Relocation of Schmieding Developmental Center to serve more kids

The Schmieding Developmental Center, one of few clinics in the state that provides services to kids with complex mental health disorders, opens at its new Springdale location Monday.

Why it matters: The center is moving to be closer to Arkansas Children's Northwest, which it works closely with, says Mary Ann Scott, a neuropsychologist at Schmieding.

Details: The center will move from its space in Lowell to the new medical office building on Gene George Boulevard next to Arkansas Children's Northwest.

• Scott tells Axios the new spot will allow the center more space for services and to train more psychologists and neuropsychologists in the future.
• The center is hiring a new neuropsychology technician in order to accept more appointments.

Schmieding serves all of northern Arkansas and regularly sees patients who live as far away as Russellville. The waitlist for a child to be seen is three to eight months, Scott says.

• Psychologists and neuropsychologists at the center treat children who are medically complex and/or have neurological or neuro-developmental disorders. Patients may have cancer, cerebral palsy, or autism, for example.

The big picture: The area just west of Interstate 49 in south Springdale is rapidly becoming a health care hub.

• Children's Northwest opened in 2018, and will also start operating its primary care services at the same building as Schmieding on Monday, spokesperson Nicole Huddleston tells Axios. It's moving primary care out of its main hospital to make room for more services at the hospital.
• The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Kids First, an academic program for children with special needs, will also move into the building Monday.

• Mercy opened a clinic with an emergency room just two miles north of Children's in 2019.
• Highlands Oncology opened in 2020.
• A new Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield building appears nearly complete.

What they're saying:

"It is our hope that by having services like the Schmieding Developmental Center so close to our hospital, families will be able to more conveniently access the care they need."

What's next: The center is working on a plan to add two internships in neuropsychology in two years, Scott says.