SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. — Next Step Training Program is helping young adults with level 1 autism gain the skills they need to thrive in the workforce.

And now, they’ve just opened the doors to a new coffee shop in Shelby County.

Best friends Suellen Barnes and Susan Ballerstedt have a lot in common.

Besides sharing similar-sounding names, they share something deeper. Both of their oldest children are on the autism spectrum, and they know firsthand how hard it can be for employers to truly accommodate them.

“[My son] is high functioning, very smart, but quirky,” said Ballerstedt. “And then once he got into high school, then it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, how is he going to get a job?’”

So they created the Next Step Training Program, a 16 week cognitive and vocational course designed to help yo

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