Mar 10, 2023, KCRG, Cedar Rapids, IA: Hills and Dales breaks ground on new Autism Center https://www.kcrg.com/2023/03/11/hills-dales-breaks-ground-new-autism-center/
DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) - On Friday the Hills and Dales Center for Autism broke ground on its new multimillion-dollar facility.
The facility will nearly double the number of people they can help and more specifically expand its “Applied Behavior Analysis” program.
“This clinic represents a doubling of our capacity to serve children with autism,” said Jack Mescher the Hills and Dales Center for Autism Chief Executive Officer.
It’s something Mescher said they’ve needed for quite some time….
Laura Keehner is the Autism Services Director and one of the people who started the ABA program at Hills and Dales nearly a decade ago. She said there wasn’t a shortage of people who needed the service. Currently, there are 20 people on a waiting list to receive that specific care, which teaches people with autism to be more independent….
Currently, the two facilities help around 50 clients. This larger renovation project would open room for nearly 30 more people to receive care….
They received $1.3 million in grants from the IEDA. They received various donations and another $100 thousand grant.
“The prevalence of autism creates the demand for therapy,” said Mescher.
