A building that sat empty for seven years in South Kansas City now has a new purpose: helping local children with autism get therapy faster. Caravel Autism Health celebrated a ribbon-cutting grand opening on September 10 for its new clinic at 11140 Locust Street, inside the former Mid-Continent Public Library Red Bridge Branch, after quietly welcoming its first students on August 26.
The clinic occupies a building that had stood vacant since the library relocated to its current site in August 2019, according to Martin City Telegraph. The new facility gives families in South Kansas City another place to seek autism services.
Led by Clinic Director Megan Belew, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, the site offers diagnostic evaluations and 25 to 35 hours per week of individualized Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, the same Martin City Telegraph report notes. Its approach includes caregiver collaboration and parent sessions.
Part of a Broader Metro-Wide Expansion
Caravel's Kansas City Presence This South Kansas City location marks Caravel Autism Health's fourth clinic in the metro area. The clinic gives families another local option for autism services.
That demand is closely tied to bottlenecks at major hospital systems. Wait times for comprehensive autism evaluations at Children's Mercy Kansas City can span several weeks to several months. The center advises families to pursue intervention while waiting.
Insurance coverage plays a major role in making clinics like this one financially viable for families. Missouri law mandates coverage of autism-related services for certain insurance plans, according to Atlas Autism Health. Missouri Medicaid, known as MO HealthNet, separately covers the full cost of medically necessary ABA therapy for eligible children up to age 21, according to Atlas Autism Health.
Joining an Existing Network of Local Care
South Kansas City isn't new to specialized autism care. The Sherwood Autism Center has partnered with city leaders on social and sensory events for local youth, according to a KCTV5 Facebook post. Caravel's new clinic adds another option to that existing network rather than replacing it.
The opening adds another local option for families navigating autism services in the Kansas City area.
