James suffered from verbal abuse and severe neglect from the beginning of infancy and throughout his life. The intensity of the abuse triggered his developmental disabilities that included Asperger’s Syndrome, Over Compulsive Disorder, and depression.
When James was 14 years old, one of his neighbors called the police to complain of filth and stench coming from the home where James lived. The police found James alone, and discovered feces from more than 40 animals inside the home. They realized that James was expected to take care of these animals on his own. James was immediately moved to live with relatives and the police arrested the caregivers.
Abuse and neglect followed James throughout his life, and within five years, he had been in seven different schools and had lived in six different homes. At age 23, James learned about Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) homes where he could live on his own with roommates and staff assistance. By moving into a CILA home, James was able to find a job working five days a week. He now enjoys new-found independence and is living a happy, safe life.
