Emmanuel Serriere
Encyclopedia
Emmanuel Serrière is an educator, administrator, and advocate for people with developmental disabilities, researcher on autism
.
in Trosly Breuil where he was employed from February to July 1965 to help create l'Arche
in that small village North of Paris.
Serrière immigrated to the United States from France
in 1968 and became a US citizen in 1974 and got married in June of 1976 in Saratoga, California
. He obtained a Masters in Rehabilitation Administration from the University of San Francisco
and subsequently became Executive Director of various California non-profit agencies in Northern California most of them dealing with adults with developmental disabilities (California). He based his entire career on the philosophy broadly borrowed from his mentor Jean Vanier
: providing people - centered services, empowering them to achieve their full potential and beyond, maximizing their quality of life according to their choices.
In 1997, Serrière was appointed Calaveras County Mental Health Administrator where he worked for seven years.
He belongs, thru his mother, to the same old french family that Jean-Pierre Desthuilliers
..
, studying three specific cases and the insertion of these three individuals with the general population of people with developmental disabilities. He worked with Dr. Bernard Rimland
, Director of the Autism Research Institute
. Serrière is convinced that the diagnosis of autism
should not have been altered to include the word “spectrum” to its name “autism spectrum
” as it now became a catch-all for all troubled children including misbehaving and attention deficit. To respond to numerous friends and parents who approached him looking for a three-minute diagnosis of their sons or daughters, Serriere generalize by sharing his beliefs that there is no Autism
or Asperger syndrome
or Kanner syndrome without specific visible traits: the person afflicted with autism is in his/her own world without eye contact or paying attention to the other person. They resent being touched, even a handshake. They will often keep busy by tapping fingers on own face, a colorful toy, a window and seeming to pay deep attention to the rhythm and the sensation received from this patter. They might spin plates or doing excessive and very repetitive movement including jumping on a trampoline for hours. Of course, there are also the “Autistic Savants” or savantism who will excel in math, drawing, music, memory exercise such a retaining an entire piano concerto, the decimals of 3 over 14, the view of a details of a building, dates past and future, etc. Serrière still believes that Dr. Rimland’s long qualifying (500 questions) questionnaire should be the only basis for defining autism.
The other was in 2006 with Assembly member Greg Aghazarian
permitting transport agencies to also obtain Disabled access license plates (AB 1910, Ch 203, Sections 5007 and 22511.56 of the CA Vehicle Code). This new law went into effect on Jan 1, 2007.
His latest involvement helped Manteca CAPS (1995–2008), (now called Valley CAPS as of July 1, 2010 ) a day program for adults with Mental Retardation
in Central California, from being stagnant and unsuccessful to one of the most successful day program for adults with developmental disabilities. With his progressive Board of Director he was able to increase the services of Manteca CAPS from 50 consumers to over 300 on five campuses increasing staff from 17 to over 115. His achievements were very often covered in the Manteca Bulletin
including development of new campuses in Manteca
, Lathrop
and Modesto
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
.
L'Arche and Jean Vanier
Serrière has been instrumental his entire forty five year career in helping adults with developmental disabilities (California) to have a more normalized life according to their choices in their own community. One of his first important contacts was with Jean VanierJean Vanier
Jean Vanier, CC GOQ is a Canadian Catholic philosopher, humanitarian and the founder of L'Arche, an international organization which creates communities where people with developmental disabilities and those who assist them share life together...
in Trosly Breuil where he was employed from February to July 1965 to help create l'Arche
L'Arche
L'Arche is an International Federation dedicated to the creation and growth of homes, programs, and support networks with people who have intellectual disabilities...
in that small village North of Paris.
Serrière immigrated to the United States from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1968 and became a US citizen in 1974 and got married in June of 1976 in Saratoga, California
Saratoga, California
Saratoga is a city in Santa Clara County, California, USA. It is located on the west side of the Santa Clara Valley, directly west of San Jose, in the San Francisco Bay area. The population was 29,926 at the 2010 census....
. He obtained a Masters in Rehabilitation Administration from the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
and subsequently became Executive Director of various California non-profit agencies in Northern California most of them dealing with adults with developmental disabilities (California). He based his entire career on the philosophy broadly borrowed from his mentor Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier, CC GOQ is a Canadian Catholic philosopher, humanitarian and the founder of L'Arche, an international organization which creates communities where people with developmental disabilities and those who assist them share life together...
: providing people - centered services, empowering them to achieve their full potential and beyond, maximizing their quality of life according to their choices.
In 1997, Serrière was appointed Calaveras County Mental Health Administrator where he worked for seven years.
He belongs, thru his mother, to the same old french family that Jean-Pierre Desthuilliers
Jean-Pierre Desthuilliers
Jean-Pierre Desthuilliers, born on October 22, 1939 in Versailles, is a French writer and poet.- Biography:Jean-Pierre Desthuilliers went to high school at the collège Albert de Mun, at Michel Bouts' école du Gai Savoir, a school based on the principles of active learning, then at the co-ed lycée...
..
Autism
As part of his Master’s thesis, Serrière did some research on autismAutism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
, studying three specific cases and the insertion of these three individuals with the general population of people with developmental disabilities. He worked with Dr. Bernard Rimland
Bernard Rimland
Bernard Rimland, PhD was an American research psychologist, writer, lecturer, and advocate for autistic children, ADHD, learning disabilities, and mental retardation.Based in San Diego, California since 1940, Dr...
, Director of the Autism Research Institute
Autism Research Institute
The Autism Research Institute , established in 1967 by Bernard Rimland, is a San Diego, California, based nonprofit that funds research and provides information on autism and autism spectrum disorders. Stephen M...
. Serrière is convinced that the diagnosis of autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
should not have been altered to include the word “spectrum” to its name “autism spectrum
Autism spectrum
The term "autism spectrum" is often used to describe disorders that are currently classified as pervasive developmental disorders. Pervasive developmental disorders include autism, Asperger syndrome, Childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise...
” as it now became a catch-all for all troubled children including misbehaving and attention deficit. To respond to numerous friends and parents who approached him looking for a three-minute diagnosis of their sons or daughters, Serriere generalize by sharing his beliefs that there is no Autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
or Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome
Asperger's syndrome that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development...
or Kanner syndrome without specific visible traits: the person afflicted with autism is in his/her own world without eye contact or paying attention to the other person. They resent being touched, even a handshake. They will often keep busy by tapping fingers on own face, a colorful toy, a window and seeming to pay deep attention to the rhythm and the sensation received from this patter. They might spin plates or doing excessive and very repetitive movement including jumping on a trampoline for hours. Of course, there are also the “Autistic Savants” or savantism who will excel in math, drawing, music, memory exercise such a retaining an entire piano concerto, the decimals of 3 over 14, the view of a details of a building, dates past and future, etc. Serrière still believes that Dr. Rimland’s long qualifying (500 questions) questionnaire should be the only basis for defining autism.
Work with California legislators
Serriere was instrumental in introducing two major California laws, one in 1978 with Senator Roberti clearly mandating that developmentally disabled people have the right to live in the community: SB 2093, introduced by Senator Roberti in 1978 requires that residential programs for 6 or fewer persons be treated and considered like any other family residence. Once the law passed, Serriere edited and published a booklet distributed widely to about one hundred service clubs of the Bay Area explaining why people with developmental disabilities can make good neighbors.The other was in 2006 with Assembly member Greg Aghazarian
Greg Aghazarian
Gregory George "Greg" Aghazarian is a Republican and former California State Assemblyman who represented the 26th district from 2002 until 2008....
permitting transport agencies to also obtain Disabled access license plates (AB 1910, Ch 203, Sections 5007 and 22511.56 of the CA Vehicle Code). This new law went into effect on Jan 1, 2007.
His latest involvement helped Manteca CAPS (1995–2008), (now called Valley CAPS as of July 1, 2010 ) a day program for adults with Mental Retardation
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
in Central California, from being stagnant and unsuccessful to one of the most successful day program for adults with developmental disabilities. With his progressive Board of Director he was able to increase the services of Manteca CAPS from 50 consumers to over 300 on five campuses increasing staff from 17 to over 115. His achievements were very often covered in the Manteca Bulletin
Manteca Bulletin
The Manteca Bulletin is typically considered the newspaper of record and daily newspaper for Manteca, California, USA. The Bulletin has been published for nearly 100 years. Once locally owned, the paper is now part of Morris Multimedia. The editor is Dennis Wyatt.- Community newspaper :The Bulletin...
including development of new campuses in Manteca
Manteca, California
Manteca is a city in , USA. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 67,096.- History :Manteca is a city in the Central Valley of California, 76 miles east of San Francisco. It was founded in 1861 by Joshua Cowell. Cowell claimed around and built houses on what is now the corner of Main...
, Lathrop
Lathrop, California
Lathrop is a city located in . At the 2010 census Lathrop’s population was 18,023, and has a projected “build out” population of 70,000. The city is located in Northern California at the intersection of I-5 and 120 freeways.-Geography:...
and Modesto