Legislators to Tour UA Autism Research Clinic, Preschool

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — As the number of diagnoses increase, autism continues to be a major concern for Alabama lawmakers and faculty at The University of Alabama. A legislative tour of UA’s Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Clinic and Speech and Hearing Center’s preschool classroom is planned for Tuesday, Dec. 4, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, followed by lunch.

State Rep. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, is leading the Alabama Autism Task Force, a group formed to recommend changes in autism services. Ward will offer a presentation during the tour. Other legislators who plan to attend at least part of the visit are Rep. Ralph Howard, D-Greensboro, and Dr. Robert Bentley, R-Tuscaloosa.

The UA ASD Research Clinic is a collaborative program of the UA departments of psychology and communicative disorders. The program provides outpatient services to individuals with ASD and their families, serves as a personnel training site for undergraduate and graduate students and conducts a variety of ASD research programs including treatment-outcome research, brain imaging research and research on the learning styles of individuals with ASD.

The department of communicative disorders’ Speech and Hearing Center provides a preschool program for children with autism spectrum disorders. Outpatient diagnostic and therapy services and research programs are conducted at the Child Development Research Center.

Here is the itinerary:

10:30-10:50 a.m.: Tour the UA Speech and Hearing Center preschool classroom.

11:00-11:30 a.m.: UA ASD Research Clinic Tour and Presentation (Child Development Research Center Lecture Hall).

11:30-noon: Alabama Autism Task Force Presentation by Rep. Cam Ward (CDRC Lecture Hall).

Noon- 1 p.m.: Lunch, second floor of CDRC.

Editor’s note: Principals will be available for brief interviews before and after lunch.