cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com

A game-changing facility to assist children diagnosed as on the autism spectrum is nearing completion in Cape Coral.

The Family Initiative Lizbeth Benacquisto Autism Support Center is preparing to open its doors early next year. The outside of the facility has a fresh coat of paint and is ready to go. Family Initiative Inc. President David Brown said the inside of the building will be completed in the very near future and is excited to be able to provide a beneficial environment for families and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“We’re ecstatic,” Brown said. “In partnership with our ASD families, every square-inch of the new center has been painstakingly engineered to support individuals on the autism spectrum — from its home-like comforts and soothing paint colors to its sophisticated security features and advanced equipment.”

The new, 3,900-square-foot facility will be the area’s first-of-its-kind hub for championing individuals with ASD and their families. It features three cutting-edge clinical rooms for direct, evidence-based assessment; therapeutic interventions, and advanced staff training not previously available anywhere in Southwest Florida.

Brown said the center really is a piece of the ASD community in Southwest Florida and would not have been possible without the families they assist.

“Right from proof of concept and putting this space together, we corroborated a lot with our moms and dads on just the idea of it,” Brown said. “From the very beginning they’ve been side-by-side with us about what the vision of the space would look like and the nuts and bolts of the operation. They picked out everything about this space. Crossing the finish line really resonates with a lot of them because they’ve been here from the beginning with us and know it was built specifically for their kids.”

Cape Coral District 7 Councilmember Jessica Cosden has been involved with Family Initiative for some time and has a daughter on the spectrum. Cosden said she’s thrilled the new facility is right around the corner.

“Like many other families in the area, we have been anxiously awaiting the opening of this center,” Cosden said. “Speaking personally, Family Initiative has helped to instill in Hannah the values of kindness and inclusion. She feels like she truly belongs when she’s at a playgroup, and I’m not sure she feels that way anywhere else in her life. This center will give Family Initiative a true home and enable them to touch even more lives.”

The need for a center of its kind not only in Southwest Florida, but also throughout the country has grown substantially in just a short amount of time. Brown said five years ago the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified that one in every 101 children in the United States was diagnosed as on the spectrum. Now, the CDC reports that one in 54 children will be diagnosed on the spectrum.

“It’s really profound,” Brown said. “It speaks volumes about how expansive this has become and also, our region’s demographic is rapidly changing. A lot more families are here with young children. The number of calls our team has received from families has increased exponentially.

“Everyone that we worked with and spoke with this project along the way knew that the need was here and quite frankly, a lot of them said we’ve almost outgrown the space before we opened the door. The need is just really significant.”

Brown sees the center as a hub for all ASD-related services and even a place for education and to broaden the discussion.

“I’m excited to see what we come up with that we couldn’t even imagine,” Brown said. “I think so many great ideas will come from the dialogue and the discourse that I couldn’t tell you today. I think the big part for us to host that conversation.”

Family Initiative will be working to expand and extend virtual services while the community continues to deal with COVID-19.

Funding for the $400,000 project was sourced through a mix of state and private funds. Former Member of the Florida State Senate Lizbeth Benacquisto, for whom the building is named, championed efforts to secure project funding from the State of Florida. Dane Eagle, former member of the Florida House of Representatives, along with Benacquisto’s successor in the Florida State Senate, Ray Rodrigues, also worked to obtain state funds for the project.

“When Family initiative was a very small idea, (Benacquisto) really saw the value and importance of what we do,” Brown said. “She was a cheerleader for us all along the way, even before the building was an idea. She moved heaven and earth to make (this facility) happen for our families and it wouldn’t have been reality without her.

“(Eagle) came out and spent so much time with our families, spoke with them and saw the need, particularly in Cape Coral. He was really focused on creating some infrastructure in our area for these families.”

The center is expected to be completed by the end of the year with grand opening celebration events planned for early 2021.

The Family Initiative Lizbeth Benacquisto Autism Support Center is at 730 S.W. 4th St. Visit fi-florida.org for more information.

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj