Start Date Set for New West Lafayette Autism Center

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cornerstone Autism Center located in Purdue Research Park will begin offering services and specialized therapies on April 20 for children and families who struggle with autism.

“We expect to employ about 30 clinical staff made up of therapists, clinical coordinators, board-certified behavior analysts, and doctors to serve our children”

Renovation is nearing completion on this new 8,700-square-foot center that will provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and related programming.

"Our goal is to maximize the potential of children with autism and embrace the families who love and care for them. We identified a need for intervention in this area, and we feel that opening a center in the Purdue Research Park would help us provide an important service to Tippecanoe County and surrounding areas," said David Ide, Cornerstone's co-founder and executive director.

Cornerstone Autism Center, headquartered in Greenwood, Ind., chose April to open its West Lafayette site to align with National Autism Awareness Month.

"Cornerstone Autism Center will provide a much-needed service for Tippecanoe County and surrounding areas," said Joseph Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of the Purdue Research Foundation. "Their location in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette will provide opportunities to collaborate with Purdue University and help raise awareness about autism in the greater Lafayette area."

Ide said the center will focus on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis and will provide one-on-one instruction between children and trained therapists.

"We expect to employ about 30 clinical staff made up of therapists, clinical coordinators, board-certified behavior analysts, and doctors to serve our children," Ide said.

Goals of the center include breaking through barriers to learning to address deficits, improving independence and quality of life. In addition, Cornerstone is poised to give caregivers the resources and training they need, provide a conduit for other resources such as physical therapies, provide logistical assistance such as insurance counseling and claims processing and, if possible, provide transition into a traditional classroom environment.

Ide said another goal is to collaborate with Purdue University and its Purdue Autism Network. The network, which is managed through the university's Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Department, is an interdisciplinary group encompassing more than 30 clinical and research faculty across the university, as well as local professionals in public education and other fields who are dedicated to developing a center of clinical and research excellence.