FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions

To become a member of Hippo Campus, one person in your family should meet the following three criteria: School-age student between the ages of Grade 2 - Grade 12 Carries a documented diagnosis of one or more of our supported neurodivergent conditions Can perform essential activities of daily living — either: 1) without caregiver assistance, or; 2) with self-provided caregiver assistance (if needed) If your family doesn't meet the above criteria, we also offer exemptions for families and individuals who understand our mission and would benefit from being a part of our community.

There are three key areas of higher-support needs to consider when becoming a member: Personal care / personal hygiene / toileting Elopement concerns Regular physical altercations/incidents While Hippo Campus strives to accommodate all people with various support needs, we are constrained by certain staffing limitations. If you or your family member requires monitoring or regular assistance in any of the three areas listed above, you will be expected to provide your own caregiver assistance while using our facility.

As of today, Hippo Campus is being designed for school-age students who carry one or more of the following diagnoses: Autism Discalcula Dysgraphia Dyslexia Echolalia Tourette syndrome

By supporting children with autism and other related neurological conditions, we do serve a significant portion the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) community — one in eight children currently diagnosed with ADHD is also diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. So in that sense, Hippo Campus will support some children with ADHD. An important point to consider is that ADHD is significantly more prevalent than autism and other forms of neurodivergence, and would require a 4x-larger facility to serve the local population. There are some practical concerns to consider when creating our center — namely that most neurodivergent people thrive with routine, orderliness, predictability, and structure. Hippo Campus will be designed with that in mind. Therefore, if we were to try to serve everyone, we might not serve anyone well at all. If your family with ADHD (as a primary diagnosis) is interested in becoming a member, you may do so under under the terms of our exemptions policy (see below).

Yes, you can become a member of Hippo Campus even if you don't qualify under the primary conditions listed above! Hippo Campus is welcoming to all types of people, so long as they understand and can actively support our mission of creating a social and recreational space that allows neurodivergent people to thrive. Practically speaking, this means being able to follow the rules set forth by the space. Prospective members seeking this type of exemption would be required to attend a new member onboarding meeting where we would outline the rules of the space, explain why those rules are in place for our member base, and answer any questions you may have. Examples of people who might want to join via exemption include: • Neurodivergent adults outside of the K-12 age bracket • Families with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) • Youth who gravitate towards neurodivergent people and their interests • Families comfortable with neurodivergence via extended family, friends, etc. • Volunteers considering careers in social work, OT/PT, medicine, teaching, etc. • Families who feel they would benefit from the structure of Hippo Campus

Hippo Campus will be open after school ends through the evening, every weekday. On weekends, we will be open from morning through the evening, including Sundays. Our operating hours will likely be as follows (subject to change): Monday: 2:30pm - 8:00pm Tuesday: 2:30pm - 8:00pm Wednesday: 2:30pm - 8:00pm Thursday: 2:30pm - 8:00pm Friday: 2:30pm - 8:00pm Saturday: 10:00am - 8:00pm Sunday: 10:00am - 8:00pm

Hippo Campus will not be available for birthday parties and private events during normal operating hours, especially on weekends. This policy is in place to ensure that the facility is open consistently to our members, during the hours that are most important to them. Part of the appeal of our membership model is to guarantee the availability of the space. On occasion, Hippo Campus may host private events outside of standard hours. During normal operating hours, we may host occasional events to serve our existing member base, partners, and donors.

Hippo Campus is designed as a community recreation center, not a daycare or babysitting facility. While Hippo Campus will be designed with member safety in mind (employee background checks, insurance policies, first aid equipment, etc.) parents are ultimately responsible for the well-being of their own children. Families with higher support needs and children 12 years and under old cannot be left alone without supervision. Children 13 and older who also have lower support needs can spend time at the facility by themselves, so long as they have the permission of their parents to do so. This privilege can be activated by their parents at the front desk, or via phone, or email. If a parent wishes to volunteer as a temporary caregiver for another parent's child, they may do so, so long as: 1) both parents are Hippo Campus members, and; 2) both sets of parents notify the front desk. Example of a temporary caregiver conversation : "I need to step out for 30 minutes to run an errand, and I am leaving my child under the supervision of our family friend, Claudia, who is here with her children. I will check back in with the front desk when I return from my errand."

Part of our mission is to build a true community of neurodivergent families — not just kids. Adults are welcome to partake in any of the recreational activities offered at the facility, because after all, grownups are really just big kids themselves. This is also a great way to meet other families and facilitate friendships among our kids. There will also be a grownup lounge where you can relax, work, or socialize with other adults while the kids are enjoying themselves independently. Spending time at the facility is a great way to meet other parents with similar concerns and needs, and to share information and advice with one another. As of today, there are very few places where this is truly possible due to workday constraints, childcare obligations, and other issues. The more time you spend at Hippo Campus, the more families you'll meet and befriend, and the more you'll be able to learn about local offerings via word of mouth.

Yes, we have spoken to many great local organizations doing work to serve the neurodivergent and disability communities at-large. Some of these conversations may lead to lasting partnerships in the future. We are happy to partner with any organizations who share our values and interests, and can help support our mission, or vice versa. If you know of any great organizations doing relevant work at the local, regional, national, and international level, please send an introductory email to info [at] thehippocamp.us.