YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Autism is a condition characterized by challenges with communication, social skills and repetitive behaviors. Children who receive services and therapy through school often lose access to that assistance when they become adults.

In the Mahoning Valley, the Shope family is helping their son gain independence through a home of his own, while making it their mission to help other families.

“Sweet and innocent,” Amy Shope said, while looking at a photo of her son Dylan as a toddler. “People always — I just think they don’t understand, so they think there was always something wrong with him, you know?”

At age 2, Amy noticed Dylan wasn’t talking. Doctors diagnosed him with autism.

“He just is stuck in this, like, pattern of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and behaviors and can’t communicate like we can, so that’s where a lot of his behaviors would come out,” she said.

Behaviors that Amy said turned their home into a “war zone."

“That’s, like, the best way I can describe it,” she said. “Like, kids in general are chaos. But, I mean, chaos of, like, him trying to escape, trying to like set things on fire, or break furniture.”

A display of family photos in Amy’s basement show some happier times.

“Sometimes I look back on pictures and think, ‘Did we actually do that? Did we actually go on that vacation? Why? What were we thinking?’” Amy said with a laugh.

But she said a more recent photo is her favorite.

“It’s like, oh, this typical family,” she said. “But yet you can tell when you really look at it, Dylan, like look, he doesn’t care. He’s just looking off to the side.”

The picture shows Amy, her husband Kevin and daughter Anderson all smiling and looking at the camera, while Dylan looks away. They’re all sitting on the porch outside Dylan’s house on his last birthday. He turned 22. 

Dylan moved into the home more than two years ago. It’s about 10 minutes away from the family’s home, and Amy makes it a point to visit several times a week.

“I would go every day if I could, but then the weeks that I couldn’t do that, he would expect it,” she said.

Driving to visit her oldest child, Amy said she was excited to see him, but also a little anxious.

“It’s a constant worry, just like with any parent,” she said. “But I think, like, 10,000 times greater.”

She said she worries about something happening to her son or someone else when he becomes upset, primarily when there’s a change in his routine.

“He does things that he knows are going to require a response from someone,” she said. “So, if you get naked at Bob Evans, you know you’re gonna get to leave. Because that’s not acceptable.”

A waiver through the state of Ohio helps cover the cost of 24-hour caregivers, who are helping Dylan gain some independence.

“He wasn’t toilet trained when he moved out,” Amy said. “At 17, and he is now.”

Seeing his growth is inspiring the Shopes to help other families with housing and care for their adult children with autism.

“We get calls on a weekly basis,” Amy said. “How did you do this? Can you help us? They’re still providing the care to their 20-year-old that a 3-year-old gets. So there’s a huge need.”

The family started the nonprofit Dylan’s House last fall. They’re raising funds to build a home for four roommates on two acres near Mill Creek Park. The land was donated by the Autism Society of the Mahoning Valley.

“Great place where they can all kind of relax, have their own space, but also socialize as peers,” Amy said, about the future construction.

She said they hope this to be the first house of many spread throughout the community. Each will be staffed by professional caregivers and painted blue like Dylan’s.

The goal is to lift a weight off the families to see their kids happy at home.

“Every day is definitely a new adventure,” Amy said. “Also, he’s like the most amazing human.”

For more information about Dylan’s House, visit dylanshouse.org.