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Who We Are

Josiah's House began on June 9, 2008, but its vision and ongoing purpose hold deep roots as a personal mission before that day for Founder and President Ms. Irene Jones. Ms. Jones's son Josiah, was diagnosed with Autism. Upon the discovery of this complex disorder, Ms Jones sought support and the overall environment was not beneficial to Josiah. She knew that this was not the answer and that there was another way to provide him support and resources with dignity.

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Irene & JosiahThe treatment of her son was a catalyst for Ms. Jones to resign from her job as a RTA bus driver to discharge her son from the group home and dedicate her time to provide the developmental care he needed. While seeking to understand how to take care of her son Ms. Jones immersed herself in learning about treating and supporting Friends across the Autism Spectrum. She earned her Certification from the Ohio Department of developmental Disabilities and began to build what is now known as Josiah's House. 

​Today, Josiah's House Inc. is a non-profit 501C3 that provides a safe and caring setting in which individuals with developmental differences across the Autism Spectrum can realize their God-Given purpose. It provide a pathway to employment and community integration through training and real employment opportunities These resources are invaluable in empowering our Friends to realize a greater degree of self-sufficiency and dignity in their everyday lives. 

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STAFF

Corlett Gilliam

Byron Philips

Irene Jones

Jennifer Paul 

Charlesetta Hawkins 

Marsha Garrison

Chrissy Aiken

DRIVERS

Marian Hemlick,

William Lockwood,

Claude Williams, 

Alvin Fomby

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BOARD MEMBERS

Irene Jones, President/Founder

Joe McClain

Lanatha Johnson

Michelle Berry

Rev. Gerald Stewart

FACTS ABOUT AUTISM

FACTS: autism

Symptoms & Diagnosis

When parents or support providers become concerned that their child is not following a typical developmental course, they turn to experts, including psychologists, educators and medical professionals, for a diagnosis.

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At first glance, some people with autism may appear to have an intellectual disability, sensory processing issues, or problems with hearing or vision. To complicate matters further, these conditions can co-occur with autism. However, it is important to distinguish autism from other conditions, as an accurate and early autism diagnosis can provide the basis for an appropriate educational and treatment program.

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Other medical conditions or syndromes, such as sensory processing disorder, can present symptoms that are confusingly similar to autism’s. This is known as differential diagnosis.

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There are many differences between a medical diagnosis and an educational determination, or school evaluation, of a disability. A medical diagnosis is made by a physician based on an assessment of symptoms and diagnostic tests. A medical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, for instance, is most frequently made by a physician according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5, released 2013) of the American Psychological Association. This manual guides physicians in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder according to a specific number of symptoms.

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A brief observation in a single setting cannot present a true picture of someone’s abilities and behaviors. The person’s developmental history and input from parents, caregivers and/or teachers are important components of an accurate diagnosis.

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An educational determination is made by a multidisciplinary evaluation team of various school professionals. The evaluation results are reviewed by a team of qualified professionals and the parents to determine whether a student qualifies for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Hawkins, 2009).

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The characteristic behaviors of autism spectrum disorder may be apparent in infancy (18 to 24 months), but they usually become clearer during early childhood (24 months to 6 years).

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As part of a well-baby or well-child visit, your child’s doctor should perform a “developmental screening,” asking specific questions about your baby’s progress. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) lists five behaviors that warrant further evaluation:

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• Does not babble or coo by 12 months

• Does not gesture (point, wave, grasp) by 12 months

• Does not say single words by 16 months

• Does not say two-word phrases on his or her own by 24 months

• Has any loss of any language or social skill at any age
  
  CLICK ON THE LINK FOR A PDF FACTS ABOUT AUTISM