Parkview Halts Autism Center Plans
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowParkview Health says it cannot move forward with plans to build what officials called the first autism treatment center in northeast Indiana. Parkview Huntington leaders say a key Indiana State Department of Health approval and a necessary partnership with behavior specialists never materialized. September 13, 2013
News Release
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Parkview Huntington Hospital (PHH) leaders and board members recently agreed to a change of plans regarding the Parkview Huntington Hospital Autism Center. Delays in state review and approval of the project layout, and a lack of necessary partnerships with behavioral therapists, have put hospital officials in a position where they cannot move forward with plans to operate a comprehensive autism center.
The Parkview Huntington Hospital Autism Center was announced in October of 2012. Shortly after the announcement, plans for the behavioral therapy facility were submitted to the Indiana State Department of Health for review and approval. As of today, no response has been received from that government oversight body. During that same period, PHH leaders invested nearly $100,000 into its pediatric rehabilitation area where occupation, speech and physical therapy will continue to be offered to pediatric patients with autism.
While awaiting approval of the behavioral therapy facility plans, PHH leaders met with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) specialists in an effort to secure a partnership needed for the behavioral therapy component. This component combined with the physical therapy additions already in place at PHH would have made the comprehensive autism treatment center possible. PHH leaders were unsuccessful in securing that partnership eliminating the possibility of a comprehensive treatment center.
Physical, occupational, and speech therapy treatment options will continue to be offered at PHH. Anyone interested in the behavioral therapy component should contact:
-Autism Society of Indiana – (800) 609-8449
www.autismsocietyofindiana.org
-Indiana Applied Behavioral Analysis Institute – (888) 667-1181
www.indianaabainstitute.com
Source: Parkview Health