Every parent who has a child with autism worries about what will happen to that child when they become an adult. They worry about what will happen when they are older and when they are gone. For many, the question they have is, “what’s next?”. At Greengard, we aim to provide answers to that question. Founded in 2012, the Greengard Center for Autism seeks to provide unique, lifelong opportunities for adults with autism while providing their families with a sense of security. Located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Greengard Center for Autism provides Day Programs, as well as Outreach & Transition Programs for adults and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.
History/Founder
The impetus for The Greengard Center for Autism came from the life experience of the President of the Center’s Board of Directors and Executive Director, Barbara R. Frankel, Ph.D. over twenty-five years ago, Barbara’s son, Elliott, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 16 months. When Elliott was diagnosed, there were essentially no specialized educational or treatment services for children with autism in New Hampshire. As an Associate Professor at the University of New Hampshire, a Clinical Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist, Barbara utilized her resources to arrange for an out-of-state sponsored, home-based program employing consultants from the Lovaas Institute for Early Intervention Program at UCLA.
Barbara’s personal experience with the difficulties and frustrations encountered in finding and funding crucial education for her child with autism, led her to founding The Birchtree Center in 2000, a comprehensive program for children and youth with autism. For the following ten years, as President of the Board, Barbara Frankel provided the vision for The Birchtree Center. Once her 21-year-old son graduated in 2011, Barbara realized Elliott was in the identical situation her family encountered so many years ago. That is, there was not a single specialized day program for young adults with autism in New Hampshire. Further, there were no family centered residential programs for young adults to live independently from their families in a community based, quality living and learning environment.
Consequently, in late 2011, Barbara founded The Greengard Center for Autism to create a residential and day program that is simultaneously family and community based and supports lifelong learning for adults with autism. The Greengard Center for Autism marks the third program Barbara Frankel has founded in New Hampshire. She has directed the University of New Hampshire’s Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Program and Center that she co-founded over twenty years ago. This successful not for profit center has served over 6,000 families, couples and individuals from the Greater Seacoast Community who otherwise would not have been able to afford quality mental health services. Further, Barbara has ensured that families with a member who has autism have office or home based mental health services regardless of their ability to pay.
When Barbara left the Birchtree Center, The Board of Directors expressed their appreciation for “her outstanding service and leadership, knowing that the Birchtree Center only exists because of her vision, passion and dedication to our mission.” It is with this success that she now looks to develop The Greengard program for adults with autism.
The name Greengard comes from Barbara’s mother’s family name. Marian Greengard Frankel deeply and unwaveringly believed in the future of all her grandchildren, regardless of ability. It is this ability to envision and build successful solutions that has provided the genesis for The Greengard Center for Autism.
In 2011, Dr. Frankel was honored by both the University of New Hampshire with the Excellence in Public Service Award, and by the New Hampshire Marriage and Family Therapy Association with the Visionary Award.