Directors message
The Thompson Center has experienced extraordinary growth within a relatively short time, reflecting the demand for high quality and effective services for autism treatment and associated neurodevelopmental disorders. It is my privilege to join with our supremely talented faculty and staff as we manage this growth and work together with our stakeholders to plan an exciting future.
Our immediate efforts are directed toward providing increased capacity for behavioral interventions. We are recruiting two Ph.D.-level behaviorists who will continue and expand the excellent work of Dr. Janine Stichter, who will direct their activities. Our Biomedical Division is also expanding with the addition of Drs. Kristin Sohl and David Beversdorf.
Dr. Janet Farmer continues her extraordinarily successful efforts to link up with other professionals to identify optimum treatment standards and to improve access to autism services regionally, statewide and at the federal level.
On a very practical level we continue to examine and change our internal organization to better accommodate the needs of parents and children with autism. We are acutely sensitive to the need to provide access to treatment and critical information that families require. This will be our continuing focus.
Finally, we are working with the Thompson Center Foundation to plan a new facility which will more effectively accommodate service demand. This is perhaps our most exciting endeavor. We deeply appreciate the Foundation’s unwavering support as well as that provided by the University of Missouri.
Thanks to all of you who share our enthusiasm for the activities of the Thompson Center, and for your continuing interest and encouragement.
Jim Poehling
Executive Director, Thompson Center
