The Marcus Autism Center has been awarded federal funding to help provide care to autism patients across the state.

The non-profit center received $300,000 earlier this year to develop an Autism Statewide Delivery System Master Plan.

“We are trying to build a consortium of care providers across the state to help children with autism,” Marcus Autism Center Executive Director Don Mueller said. “This is a huge opportunity to diagnose children earlier.”

The funding will help the center network with pediatricians across the state through a telephone network to help identify children with autism earlier.

The funding also will support the center’s efforts to train teachers, physicians and medical students on working with autism patients.

Autism is a developmental disability that interferes with the patient’s ability to communicate and function normally.

Mueller said children can be diagnosed with the disorder as early as 18 months. However, most cases are not diagnosed until the child is 4 years old, he said.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, one in every 110 children born nationwide have autism. In Georgia, that number is one in every 98 children.

Mueller said The Marcus Autism Center works with about 4,000 patients annually.

With a budget of about $10 million a year, the privately operated center operates seven locations and a statewide home care and training service. Funding comes from a variety of sources, including private donations and government grants.

“We see a child from every county in the state of Georgia,” Mueller said. “While the center is based in Atlanta we are a resource for the whole state and the Southeast.”

The Marcus Autism Center is at 1920 Briarcliff Road NE in Atlanta.

For donations and volunteer opportunities: call (404) 785-9400 or visit www.marcus.org.