The state of Mississippi’s Developmental Council just funded the Mississippi State University Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic with a $157,000 grant for the 2016-2017 school year, increasing the previous $113,000 grant by almost $45,000.
   Starting in 2014, the clinic has been open for a short two years. However, they have already made a big impact in the Starkville community and the state of Mississippi. 
    Commonly mistaken as a clinic that aids only children or students with autism, the clinic actually serves children with many different developmental disabilities as well. 
         Populations and diagnoses served range from autism spectrum disorders, genetic disorders such as down syndrome, developmental delays, cognitive impairment and disruptive behavior disorders.
    Dr. Gadke, director and founder of the clinic, said the clinic sees a variety of children.  
    “Even if the kid presents with a specific learning disability, we would see them,” Gadke said. “However, we even see kids with extremely rare genetic disorders.” 
      The clinic serves each client, whether they are children, adolescents or emerging adults, with comprehensive behavioral and academic services through a system of targeted individual intervention. Each plan is created specifically for the client’s needs, which means no plan is ever the same.
 
The plans can target behavioral issues, such as tantruming and non-compliance, or can focus more on skill development, such as social skills and basic, functional life skills. 
   Gadke said any family can come in, tell them what they need and they will figure it out. 
    “We work together with the families, so we are able to come up with individual plans,” Gadke said. 
  Margaret Bernheim, PhD student and graduate assistant, said each day is different. 
   “Every client that we see is so different in many ways, so every time we see them it is something new,” Bernheim.
            Along with Targeted Individual Intervention, the ADDC provides psychological and psycho-educational assessment services, social skills groups and the Autism Liason Services. 
    Social skills groups will vary depending on the targeted age group, but each social group will work on things such as back and forth conversation, appropriate greetings and appropriate play skills. 
     Other services, such as the Autism Liason Program, are provided through a partnership with the MSU student services. This program allows the ADDC to provide individualized services to degree-seeking college students living with Autism or developmental disability. 
Alexander Clarke, Autism Liason and clinic graduate assistant, said working with children and college students is his favorite part.
   “We are helping them build a better life,” Clarke said. 
     The clinic, however, is not funded directly through the university, meaning they do not have a budget line within MSU. The clinic is integrated into the school psychology program, with all services being provided by PhD students in school psychology. 
    Because of this, the money given from the grant is very important in funding all aspects of the clinic. 
    Gadke said the grants are so great because they allow the clinic the financial means to provide services.
     “They allow us to cover our graduate students, stay open through the summer and covers the costs of intervention for families,” Gadke said. 
   This school year, the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic is providing individualized services to 67 clients and group services, such as social skills groups, to 45 clients, totaling to more than 100 clients a week. 
     For more information on the clinic or their services, visit www.addc.msstate.edu or visit the Box Building on campus today.