RADFORD – The Jessie Ball duPont Foundation has awarded a $92,000 grant to Radford University to enhance the service offerings of the Radford University Autism Center for assessment and intervention needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorders in the region.

The grant will enable the center to expand a family-centered intervention program begun last year as a pilot initiative. In 2008, the Center’s pilot program studied the efficacy of an intensive program and the grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund will enable RU to expand its offerings and reach more children with autism and their families. As a result of the grant from the duPont Fund, RU will create an annual summer institute that will provide direct clinical services for children with autism and training for families and graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Additionally, the program will provide an opportunity to mentor three speech-language pathologists from rural areas; they will participate in distance learning prior to the summer clinic program, and then join the children, families, graduate students and faculty on campus for hands-on clinical instruction.

The Radford University Autism Center is the only regional university autism clinic that provides speech-language services for individuals with autism and the center is designed to serve low-income children.

“We are excited at the opportunity to augment the services available to those affected by autism in our area and assist speech-language pathologists in further developing their clinical skills.” said Dr. Diane Millar, director of the RU Autism Center. “We are equally excited about again working with the Jesse Ball duPont Foundation whose kind support previously helped launch the Center.”

The Jessie Ball duPont Fund today directly supports the work of more than 325 institutions, ranging from large, widely known institutions such as the National Audubon Society and the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., to small organizations serving local constituencies, such as Jenkins Orphanage Institute in North Charleston, S.C. and Kilmarnock Lancaster County Volunteer Rescue Squad in Virginia.