RURAL AREAS, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT SOMETIMES TO FIND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT OPTIONS. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MARY WRIGLEY VISITED FREMONT TO SEE HOW THEY’RE EXPANDING SERVICES FOR CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. FOR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE AUTISM, A MAJOR BOUNDARY IS LACK OF TREATMENT OPTIONS. UNMC IS HOPING TO BRIDGE THAT GAP WITH THEIR NEWLY OPENED CLINIC HERE IN FREMONT. THE ADDITION IS THE THIRD AUTISM CARE FOR TODDLERS CLINIC AND THE FIRST OUTSIDE OF OMAHA. I’M VERY EXCITED THAT UNMC HAS BEEN ABLE TO BRING THESE SERVICES TO THIS AREA. THE CLINIC PROVIDES AUTISM CARE FOR CHILDREN AGES 2 TO 5. TEACHING THEM SKILLS AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONS. ALEX MAO IS JUST ONE CHILD WHO THE CLINIC HAS HELPED. AT AROUND TWO YEARS OLD, HE COMPLETELY REGRESSED, SO HE WENT FROM BABBLING AND PLAYING TO NOT SPEAKING AT ALL. AFTER HIS SON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM, ROBBIE MAO ENROLLED HIM IN THE CLINIC. IT WAS JUST LITTLE BABY STEPS GETTING MORE AND MORE, TEACHING HIM HOW TO PLAY. TEACHING HIM HOW TO COMMUNICATE EVEN IF IT’S NOT VERBAL. NOW, TEN YEARS LATER, MAO SAYS ALEX IS EXCELLING. THEY GAVE US AND GAVE MY SON JUST THIS AMAZING GIFT THAT YOU CAN NEVER REPAY. MAO SEES FIRST HAND THE VALUE OF HAVING A LOCATION OUTSIDE OF OMAHA. AS A FREMONT RESIDENT, HE DROVE AN HOUR AND A HALF EACH DAY TO TAKE HIS SON TO THE CLINIC. SO HAVING, YOU KNOW, A CLINIC HERE IN FREMONT AND EVEN THE COMMUNITIES AROUND BEING ABLE TO BE THAT LITTLE BIT CLOSER IS JUST INVALUABLE. THE CLINIC IS HOPING TO TREAT 10 TO 15 CHILDREN IN THE AREA WHO DON’T CURRENTLY HAVE ACCESS TO AUTISM CAR