New clinic for Thompson Center opens, doubling the space, adding services for children
A newly renovated 13,000-square-foot therapy clinic is designed to better serve the around 5,000 patients of the University of Missouri Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, officials said.
Officials celebrated and showed off the clinic with tours and a ribbon cutting featuring the Columbia Chamber Ambassadors, MU mascot Truman the Tiger and MU cheerleaders.
The $1.2 million cost of the renovation was paid through funds from MU Health and private donations.
The therapy clinic allows for more specialized treatment, including programs for siblings of children with autism, said Stephen Sheinkopf, executive director of the Thompson Center.
"More treatment-oriented work is going on up here," Sheinkopf said of the clinic's upstairs. "Downstairs is research and training."
The nearly 5,000 patients make around 13,000 visits to the center annually, he said.
An early intervention room, for children ages 3-8, can have three children at a time, said behavior analyst Devyn Bryant.
"This is our most intensive setting," Bryant said. "Here we focus on decreasing problem behavior."
A social skills room helps children ages 10 to 12 to transition to a school setting, said behavior analyst Kendall Condict to media and others on a tour.
The room can accommodate six to seven at a time. It's for children who are more advanced.
Kali Flowers talked about the six-hour long toilet training clinic it offers for children and their parents. It's for children from 2 to 12 years old.
"This can be a life-changing accomplishment for families," Sheinkopf said.
There's a clinical area for children with severe behavior problems, including aggression, property destruction and head banging.
A life skills room for adolescents includes a full-sized refrigerator and a washer and dryer. Children learn to be independent, said behavior analyst Brittany Schmitz and clinical operations manager Emma Keicher.
During a grand opening presentation, parent Ana Compain-Romero got emotional at times talking about the ways in which the Thompson Center has benefited her family and her son, Danny. They moved to Columbia from Illinois when Danny was 2, she said.
When Danny developed loud vocalizations and started self-injuring, the Thompson Center developed a behavior plan for Danny, based on research.
She praised Schmitz for her work with Danny.
"We have been the beneficiaries of world-class research," Compain-Romero said. "That giant leap of faith turned out to be the best decision my family ever made."
Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on Twitter @rmckinney9.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: MU Thompson Center clinic doubles the size of the center's space
