Social Skills Program Marks 10 Years of Growth and Impact

Ten years ago, Easterseals Southern California’s (ESSC) Social Skills program was just an idea.

Working as the clinical supervisor for Autism Therapy Services (ATS) in Riverside, Nicole Tisdale saw a need among people receiving autism services in her area. She sought advice from her peers and wrote a proposal for a dedicated Social Skills department where ATS participants could learn and practice social interaction in a group setting.

“I thought almost everyone on my caseload would benefit,” Tisdale recalled.

She submitted her idea to Dr. Paula Pompa-Craven, Chief Clinical Officer, ATS, who soon invited her to meet in-person. “I thought I was walking into a meeting,” Tisdale laughed, “but I think what happened was I walked into a job interview. By the end, she asked me to think of a job title and I said, ‘What?’ I was floored.”

Tisdale had a new role as Social Skills Manager and an opportunity to build something from the ground up. 

Laying the Foundation

At the time, Tisdale was essentially the department’s only employee and there were no established procedures, materials or programs to follow. “Thankfully,” Tisdale said, “I had the support of Easterseals leadership while we laid the foundation.”

Tisdale led the development of the program, determining what assessments would look like, what materials were needed, where groups would be held and how the program would operate. 

She also hired the first BCBA team members to lead groups in two regions, initially providing services in Valencia and Rancho Cucamonga.

In August 2016, the first Social Skills groups launched. It was pioneering work requiring building the program while providing services at the same time. 

Growing to Meet the Need

What began as a good idea has grown into something much bigger. Over the past decade, Social Skills has expanded its reach across Southern California while continuing to adapt to the needs of the people and families it serves.

Today, Social Skills has grown to 19 regions, serving communities from Bakersfield to San Diego and everywhere in between. With 126 employees, the program continues to expand and has grown from serving a handful of people in 2017 to more than 2,000 in 2026.

A variation of the model of service is being developed at the Pyott Center and telehealth, which began as a response to the pandemic, has also become an intentional option for participants who thrive in that modality of treatment.

Making the Right Connections

But the growth isn't simply about numbers. Over the past decade, the Social Skills team has learned more about what makes a group work—and how to create the right social environment for each participant.

Before participants join a group, staff assess their individual needs, strengths, challenges, interests and motivation. The goal is to create groups where participants can connect with peers and feel comfortable enough to practice new skills.

“There is truly a science to facilitate a group,” Tisdale points out. “It takes a lot of work to keep everyone engaged. We’ve almost become matchmakers. One group might focus on executive functioning and learning how to manage behavior, share space or interact effectively with others. Another may have a different focus based on the needs of the participants.

“When the match is right,” she explained, “participants are more likely to be motivated to learn and to keep coming back. And it’s a safe place to practice in that environment to then go out and practice in other environments, to build relationships in their communities.” 

That sense of trust is an important part of the program. Participants may share things with Social Skills staff that they don't always feel comfortable sharing with caregivers. Staff can then help bridge those conversations, working with participants and their families to support continued growth.

The learning doesn't stop when group attendance ends. “We believe our job is not a once-and-done thing,” Tisdale said. “It’s developmental and it happens over time. The ultimate goal is for participants to take what they learn in the group into other parts of their lives. They now have the skills that they learned to live, learn, work and play which is part of Easterseals’ mission.”

Opening Doors/Changing Lives

Tempie White, Social Skills Lead, Clinical Supervisor, Northridge, was a Behavior Interventionist for ESSC when Tisdale recruited her to join the Social Skills program, where she has now worked for nine years. She leads programs for children as young as 5-7, young adults 18-25 and everything in between.

While White finds it rewarding to work with each age group, she finds it particularly gratifying when a young adult group assembles for the first time.

“From elementary school to high school, they had no friends and sat by themselves in isolation,” White explained. “They get to this group and I could seriously cry when I see them have this aha moment of, ‘There are other people like me!’ They come together and they share and they connect and they realize they’re not alone. 

“They have friends for the first time and they learn to make friends and communicate outside of the program,” White continued, recalling a young woman who went on to law school, became engaged and works with children with learning disabilities.

“This is the first time that has happened for so many of them,” she said. “And I often wonder how different their experiences might have been without a place where they were finally able to connect with peers who understood them. That’s my favorite part for sure.”

A Place to Practice and Belong

Rudy participated in Social Skills for a year and a half as a young adult, joining the program remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. During a time when opportunities to interact face-to-face were limited, the group gave him a way to stay connected.

“It helped keep my mind busy during COVID and improved my social skills,” Rudy recalled.

“It’s a very beneficial class that does a lot for the community,” Rudy said. “It helps people on the spectrum interact and make new connections by teaching practical communication skills like breaking the ice to start conversations and changing topics. 

“It helped give me the confidence to interact in college,” said Rudy, who graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in statistics and works in data entry.

Looking Ahead

“I have come back to Paula over the years,” recalled Tisdale, now promoted to director of the program, “and said, ‘Thank you so much for being so open and supportive.’  She took me very seriously. I often look around say, ‘Wow, here we are, this is how far we’ve come.’”

And there’s so much more ahead.