The underserved autistic residents of Montana and their families will be the primary group served by Erik’s Ranch. In this rural state, services and resources to help the developmentally disabled are severely limited. Approximately 375 people between the ages of 6 and 21 are receiving minimal types of services from the state. Statistics from the state’s Office of Public Instruction show that the number of autistic students swelled from 212 in 2001-2002 to 442 in 2007 – a 52 percent increase in just seven years. The number of autistic students jumped 9 percent between 2006 and 2007 alone.
