Since 2007
Our Story
What started as two parents' search for answers became an 18-year mission serving individuals with autism across their entire lifespan.
A Family's Search. A Community's Answer.
Keith and Angela Levin are high school sweethearts who built their life together in the beautiful community of Prescott, Arizona. When their second-born son, Cade, was diagnosed with autism at about two years of age, Angela was called into this field. Not as a career choice, but as a calling.
They searched for autism support in their rural corner of Arizona and found nothing. No schools equipped to serve their son. No programs designed for children profoundly affected by autism. No answers.
So they built their own.
In 2007, ASCEND opened its doors as a small school dedicated to viewing the individual first and the disorder second. Keith, a third-generation builder, former deputy sheriff, and detective, eventually left his career to run the organization full-time, seeking the flexibility he needed to be more of a caregiver to his adult son with severe autism.
18 Years of Growth
ASCEND School Founded
Keith and Angela Levin open a K-12 school for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Prescott, Arizona. What begins as a small program to serve their own son's needs becomes a lifeline for families across the region.
Adult Day Program Launches
As their first students age out of K-12, ASCEND expands to serve adults. The DDD-funded Day Treatment for Adults program launches, addressing the reality that the need doesn't stop at 18.
Continued Growth
ASCEND becomes a leader in the field of autism support and advocacy throughout northern Arizona, serving more than 50 full-time students and their families. The organization grows to meet the region's deepest need.
Hope Haven Ranch Opens
The Levins open a permanent residential home for five young men with profound autism in Kirkland, AZ. Born from a dream, a prayer, and a parental devotion to offer a "forever home" to their son and others like him.
71 Staff. 3 Programs. 1 Mission.
ASCEND is a $2.2 million-a-year organization with 71 dedicated staff members. The only lifespan autism service provider in all of Yavapai County. From kindergarten through permanent residential care.
Our Philosophy
The Individual First
Our mission is to view the individual first and the disorder second, and strive to meet the individual needs of each person. We believe that each individual must be nurtured at all levels: physically, emotionally, spiritually, and educationally.
Family as Cornerstone
We believe that family input is the cornerstone to the success of the program. The ultimate goal is that each individual and family affected by autism will find a strong support system with us. We encourage families to discuss the very individualized needs of their loved ones.
Purpose and Dignity
Everything we do is centered on providing a life of purpose and dignity. From 1:1 instruction in the classroom to purposeful programming for adults to a permanent, safe and peaceful home at Hope Haven Ranch.
Lifespan Commitment
The need doesn't stop at 18. And neither do we. ASCEND is one of the only organizations in Arizona that serves individuals with autism from kindergarten through permanent residential care. One mission, across a lifetime.
See How We Put This Mission Into Action
Every day, across three programs, our team works to provide purpose and dignity.