Pacific Autism Center Inc

Tyler D. _{on Yelp}

Nov 1st, 2013

I was recently at a wedding reception and ran into someone that I worked with at PAC here in Honolulu a few years ago. He is now principal of a high school here on Oahu and I am an SCC (Student Services Coordinator at an Elementary school on Oahu. We talked agreeing of what a terrible autism center it was and how much we regret working there. I guess I had pushed it out of my memory all those years though it still haunted me and I chose not to think about it. The center is extremely rigorous on the children. We were doing a lot of DTT (discreet trial training) and ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) but we did it in such a way that the students suffered both physically and emotionally. For extended periods of time, both the children and the trainers were forced to endure repetitive and monotonous trials. It felt as though we were being told to train wild animals and not educate, and foster skills and well being for the children.   The worst part was that the children were physically restrained and held down until the trial was completed. After months of  going home feeling awful and guilt ridden for the kids if finally quit after an incident where the child was having such a tantrum and my supervisor was behind me demanding and prodding me to hold the child down as he screamed and cried. I was sweating under the pressure of the supervisor and felt heartbroken for the child so I simply refused and quit that day.  Both my colleague and I had quit PAC I found out and went on to work at much more constructive, positive, and effective Autism employers such as TIFFE, BCRC, and HBH.The recent event spurred me to see if this company still operated and I am saddened that it does. I felt compelled to make a YELP account and review PAC with the hopes that parents and potential employees stay away.  Honestly I think that they mean well but are so jaded by results, that they strip a child's childhood and happiness away in the process, in attempts to manipulate. I promise that there is a better way.