Springfield resident Jessica Bower said her son was waitlisted for services in Columbia, MO after a diagnosis of autism. It left her family frustrated. They found Arc of the Ozarks a few years ago.
“Our lives were improved exponentially because all of the sudden we have this thing to look forward to every week. We have therapies to look forward to. We were able to expand our community," Bower told KSMU at the ribbon cutting.
“It's just really amazing to have that support, and that’s why I am here today — they supported us through a challenging time in our lives," she said.
An early diagnosis, Bower said, was important for her son’s success.
Without a diagnosis, people with autism cannot receive services. But the new Autism and Neurodevelopment Center in Springfield is expected to lead to more people receiving treatment.
Arc of the Ozarks CEO Mike Powers told KSMU the center will have the capacity for 500 diagnoses in the first year and will expand thereafter. It will also provide other services like early intervention and different types of therapies.
