The Lewis County Autism Coalition has announced the grand opening of its first physical location, the Spectrum & Development Community Center, “a welcoming space designed to serve the entire community,” according to a news release from the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce.
The event will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at 375 Linhart Ave. NE, Suite B, in Napavine.
The celebration will include family-friendly activities and the distribution of free school supplies while supplies last.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce will take place at 3:30 p.m. followed by open tours of the nearly completed facility.
“Attendees will have the opportunity to meet providers and learn about the services becoming available,” the chamber stated in the release. “The event will also feature a mini martial arts demonstration by Grey Wolf Martial Arts, where families of neurodiverse children can explore grant-funded scholarship opportunities to participate in a practice supported by research to have shown promising outcomes in areas such as focus, emotional regulation and confidence.”
The soft-launch grand opening coincides with the Napavine Funtime Festival. The Lewis County Autism Coalition encourages families to enjoy the festival’s 11 a.m. parade and afternoon activities at Napavine Community Park before heading to the new community center.
The Lewis County Autism Coalition (LCAC) is a nonprofit organization that promotes lifelong inclusion and independence for neurodiverse individuals and their families. The coalition champions autism acceptance, encourages community collaboration, supports culturally relevant programming and fosters access to equitable education, employment, recreation and support across the lifespan, according to the release.
Among the Coalition’s signature efforts is the School-Medical Autism Review Team Program (SMART), which strengthens communication and coordination between educators and health care providers. The SMART model, first piloted by the coalition in 2010, has now expanded to 31 counties across Washington state. LCAC formalized as a nonprofit in 2014 and is currently led by a volunteer board with expertise in lived experience, education, clinical care and nonprofit leadership.
The Spectrum & Development Community Center is the result of a collaborative vision shared by Michelle Whitlow, executive director of LCAC, and Chanel Patana, a Center of Excellence Provider qualified to diagnose autism and owner of the new Lewis County Pediatric & Family Medicine.
“The pair dreamed of a single location where families could access integrated diagnostic, respite, recreation and peer-led support services rooted in community driven, collaborative care,” the release stated. “When they shared their vision with Dr. Real McGraw, owner of Napavine Family Chiropractic, he enthusiastically joined the effort, donating the land and construction of the facility himself.”
This center includes a 3,000-square-foot clinic for Lewis County Pediatric & Family Medicine, a 2,000-square-foot community hub for the Lewis County Autism Coalition and additional space for independent providers offering occupational therapy, student advocacy, supported employment and developmental chiropractic care.
Designed to bridge critical service gaps and improve health equity in rural Lewis County, the center represents a powerful collaboration between health care professionals, community advocates and developmental specialists, blending formal and informal systems of care under one roof, the release stated.
“According to the CDC, one in 31 children are now diagnosed with autism,” Whitlow said. “This new center allows us to expand beyond our regular programs and offer holistic services that support not just the individual, but the entire family. We have an incredible network of partners coming together to meet the unique needs of our community, and this is just the beginning.”
Whitlow said LCAC is actively expanding its network of partners and invites others to get involved, whether through donations, volunteerism, program collaboration or reciprocal service arrangements.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.lcautism.org.
