A former elementary school in Kirksville will be the home of a future autism center. Governor Jay Nixon (D) says $5.5 million in state funding will help build the Inter-Professional Autism Clinic in Northeast Missouri.
“Northeast Missouri is a place that needs some more help when it comes to making sure we have enough trained professionals to treat autism spectrum disorders,” said Nixon.
Nixon families in that region won’t have to travel as far for services.
“To get these kind of services, folks are having to basically drive to Columbia now to get evaluations,” said Nixon. “Quite frankly, if you’re a parent and you’re not exactly sure what’s going on with your child, getting that evaluation, the younger you get it, the closer to home, the more likely it is that you’re going to get the treatment to turn them around.”
The center will include licensed professionals and students from Truman State and A.T. Still University.
Renovations to the building will begin next summer, with the facility opening in the fall of 2018.
Kyle Hill of KWIX contributed to this story.
