Consulting Services for Parents, Educators, and Physicians

Threshold Center for Autism Consultants: Milestones of the Journey

A Short History:

 In 1978, Teena Willard incorporated Threshold, a 501C3 non-profit company, as a place to work with her son Ben. It was a private school to serve only Ben. That is until other mothers, with no place to turn, asked her for her help. The state was closing its institutions. 

We committed ourselves and staff members to the highest quality of care. We worked daily towards providing that care and supporting our residents at the highest level. Our priority was our residents and our families.

We opened our hearts and campus to all who share our passion for assistance and care.

We collaborate with renowned experts, including a pediatrician from Russia and early pioneers in ABA, to ensure comprehensive care for our residents.

•  Our journey began with the vision of one woman - Teena Willard, my mother. 
• Over the next four decades, Threshold grew from one student to thirty-nine residents, five group homes.
• Adult day training center with Pottery Shop. The pottery shop went on to have more than 40 employees and three contracts, two with Disney and one with LeCreuset. 
• The Threshold Academy. Once again, a private school was needed to take the children. Other schools were found to be too challenging. 
• Threshold grew over the years to employ more than 150 behavior trainers and Behavior Analysts.
• Threshold has trained several thousand behavior therapists over the years.
• Threshold had forty-nine residents, forty adult day training program recipients, and the Threshold Academy as a referral program for the Orange County School system. 
• 1965 - August -  Benjamin C. Willard, III - As with most children on the autism spectrum, there were no indications of a neurological problem.
• In 1967 - the pediatrician recognized Ben as not developing on schedule. Autism is a rare diagnosis with no treatment protocols.
• 1968 - Teena Willard begins "patterning" with Ben. Many hours for months were wasted on this false procedure. 
• 1968 - Mrs. Willard rejected the 1950s Kanner and later Bettelheim theory of "refrigerator mothers." The mother of seven children, six, very successfully refuted their incorrect hypothesis. 
• 1969 -  Teena Willard is named, "The Mother of Autism" by Florida State Governor Bob Graham.  
• 1972 - Teena Willard and Ben III moved to Boston to study with Dr. Matt Israel and learn behavior modification.
• 1974 - Drs. Eb Blakesly and Amy Lettig begin formal training with Ben in the Willard home.
• 1977 - The State of Florida begins downsizing state-run residential treatment centers in favor of small group homes. 
• 1977 - Teena and Ben Willard purchased their first group home for Susan, Darcy, and Ben.  
• 1978 - Threshold was incorporated as a non-profit company serving the "Children no one else would take."  Our vision started as a small spark that we gradually fanned into the blueprint of reality.
• 1980  to 2002 - Threshold expanded to five group homes and increased their residential program.
• 2002 - Threshold adds a psychiatric consultant to manage the resident's psychotropic medications. 
• 2003 - Dr. Wright returns to Threshold as CEO and continues as a member of their Advisory Board.
• 2003 - Very talented international students from Slovakia, Russia, and Belarus join Threshold's staff to learn applied behavior.
• 2003 - Five International physicians join Threshold's staff. We created a medical clinical department to manage our medication administration program. Medication errors were reduced to zero.
• 2004 - Threshold opens the Pottery Shop as a meaningful day activity for adults and provides products to Disney and Le Creuset.
• 2005 - ABA Technologies, a training program for Behavior analysts with Dr. Jose Martinez-Diaz, begins on Threshold's campus.
• 2007 - Threshold begins construction on the Medical and Dental clinics.
• 2008 - Threshold opens the Medical and Dental clinics to serve families with children and adults on the autism spectrum.
• By 2008, every behaviorist and any level of importance in Florida had been trained at Threshold. From 1978 to 2011, Threshold trained thousands of people. Many went on from Threshold to become national leaders and researchers in applied behavior analysis. It is arguably true that applied behavior analysis was born at Threshold. Employees came from around the World: We take pride in our team of employees from different parts of the USA and the world. 
• 2011 - Dr. Wright leaves Threshold to focus on parent training programs.
• 2014 - Threshold, Inc. merges with Devereux Centers for Autism. Devereux is a multi-state agency serving children and adults on the autism spectrum.  
• 2023 - Threshold Center for Autism Consultants was created to carry on the legacy and training expertise associated with Threshold, Inc.
• 2024 - Threshold, CZ established in The Czech Republic with Ing Eva Kocurkova, MS..

Thank you for being with us on our journey. Together, we are building a diverse and supportive community where everyone has a place to grow and learn.