University of Missouri unveils new Thompson Center building for world-class autism care

By Annie Williams

May 8, 2026
Contact: Annie Williams, [email protected]
Photos by Abbie Lankitus

At the University of Missouri, a destination center designed for autism and neurodevelopmental care opens new doors to revolutionary research, training and clinical care for neurodiverse families. Building on 20 years of nationally recognized expertise, the Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopment today celebrated the grand opening of its much-anticipated $54.8 million, 74,000-square-foot facility located at the MU Health Care South Providence Medical Park.

"Twenty years ago, Nancy and I would have never dreamed that this would be possible," Thompson Center Founder Bill Thompson said. "We had great hopes and our vision to do something great was very clear. We knew it wasn't going to just be something - it was going to be the real thing. But this is the real thing, and this is stunning."

Autism currently impacts one in 31 children. Additionally, one in six children has a developmental disability or delay. With the new building, the Thompson Center will address rapidly increasing demand by serving twice as many patients each year, with double the number of patient rooms for expanded access and increased capacity for additional top-tier staffing. The Thompson Center will advance care not only for Missouri families, but for communities across the Midwest and beyond.

Clinical operations at the new building began in March. At the previous facility, the Thompson Center completed more than 18,000 patient visits across 15 clinical subspecialties in the last year, serving approximately 4,500 families.

Backing the Thompson Center's ambitious growth is a model of nationwide partnership between the Thompson Foundation for Autism & Neurodevelopment, private philanthropy, state funding and university support. The Thompson Center campaign quickly became a priority across industries, including more than $9 million in private contributions from individuals, organizations and foundations to the Thompson Foundation; a $31.5 million appropriation from the state of Missouri; and continual support from the University of Missouri and University of Missouri Health Care.

"The Thompson Center shows what's possible when Mizzou brings together groundbreaking research, visionary supporters like the Thompsons and incredible state support to make a difference for those we serve," University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. "With the opening of this facility, we further strengthen our transformative impact for families in Missouri and across the nation."

The new Thompson Center building was designed for patients with a variety of sensory needs and houses several novel features, including an inclusive outdoor playground, indoor therapy gym, life skills room, large conference room, research laboratory and a café that offers meaningful job experience for autistic adults. The innovations will facilitate groundbreaking translational research with positive clinical implications, as well as versatile training that empowers the community.

Addressing a critical need among patient families, the Thompson Center also announced its new Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) - the first of its kind in Missouri. A cornerstone of the new building, the IOP was thoughtfully designed to provide multidisciplinary care and comprehensive family support for children ages 3 to 19 with severe behaviors that prevent them from fully accessing their communities. Building on the success of the Thompson Center's existing severe behavior clinic, the IOP will fill a critical gap between outpatient and inpatient services by combining evidence-based behavioral therapy, medication management and caregiver training to reduce self-injurious and aggressive behaviors in a compassionate and safe environment.

"Every day, families come to the Thompson Center searching for answers and hope," Executive Director Connie Brooks said. "They travel here from across Missouri and far beyond because the need for specialized neurodevelopmental care continues to grow and because families deserve access to teams who understand the complexities of these conditions, but more importantly, to teams who see children first, with all of their strengths, personalities and potential."

During the celebration, former Missouri Governor Mike Parson and Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick spoke about their decision to support the Thompson Center and illustrated the center's profound value to the state.

"This will be one of the things that I will look back on and say, 'This was one of the best things I've ever done for the state of Missouri," Parson said.

On Thursday, May 7, Mayor Barbara Buffaloe proclaimed Columbia as an Autism Friendly City, joined by Richard Barohn, executive vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of Mizzou's School of Medicine, as well as Thompson Center faculty, staff and families. This historic occasion celebrated the commitment of more than 45 active Columbia businesses across various sectors to support neurodiverse customers and employees by completing Autism Friendly Business training through the Thompson Center. The training program equips organizations with personalized tools, employee training, practical strategies and ongoing support from the Thompson Center's training team.

"At its core, this program is about more than training," Barohn said. "It challenges us to think differently about inclusion, not as an abstract goal, but as something we actively build into our spaces, our services and our workforce."

For Thompson Center patients and neurodiverse families such as the Bailey family, Autism Friendly Business training makes everyday needs, such as a regular eye exam, accessible.

"With the help of behavior therapists from the Thompson Center assisting us at Mason Eye Clinic, something as simple as an eye appointment…became manageable," said Jessie Bailey, mother of a Thompson Center patient. "When businesses, schools, and communities take the time to understand autism, they create spaces where our kids can thrive."

ABOUT THE THOMPSON CENTER

The Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopment is a nationally recognized destination center for comprehensive autism and neurodevelopmental care at the University of Missouri. With its unique multidisciplinary structure, the Thompson Center provides world-class clinical care and therapeutic services for over 4,500 patients each year, totaling 18,000 visits annually; conducts groundbreaking translational research; and educates professionals and communities through a diverse range of training programs. Supported by the Thompson Foundation for Autism & Neurodevelopment, the University of Missouri, the State of Missouri, and other generous funding partners, the Thompson Center exemplifies a shared commitment to expanding access to compassionate, evidence-based neurodevelopmental care, right in the heart of Missouri.