The American School for the Deaf (ASD) in West Hartford recently opened two new dormitories intended to support students with behavioral and emotional challenges.
Construction of the two one-story buildings, which began last December, was funded by the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) and M&T Bank. The two buildings cost $14 million to construct.
The buildings are specially designed to meet the needs of students enrolled in the school’s PACES Residential Treatment Program, which supports deaf students with severe behavioral or emotional challenges.
Established in 1982, the program — one of only two of its kind in the country — has grown from five to 42 students between the ages of 6 and 22, the school said. The new dorms will accommodate 50 students from nine states, it said.
The dorms, each approximately 9,400 square feet, feature sensory rooms, clear lines of sight, and spaces for independent living skills.
The school held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 4 that featured school and elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, and project donors.
ASD Executive Director Jeff Bravin led students through the dorms before the ceremony. “The students walked through the door and said, ‘Oh my gosh, this is home.’ So we did it.” he said.
