PATHWAYS PROGRAM
The Pathways Program at Lumen is a specialized track within our boutique transition model designed for neurodivergent young adults who require a higher level of support. This includes individuals who benefit from 1:1 coaching, increased structure, and services for students with borderline intellectual functioning.
Rooted in Lumen’s commitment to individualized care, Pathways supports young adults who need additional repetition, modeling, and direct skill development while remaining meaningfully connected to community life. In keeping with Lumen’s boutique philosophy, the program is intentionally limited to eight participants, allowing for greater clinical precision, relational depth, and truly individualized attention.
Learning in Real Life
Pathways builds on Lumen’s in vivo coaching model, where skill development happens in real time within authentic environments such as the home, workplace, and community.
What distinguishes Pathways is the intensity and pacing of support. Students receive dedicated 1:1 staffing when indicated, along with a slower, more deliberate progression toward independence. Rather than accelerating benchmarks, the program prioritizes mastery, confidence building, and consistent reinforcement of executive functioning, social cognition, and adaptive living skills.
This approach allows students to grow at a sustainable pace while still participating in vocational exploration, supported educational opportunities, and community engagement within Lumen’s coaching homes.
Clinically Informed Support
Clinical oversight and therapeutic support for the Pathways Program are provided by Dr. Tyler Whitney, PsyD, in collaboration with Lumen’s Director of Clinical Services, Jeremy Noles, MSW.
Each student’s programming is guided by comprehensive assessment, ongoing case conceptualization, and coordinated treatment planning. This integrated clinical approach ensures that coaching, skill development, and therapeutic support remain aligned throughout the student’s experience.
A Program Built for Lasting Independence
“Pathways is designed for students who need more repetition, more modeling, and more direct support in order to translate insight into action,” says Anthony Thomas, Director of Pathways at Lumen.
“We remain firmly grounded in Lumen’s in vivo philosophy because real growth happens in real environments. What Pathways offers is a more individualized tempo. With intentional 1:1 support and a slower progression plan, we are able to build durable skills that foster long-term independence rather than short-term compliance.”
