The Intensive Outpatient Clinic (IOC) is a unit of the RCAAS that provides comprehensive behavioral support services for adults with autism and related disorders. Directed by Dr. Julia Iannaccone, the IOC serves adults displaying severe challenging behaviors, including but not limited to, aggression, self-injury, property destruction, elopement, pica, and rumination/emesis.
Our mission at the IOC is to push the boundaries of what is possible for adults with autism and severe challenging behavior through
- exceptional and innovative services to transform the lives of those displaying severe challenging behavior,
- training for current and future practitioners encountering these dangerous behaviors, and
- research to advance the science and clinical application of assessment and treatment of severe challenging behavior in adult services.
The IOC also exists to help change the way that clinicians, medical doctors, and law enforcement collaborate to ensure that adults with autism and a history of potentially dangerous, severe, challenging behavior can be a part of their communities in a safe, inclusive way. Currently, the majority of these individuals and their families have nowhere to turn for assistance.
The RCAAS is committed to supporting this largely underserved population in desperate need of high quality treatment through the innovative IOC Program. The IOC is a community-based resource for adults with autism that have complex, crisis-level behavioral support needs beyond that can be met at other existing treatment settings throughout the state. The RCAAS is working hard to advocate for greater awareness and to drive legislative reform for more funding/resources for the impacted individuals and their families.