WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — April is Autism Awareness month and the Center for Disease Control says one in 36 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The good news though is that resources, especially in Texoma, are growing to help families.

“We’re not trying to make every kid look the same or have the same set of skills. We wanna know what’s important to the child, we want to know what’s important to the family and then we want to give them the skills they need in order to navigate the world around them,” Clinical Director at Rose Street Spectrum Jennifer Vanderburg said.

“Your child has autism”, words no parent probably wants to hear, but one Texoma mental health facility is helping families understand the diagnosis and ways to get the help they need.

“A lot of times we relate an autism diagnosis to kind of a grieving process. You know you’re grieving some of what you felt like your child should be doing or what their friends are doing,” Vanderburg said.

There are many stigmas related to autism, but Vanderburg said the disorder is much more complex.

“The more clinical definition is that it is a developmental disability. It affects how people’s brains work and how different interactions kind of take place within their brain,” Vanderburg said.

The diagnosis statistics keep growing, making it a good time to remind folks that Rose Street’s ability to serve those with autism has grown, too.

“The type of therapy that we provide here is Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy. So ABA therapy and we really use the principles, the science of behavior in order to help kids or young adults gain the skills that are important to them,” Vanderburg said.

Rose Street Spectrum has a 12,000-foot facility equipped with different rooms for therapy, a gym, and directors to help them better serve their 40 clients. They hope more folks will educate themselves and create an inclusive world like the one inside their doors.

“The best way to sum up the way parents feel is that when they drop their kids off, they don’t worry, they feel like this is a safe place,” Vanderburg said.

She invites anyone who wants to know more or become a client to visit this is among the best place for your little one to be.

For more information about upcoming events and services at Rose Street, click here.