Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Baytown Clinic Perseveres Through Power Outage

In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, a specialized autism therapy clinic in Baytown, Texas, finds itself in a desperate situation, grappling with the challenges of a prolonged power outage. As the clinic's owners and employees navigate this crisis, they are determined to ensure their young clients continue to receive the vital care they need, despite the overwhelming obstacles they face.

Unwavering Commitment to Serving the Autism Community

Battling the Elements to Maintain Vital Therapy Sessions

The Elite Spectrum ABA clinic, a haven for children diagnosed with autism, has been plunged into darkness for the past 15 days since Hurricane Beryl struck the region. The clinic's co-owners, Lakeshia Wells and Tamara Alexander, are faced with a heartbreaking reality – their young clients, ranging from 2 to 15 years old, some of whom are nonverbal, are now deprived of the routine and structure they so desperately need."They need that routine that they set. That's important to them," Wells explains. "When that routine is thrown off, we start seeing more behaviors that we probably wouldn't see or that we started to work on and we weren't seeing."The clinic's 12 employees, who have been left without paychecks, are also feeling the strain of the situation. "We look them in the eye, and we say, 'We're going to provide a job for you,' and now it's like, 'We don't have power,'" Alexander laments.

Navigating the Bureaucratic Maze of Power Restoration

The clinic's owners have been in constant communication with CenterPoint Energy, the local utility provider, but have faced a frustrating lack of progress. "We were all calling CenterPoint, and they kept saying that the ticket was closed. What do you mean? We don't have power. They kept trying to say that we did have power," Wells recounts, exasperated.The process of restoring power to the clinic has proven to be a complex and time-consuming endeavor. When a building sustains damage that affects the power supply, a licensed electrician must first address the issue, and then the property owner must obtain a permit from the city before power can be reconnected."It's a problem people are facing all over southeast Texas," Wells explains. "The process can be lengthy, and the business owners say the property owners aren't calling them back with answers."

Unwavering Determination to Serve the Community

Despite the overwhelming challenges, the clinic's owners remain steadfast in their commitment to their young clients and their families. "You have a heart for this, and right now, my hands are tied," Wells says, her voice tinged with frustration. "There's nothing I can do."The 15 families who rely on the clinic's services are now left without access to the vital therapy their children need. "It kind of feels like we're in the pandemic without COVID going on," Alexander laments. "We're completely shut down and there's nothing that we can do."As the clinic's owners continue to navigate the bureaucratic maze and advocate for their community, they are driven by an unwavering determination to restore power and resume their essential work. Their resilience in the face of adversity serves as an inspiration to all who witness their unwavering commitment to the families they serve.