College of Education (COE)

The award will support individualized, evidence-based autism services for children and families while expanding supervised clinical training opportunities for graduate students during the 2026–27 academic year.

The grant marks the third consecutive year of funding from the Urban Child Institute (UCI), reflecting the organization's continued investment in the clinic's mission of treatment, training and research.

"This continued support from UCI allows us to sustain and expand the services we provide," said Dr. Thouraya Al-Nasser, director of the Autism Treatment, Training and Research Clinic. "The funding strengthens our ability to serve children with autism and their families while supporting graduate students as they gain high-quality supervised clinical experience. We are grateful for UCI's continued investment in the clinic and its confidence in the work we are doing for families, students and the broader community."

The Autism Treatment, Training and Research Clinic provides individualized Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for children with autism while preparing graduate students through supervised clinical training. Its integrated model supports children and families while helping develop the next generation of autism professionals.

Founded in 1995, the Urban Child Institute is a Memphis-based nonprofit dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children through research, education and community partnerships.