Directors message
During its first three years the Thompson Center has made great strides towards its mission of improving the lives of individuals with autism and other developmental concerns.Interdisciplinary teams are now working intensively to provide state-of-the-art service programs, conduct research on the causes and treatments for autism spectrum disorders, and train professionals and parents how to maximize each person’s success at home and in the community.
MU’s world-class professionals have established the Thompson Center as a respected resource for families, educators, health professionals, researchers, policymakers and public agencies in Missouri and across the nation. For instance, the Department of Mental Health/MRDD recently designated the Thompson Center as one of three Missouri Autism Centers of Excellence, along with our partners at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. In the past year, the number of Thompson Center clinical services has grown from six to 15 due to increases in both public and private funding. In addition, MU researchers have been selected to join two major national research networks that will accelerate the pace of new discoveries about autism — the Simons Simplex Collection and the Autism Treatment Network.
The remarkable growth in Thompson Center programs began with the landmark vision of Bill and Nancy Thompson and continues because of tremendous support from people just like you. Our partnerships have powered this success. In fact, the growth has been so great that in November 2007 we hired a co-director, Dr. Kathy Thornburg, for a nine-month period to help administer the Thompson Center’s operations and prepare our structure for future needs.
We are very grateful for the resources, time and talents that so many have contributed. We are especially indebted to the many families who help guide our efforts. There is much left to do. But together we will make a difference — one child and family at a time.
Janet E. Farmer, PhD, ABPP
Thompson Center Co-Director
Kathy Thornburg, PhD
Thompson Center Co-Director
