By Emily Cousins | Staff Writer

The Board of Regents approved on Friday the construction of an Autism Clinic within the Department of Communication Science and Disorders in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences.

According to the news release, the will cost $2.5 million and will be funded by donor gifts and department funding.

The Autism Clinic will utilize shell space on the second floor of the Hankamer Academic Center and renovated space on the second floor of the Cashion Academic Center.

The facility will meet the specific needs of clients with autism. The clinic will include research spaces for concussion management, voice, reading and social thinking, motor sensory labs and preschool and toddler age accommodations.

“The construction also will include finishes specific to the needs of clients with autism and new research lab and graduate student space in the Hankamer Academic Center,” the news release said.

According to Texas Health and Human services, around one out of 59 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“With this number growing at a significant rate, there continues to be an unmet need for services,” the HHS said on its website.

The Autism Clinic at Baylor will expand research about Autism Spectrum Disorder.

University spokesperson Jason Cook said construction will begin in late summer and will be completed sometime in the fall.

“The winter storm caused some disruption to the quarterly meeting of the Board of Regents,” Cook said. “The rescheduling of the Finance and Facilities Committee allowed for the approval of the Autism Clinic, which is a much-needed resource in our community and will also add clinical research spaces.”