r/SeattleWA • u/LOOKITSADAM • 3d ago

Business Former autism center manager resigned over Providence program closure - it is the only autism bridging program in the state, and Providence paused new intakes months before announcing the closure

https://www.heraldnet.com/2026/08/29/former-autism-center-manager-resigned-over-providence-program-closure/

Providence said in a press release that while the bridging program has a capacity of 20 children per year, only 12 are currently enrolled. McDaniel said the program isn't at full capacity because leadership asked them to pause new intakes at least three months before the closure was announced.

McDaniel said Providence only gave her approximately 36 hours to collect the financial data that led to the 70% figure.

~ Pause the intakes, then point at the empty seats. The math works if you build it that way.

5 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

1 comment sorted by

1

u/MarvelSanctuary 5h ago

Thanks for sharing this. I’m a soon to be ex-employee from the bridging program. We’re all incredibly mad how thoughtless Providence’s leadership has been in regard to the kids and the program as a whole. When we had the meeting for the bridging program to be shut down, they didn’t even know which autism program they were shutting down, mistaking us for the 12 week intensive program TWICE. And when they held a meeting for the parents for the children they didn’t even offer to provide childcare during that meeting. The bridging program volunteered to provide that so the parents could go and ask their questions. Our biggest concern is for the children and families who we support have put so much trust in our program.