2. Maureen Simao
Founded in 1976, the nonprofit Groden Network of Providence, Rhode Island,
supports individuals with autism and related developmental disabilities by
providing treatment, educational programs, and residential services. Through
their work in the psychology field, founders Gerald and June Groden realized
that autistic children lacked the resources to help them foster greater
independence and inclusion. Dr. Gerald Groden served as Director of
Psychology at the Rhode Island Hospital Child Development Center and as
Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatric Neurology at the Indiana
University Medical School. Dr. June Groden was a clinical practitioner at the
time.
3. Maureen Simao
Thirty-six years later, their organization has expanded to four operations that
support children, teens, and adults who experience a range of learning and
behavioral disabilities. The original Groden Center offers day and residential
programs for youth, while the Cove and Halycon Centers focus on adults
through instructional and vocational services. The Kingston Hill Academy, an
inclusive charter school, serves a student body in which 20 percent of the
students are special-needs children.
4. Maureen Simao
About the Author
A special education teacher at the Groden Center for eight years, Maureen
Simao currently instructs middle-school science students in Rhode Island’s
Foster-Glocester Regional School District.
