Page 3 - Eric Sadowsky News Today

Starts attending a dayhab in manhattan where he does volunteer work. >> its simple things like setting tables, um delivering mail. they even have dog walking, delivering meals to the elderly. >> lets get to work everybody. >> erics doing excellent job working. >> while they dont do that much, its better than most and he has a mix of young people to be with and he has friends. >> reporter: but what eric and his mom dont know is that theres something even better right around the corner. >> reporte...

Great with math. thats about three dollars? >> right. >> reporter: nick donates the money he makes to the charity "make a wish" >> he had make-a-wish a number of years ago. and that was life-changing for him. >> oh thank you so much! >> not everybody works a paying job, but that doesnt mean they dont contribute to their community. >> for all your hard work. >> and right now were teaching him how to do that with something a simple as collecting bottles and passing the money on to charity. >> repo...

Adults with autism. >> i had wanted to put him at one of the local ys. they said they had a special needs program. it turns out now they only go to 14. this is a phrase i hear from agency, program, center, all the time. >> reporter: on the day after his 21st birthday, eric walks into school for the last time. >> bye eric! >> no, sabrina. youre not done yet! wait until 2016. >> thats so far away! right now were in 2012. >> its really tough. i wish we had more of a plan for eric. >> reporter: josh...

Its a state decision. >> reporter: so the federal government cant say to florida, "youve gotta do the same thing." >> at this point under the law, no. >> reporter: whats more, lewis says states split their medicaid dollars between the poor and people with disabilities. she says it all adds up to a system that cant take that much weight. >> i think that the programs are overstressed with the numbers. i mean its why we see wait lists. >> reporter: is that the bottom line, we just dont have the bud...

>> reporter: new york state says its helping more and more people with developmental disabilities lead increasingly independent lives. it says its in the process of shutting down those sheltered workshops and trying to help people find jobs. >> ruth can sing a peanut butter sandwich made with jam. >> i had always thought when he got older i had this vague idea that he would have some kind of a job and that it would be over. and i am only adjusting now over the last two years in this transition p...

>> eric wants a quiet ending. no ceremony. no party. no celebrations. erics principal says his departure is tough on everyone. >> i feel like a mother hen here for eric and all the students. eric has come so far, but it is concerning he will not go some place that is supportive and meet his needs and move ahead. i am worried about him. that makes it harder to see him go. >> time to go home. >> everybody should give these kids and adults a chance because what they bring to the tablemaa.

Time. >> reporter: did you miss it? >> oh i was heartsick. >> reporter: but then on the other hand im sure you would do absolutely anything for your son. >> of course. thats what was happening. i couldnt say no to any possiblity of help for him. you know, i just saw so much potential. i knew this kid had so much in him, that any help that he needed, i, we gave to him. >> reporter: the symptoms of autism are measured on a spectrum. eric is roughly in the middle. there are many people who are far ...

Been a big change and frightening one. >> with no more teachers and friends to stimulate language skills, eric is losing the speech he gained in school. >> he cannot sit in the -- so he cant sit in the circle. >> he is sleeping 12 or 13 hours. drifting in and out of his room. singing to himself a lot. talking to himself a lot. really regressing into his own world. withdraw. >> erics mother has explored free day programs offered by the state known as day habs. she doesnt like what she has seen. >...

Say to florida you have to do the same thing. >> at this point under the law, no. >> whats more, states split the medicaid dollars between the poor and people with disabilities. she says it all adds up to a system that cant take that much weight. back in new york, nicks family decides he is better off staying put. they make a difficult decision. theyre breaking up the family. mike will move to florida for his job alone. >> what does it mean for the family? >> it will be long distance. it leaves ...

For adults and fewer options for adults with autism. >> i wanted to put in one of the local ys with a special needs program. they only go to 14. this is the phrase i hear from agency program center all the time. >> on the day after his 21st birthday, eric walks in to school for the last time. >> hi, eric. >> sabrina. not done yet. wait until 2016. >> so far away. right now were in 2012. >> its really tough. i wish we had more of a plan for eric. >> joshua, erics teacher, says the day is more dif...