Just outside of Oxford is a new kind of farm, the kind where adults with autism in Butler County can live and receive alternative care.
Safe Havens Farms, a piece of property about 15 miles from Oxford in Madison Twp., is the eighth farm-style home in the country that will provide new options and activities for adults with autism. Safe Haven Farms is still waiting for final zoning approvals before construction begins.
"We created the farm due to a lack of services here for adults with autism," said Dennis Rogers, a retired Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities and MRDD member.
Options for autistic adults are currently limited to group homes and few general activities such as cooking classes, which are not exclusive to adults with autism.
The new home will feature activities for the adults while living on the farm ranging from flower and vegetable cultivation, care for animals such as horses, goats, cats, and dogs, and daily farm responsibilities. Along with these work activities, there will also be leisurely activities for those living there such as basketball, softball, crafts and swinging on swing sets.
"Adult swings are especially calming for adults with autism," Rogers said.
Rogers said the farm can house 24 residents in six houses. The six houses will also have live-in aids to assist the residents. Additional aids will work Monday through Friday to offer supplemental help.
The first phase of building, which is yet to be determined due to the wait for zoning approvals, will involve the construction of four houses that will accommodate 16 people with the remaining two houses being built later.
However, making Safe Havens Farms a reality has not been easy.
Rogers said there were some issues regarding the farm and finding the right property, including making sure it was affordable and paying attention to zoning, financing and building rules.
Aside from initial setbacks in the project, those who support Safe Havens Farms believe a farm setting is the right environment for adults with autism.
Don O'Brien, a Miami University English instructor who has a son with autism, said he supports this different approach to autistic care.
"The theory is, when put into practice, that the rhythms of farm life are different from a regular facility and gives more sense of 'cause and effect,'" O'Brien said. "A farm offers a diverse set of options because of the diverse activities that happen on a farm during different times of the year."
Activities on the farm offer a broad range of required effort that would cater to the specific needs of each individual whereas activities at group homes are often repetitive, O'Brien said.
Safe Haven Farms hopes to obtain volunteers, especially from Miami students, to help out with the adults, according to Rogers.
"It is our hope to get Miami students to work with Safe Haven Farms, like art students coming to help with art therapy, entertainment groups such as choirs or musicians visiting and fraternities and sororities doing benefits with us," Rogers said.
Rogers said the Safe Haven director is Miami graduate Ashleigh Cartell who started Best Buddies at Miami.
To help fund the farm, Safe Havens is hosting a 5K run/walk. O'Brien said he is hopeful about the 5K.
"We're hoping to raise a few thousand (dollars)," he said. "We have 100 runners (signed up) right now, and the run is the same day as a 5K at Hueston Woods. We're hoping to get some more people to register to help us out."
The 5K to benefit Safe Haven Farms will take place 9 a.m. Sept. 20 at Lakota West High School in West Chester. Those interested in participating can register at http://www.Active.com, keyword Safe Haven Farm.
With the addition of Safe Haven Farms' options, there have also been changes made to the M.R.D.D. The M.R.D.D., formally known as Butler County Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities is now required to change its name Oct. 8 due to Senate Bill 79 "MRDD Name Change" which was signed July 7 by Gov. Ted Strickland.
"It's about erasing the 'R' word," said Wendy Planicka, the communications coordinator of the Butler County Board of Developmental Disablities.
