Flint, MI: Autism center opens; 'an increase in diagnosis rates...'

Jan 18, 2022, Flint, MI Fox 25, New autism center opens in Flint Township https://nbc25news.com/news/local/new-autism-center-opens-in-flint-township

To address a growing need for in-clinic autism services across Michigan, there's a new clinic in Flint Township and it's the 13th statewide.

Gateway Pediatric Therapy started at-home treatment services with the Genesee Health System about a year ago, and through their partnership, they found a lot of families wanted an in-clinic location….

Mid-Michigan NOW's Remi Murrey asked Clinical Director Elizabeth Alias if there is a growing need for these services in our community.

She tells Mid-Michigan NOW she can't say if there are more or less who struggle with autism in our area, but they have been getting consistent referrals across the county.

“We're seeing an increase in diagnosis rates a lot more recently, and a lot of new studies are showing kind of a lot of what we've seen before where there's deficits in communication and some challenging behaviors to work through and deficits in social skills,” said Alias.