General FAQ

What is Thoughtful House?
We are a non-profit organization that provides support for people affected by childhood developmental disorders (CDDs). The focus of Thoughtful House is to provide the best, most up-to-date treatment for patients and to conduct medical and educational research in order to ensure continuing improvements in the quality of treatment available to all.
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What are developmental disorders?
This inclusive term refers to disorders such as Autism, PDD (pervasive developmental disorder), Asperger's Syndrome, ADD (attention deficit disorder), ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), global developmental delay, and NLD (non-verbal learning disorder).
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Why is there a need for Thoughtful House?
The US is in the midst of an epidemic of childhood developmental disorders. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 6 children has a developmental disorder. The number of children affected by autism is now 1 in 100. No institution addresses the needs of these children better than Thoughtful House.
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Where is Thoughtful House?
Austin, Texas was chosen as the site of Thoughtful House because there is a huge need for individualized care for affected children in Texas, and the Austin community includes universities, biotech companies, and IT resources that can help Thoughtful House achieve its goals.
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Who are the principals involved in Thoughtful House?

Dr. Bryan Jepson is board certified in emergency medicine. Motivated by his son's diagnosis of autism, he began treating children on the autism spectrum in 2002 and has now seen over two thousand children on the spectrum. Dr. Jepson has presented around the world and is the author of the critically acclaimed book, Changing the Course of Autism.

Kelly Barnhill, CN, CCN, provides nutritional counseling and consultation for children with developmental delays and other chronic health issues. She has counseled families affected by autism for many years, and her studies and work at Thoughtful House are the culmination of many years' effort. Ms. Barnhill is also the Nutrition Coordinator for the Autism Research Institute.

Anissa Ryland brings almost twenty years of non-profit experience, nine of them in the autism community, to her position at Thoughtful House. Ms. Ryland brings her understanding to a matter that is close to her heart.

Thoughtful House is under the management of a Board of Directors. This board is comprised of professionals and parents committed to the mission of Thoughtful House. A Science Advisory Council serves Thoughtful House to assist with research and development.
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Why is Thoughtful House unique?
It brings together world-renowned clinicians and researchers in a data-driven, results-focused environment designed to generate best-practice educational and medical treatment models for affected children. By looking at the comprehensive picture of all interventions (medical, educational, behavioral, and recreational), we can continually assess which treatments work best for each child.
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How is Thoughtful House funded?
Thoughtful House is a non-profit organization that is funded through private donations (both individual and corporate), and foundation grants. Clinical services are offered through collaborations with specialized clinics that operate on a fee-for-service model.
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What can parents expect when they bring their child to Thoughtful House?
Our goal is to bring consistent and knowledgeable professionals together to create a multi-disciplinary team for the care of affected children. Parents are an integral part of that team, and can expect a depth of understanding from our staff that comes from some of us having our own affected children.
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What is Thoughtful House's mission?
The mission of Thoughtful House Center for Children is to advance the treatment and understanding of development disorders through medical care, education, and research.
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What does Thoughtful House offer to children with developmental disorders? (treatment/education/testing, etc)
Dr. Bryan Jepson & Lucas Ramirez, NP provides appropriate medical care for children with developmental disorders through the Medical Center. Kelly Barnhill, CN, CCN, Deirdre Earls, RD, Alan Gutierrez, RD, and Kirsten Bell, RD offer dietary counseling through the Nutrition Clinic. ABA (applied behavior analysis) services are offered through our partnership with CARD, including assessments and the development and implementation of individualized behavioral treatment programs. In addition, we offer many seminars and events for the community, most without charge.
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What are the types of treatment that Thoughtful House will be implementing?
Every child is unique, therefore every child's treatment plan is specific to him or her. Thoughtful House evaluates each child's needs and develops an individualized treatment program. Data is collected at every step of the way to ensure the efficacy of the treatment and to determine any appropriate changes. There is no inflexible or "one-size-fits-all" treatment protocol.
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How does Thoughtful House decide which children they will treat?
Each child is given a complete evaluation and referrals are made as needed. Treatment recommendations are based on these assessments. Thoughtful House welcomes any child regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, or religion.
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How much does it cost to take my child to Thoughtful House for treatment?
Because treatment is individualized, cost varies based on the child's needs. Thoughtful House does everything possible to help families obtain the necessary funding for treatment.
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What is the most urgent need at Thoughtful House?
Because we are a privately funded, non-profit organization, we rely on the generosity of donors to support our work.

We are raising funds for the following:

  • The Thoughtful Fund - this is an endowment fund designed to help families afford care at THCFC
  • Thoughtful House Research Fund - this funds the research team for investigation into the treatment and cause of childhood developmental disorders.
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512-732-8400 tel | fax 512-732-8353
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