In May of 2020, Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) opened the Appalachian Valley Autism (AVA) Center in Pikeville, the first comprehensive facility of its kind in the region to offer applied behavior analysis (ABA), speech, occupational and feeding therapies for children on the autism spectrum. Almost immediately after opening, the AVA Center was faced with the need for expansion. It is now a four-story, 27,000-square-foot ocean-themed oasis featuring autism-friendly spaces with close attention to texture, acoustics and lighting conditions. The structure consists of multiple learning rooms, a specially designed gym, a special sensory stimulation room and is the largest center of its kind in the nation.
With a current waiting list of more than 500 learners, the need for growth is ever-present. In October of 2022, PMC welcomed 24 additional learners with the opening of a new 5,500 sq. ft. satellite center in downtown Prestonsburg. Studies show that early intervention with ABA therapy has been particularly effective, highlighting the importance of identifying and treating ASD as early as possible. This is one reason why PMC is prioritizing the AVA Center’s continued growth.
The AVA Center is committed to helping children with autism reach their full potential by coordinating and providing autism-friendly clinical care while providing assessments and recommendations for appropriate treatments. Here, each learner has a dedicated therapist who provides ongoing assessment and evaluation and is responsible for running the child’s individualized program.
The AVA Center also offers the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule™ (ADOS™-2) assessment which helps providers diagnose autism spectrum disorders. During an ADOS assessment, a specialist interacts directly with the child in social and play activities to accurately assess and diagnose autism spectrum disorder.
For more information, visit https://ww.pikevillehospital.org/avacenter.
