Abilis, the nonprofit organization providing services and support to more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families, is thrilled to announce that Jennifer Miklautsch has been promoted to director of Therapeutic Services at Abilis, encompassing both the Abilis Early Learners Birth to Three program and the Therapy Center, located in Stamford.
Abilis Early Learners program is one of 18 programs contracted by the State of Connecticut to provide early intervention services to families. The Therapy Center at Abilis is designed to help individuals of all ages and abilities acquire the skills they need to reach developmental milestones, improve language, self-help, sensory processing, social, communication, and fine and gross motor skills, and transition successfully between stages of school to adult life.
“We are thrilled to have Jennie lead The Therapy Center at Abilis as its new director,” said Amy Montimurro, CEO and president of Abilis, in a release. “Jennie has been an integral leader in our organization and has helped shape our Birth to Three/Early Learners program, as well as serving in the role of assistant director of Therapeutic Services at Abilis for the past three years, working with our longtime previous director Karen Federer, who had been with us for 37 years. The families we support in both programs respect Jennie’s vast knowledge and wonderful interpersonal skills and we are thrilled to have her in this new role.”
Since 1999, Miklautsch has been an integral part of the Abilis organization as a special education teacher in Abilis’ Birth to Three Program. Miklautsch received her Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Early Childhood Special Education and her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She also received a post graduate certificate in Assistive Technology from New York Medical College.
“I’m honored to move into the role of director of Therapeutic Services at Abilis,” Miklautsch said in the release. “As a lifespan provider, Abilis is dedicated to helping individuals of all ages and abilities acquire essential skills. Our Early Learners Birth to Three program provides a multi-disciplinary approach to meet the evolving needs of each child and their family, while our Therapy Center offers comprehensive and innovative programs that are designed to meet the unique needs of individuals and their families at different stages in their lives. We pride ourselves on offering collaborative care both in the Therapy Center and our Early Learners Program. We work hard to listen, learn and create personalized plans that address the needs and the concerns of families and caregivers.”
In the State of Connecticut, Abilis and The Therapy Center at Abilis are one of 11 Birth to Three service providers who have an autism designation, allowing Abilis to provide diagnostic and comprehensive intervention services to children on the autism spectrum. Abilis’ teachers and therapists coach and provide support to families in natural learning environments, such as the home or daycare.
Other services at The Therapy Center at Abilis include transition skills, physical therapy, occupational therapy, oral motor and feeding, speech/language therapy, applied behavior analysis and support and autism-specific interventions.
To learn more about our Early Intervention Program and The Therapy Center at Abilis, visit abilis.us.
Abilis is a 501c3 non-profit organization that supports more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families from birth throughout their lives. Founded in 1951, Abilis is a leader in providing meaningful support to the community in Fairfield County, Connecticut, in towns including Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford, Westport and Wilton. The organization has a long-standing reputation for individualized, high-quality care. For more information, visit www.abilis.us.