From Dreams to Doorsteps: Expanding Residential Services at Balance Autism

Balance Autism is thrilled to share progress toward offering Residential-Based Supported Community Living (RBSCL) services — an important and much-needed addition to our continuum of care in Iowa. RBSCL provides a structured, supportive home environment for individuals with autism as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. It bridges the gap between youth programming and full adult independent living by offering guidance in areas such as daily routines, social skills, self-care, and community involvement. For many individuals and families, this service represents a smoother, more successful transition to adult living — helping young adults gain confidence, independence, and stability in a safe, supportive home. Balance Autism has been working diligently for over a year, awaiting approval to offer this new service. Now approved, RBSCL will allow us to diversify and expand the ways we support individuals with autism across different life stages, furthering our mission to help each person live a balanced, fulfilling life.

A New Home in the Des Moines Metro

Growth is happening right now! We recently purchased a beautiful new home in the Des Moines metro area, with closing scheduled for late this week.

Next week, we’ll be welcoming four children who will soon call this house their home. This milestone represents another meaningful step in our mission to create more inclusive and supportive residential opportunities across Iowa.

We couldn’t be prouder of our dedicated team and community partners who make this work possible every day.

 

Prairie Meadows Grant Award Makes Change Possible

We’re excited to announce that Balance Autism has been awarded a $15,000 grant from Prairie Meadows to help initiate and grow our RBSCL program in residential services!

This generous contribution will support improvements to our homes, enhance individualized supports, and expand capacity for families waiting for high-quality residential options. We are deeply grateful to Prairie Meadows for recognizing the importance of investing in the autism community.

From new services to new homes, Balance Autism continues to grow and innovate — always with our persons served and their families at the heart of everything we do.

Thank you for your continued support and belief in our mission.