spectrum Services and hope our new tagline “Brightening the lives of people with autism” reflects our continued commitment to providing the highest quality services to the autism community.