WORCESTER—Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. has teamed up with the Autism Resource Center to broaden access to adaptive swim programs for neurodivergent children across the region.
These programs offer not only basic swimming instruction but also critical water safety skills and parent workshops designed to address the risks of elopement. Neurodivergent children, especially those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), are at a heightened risk of drowning—160 times higher than their peers without such instruction, according to District Attorney Early.
“We want to prevent such tragedies,” said Early. “These swim classes will help children be safe, give parents peace of mind, and let kids have fun in a supportive environment adapted to their needs.”
The Autism Resource Center initially launched its Adaptive Swim Program last year with support from the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. Through this new collaboration with the District Attorney’s office, the program has expanded to more families in Worcester County by funding additional water safety instructor training and class offerings.
Kristen Cariglia, director of the Autism Resource Center, emphasized the program’s dual goals of prevention and accessibility. “By training more instructors and funding participation, we can make these potentially lifesaving lessons available close to home,” said Cariglia in an announcement.
Locations currently hosting classes include Worcester Fitness, the Worcester JCC, British Swim School of Milford, and Orchard Hill Athletic Club in Lancaster. More sites are expected to be added soon.
The initiative’s funding—$10,000 from the District Attorney’s Drug Forfeiture Community Reinvestment Program—covers swim fees for families and staff training. This program reinvests money seized from drug-related crimes into community initiatives aimed at crime prevention.
Instructor Janine LaPrade, who teaches adaptive swim classes at Worcester Fitness, praised the partnership for removing barriers to critical survival skills. “Accessibility is often a roadblock,” she said in a press release. “This collaboration will expand the number of trained instructors and locations, serving more families and reducing tragic accidents, especially for this vulnerable population.”
The classes are free and open to the entire community. Parents and caregivers interested in enrolling their children can register through the Autism Resource Center’s website.
“This effort is about keeping kids safe and giving families the tools they need,” said Early. “Together, we’re working to create a safer community.”
For more information and registration, visit www.autismresourcecentral.org/swim.
News? Tips? Info? Jokes? Editor Charlene Arsenault can be reached at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
