Volume 2, Issue 32: May 8, 2006

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Autism Services Expand with Grant

The Autism Service, part of Illinois State University Psychological Services Center, recently received a $100,000 grant from The Autism Project of Illinois (TAP). The grant will help the Autism Service expand their existing services ranging from individual treatment in the clinic and in-home services to providing parent and sibling support groups as well as providing support services such as volunteers to the Autism Society of McLean County. “With the additional money, we have been able to hire additional graduate clinicians and significantly expand the types of services offered,” said Dr. Karla Doepke, Associate Professor of Psychology and Coordinator of the Autism Service. “This grant is significant to the Autism Service program because it expands our ability to simultaneously meet the research, training, and service missions of the University at both the graduate and undergraduate level. It also ties us into a broader network of state services and professionals throughout the state with whom we can collaborate on a variety of projects.”

The Autism Service at the Psychological Services Center (PSC) encompasses four main areas: 1) Intervention for children and their families; 2) Consultation with schools and families regarding individual children or specific issues related to autism; 3) Workshops or in-service training designed to provide education and training to professionals, paraprofessionals, and parents who are working with individuals diagnosed with autism; and 4) Evaluation of intervention effectiveness and acceptability. A treatment team comprised of Illinois State faculty, graduate student clinicians, and undergraduate students addresses the needs of children diagnosed with autism. Inquiries and requests for service can be made by calling the PSC at (309) 438-5629 or by sending an e-mail to psc@ilstu.edu.

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