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Wayne Fisher, Ph.D. | Cathleen Piazza, Ph.D. |
The facilities are designed to become a national center for clinical treatment and research on children with some of the most severe issues related to developmental disabilities.
There will be an invitation-only viewing of the facilities from 2 to 5 p.m. at the center, which is in the MMI building.
“This is a very important example of private and state cooperation to meet the needs of Nebraska families,” said Bruce Buehler, M.D., director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute. “We already have 40 families waiting to bring their children into the program.
“The Hattie B. Munroe Foundation, The Gail Werner Robertson Sunshine Foundation, and UNMC have combined resources to develop one of the premier autism/behavioral intervention programs in combination with the feeding and swallowing program. This is an example of the power of a vision.”
In addition to Dr. Buehler, the dedication ceremony will feature remarks by UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., and Gail Werner Robertson, founder and CEO of GWR Wealth Management LLC. Robertson’s son has autism.
In December, Wayne Fisher, Ph.D., was appointed director of the MMI Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders and Hattie B. Munroe Professor of Behavioral Research. His wife, Cathleen Piazza, Ph.D., was appointed professor in the department of pediatrics. Dr. Fisher and Dr. Piazza were recruited to MMI after creating similar programs for Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Their vision to turn the MMI center into the nation’s premiere resource for advanced clinical treatment and research on autism and feeding disorders will take flight with the opening of the new facilities.
The Hattie B. Munroe Foundation started the autism program. The new program under Dr. Fisher and Dr. Piazza will be housed in the Hattie B. Munroe Building. MMI allocated almost $1 million dollars to renovate the former Brace Place area into a 7,200 square-foot clinic and research facility. Original design plans were developed by Dr. Fisher, Dr. Piazza and Robert Dietrich, UNMC senior architect. Once they established the fundamental design, Omaha’s Carlson, West, Povondra Architects completed the work and contract documents. All-Purpose Utilities Company was the general contractor.
“We took the old Brace Place facility and completely gutted it back into one huge empty space,” Dietrich said. “Although the facility had served several different functions over time, the basic infrastructure had not been altered in 50 years.”
Asbestos removal took a month and a half, demolition one month and total renovation six and a half months. The facility was completely rewired, new mechanical systems were installed, a number of windows permanently removed and the exterior walls bricked over. All remaining windows — single paned and energy wasting — were replaced with contemporary, environmentally-advanced windows.
The new facility has two wings — the east for autism and the west for feeding disorders. Both programs will share a common reception/waiting room and staff conference room, but there are separate play rooms. There are six treatment rooms in both the west and east wings, including two in the autism program that have extraordinary padding on the walls and floor to protect self-destructive children. Each two treatment rooms have an adjoined room between them that features one-way observation windows, two-way intercom system and eventually videotaping equipment as well.
In addition, the feeding disorders program has a large stainless steel pantry, with multiple food stations where all manners of prepackaged meals may be prepared for different children simultaneously.
“This new facility is state-of-the-art,” Dr. Piazza said. “It is an environment that will facilitate the highest quality clinical and research activities. We are well on our way to becoming the premiere pediatric feeding disorders program in the country.”
A major focus of the Autism Spectrum Disorders program will be on severe behaviors. It will provide highly specialized services to children who display destructive behaviors such as aggression, self-injury, compulsive cravings to eat non-food items and property destruction. These problems occur in about 10 to 15 percent of children with autism, developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injury.
“The new clinic space for the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders is the perfect blend of form and function,” Dr. Fisher said. “It is aesthetically beautiful and it offers state-of-the art resources that will allow us to provide cutting-edge clinical services, research and training.”
The Autism Spectrum Disorders program is modeled after the neurobehavioral programs at the Marcus and Kennedy Krieger Institutes at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The programs have been in existence for more than 20 years. Dr. Fisher developed and directed these world-renowned programs before coming to UNMC.
A child with a feeding disorder has difficulties related to eating or drinking. There are many different types of feeding problems and no two children have the exact same problem.
The Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program provides an interdisciplinary approach to the assessment and treatment of feeding disorders. The feeding team includes experts in medicine, psychology, nursing, nutrition, speech and/or occupational therapy and social work. The interdisciplinary team works with the parents to develop specific goals for their child’s feeding behavior. Feeding behaviors are objectively measured and decisions data-based. Outcomes are assessed regularly.
The goal is to establish feeding patterns that can be maintained by caregivers in the home and in other environments. Caregiver training is an essential component to the success of the program.
For more information about the Munroe-Meyer Institute Autism Spectrum Disorders and Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program, call 402-559-8863 or toll free
800-656-3937, ext. 9-8863.