US-based mental health service Caravel Autism Health has opened an autism therapy clinic to serve families in the US' Tri-State area.

Located in Dubuque, Iowa, the facility will serve families in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois.

It offers a wide range of services, including assessment, diagnosis, customised Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy, and family support.

The Dubuque clinic is now accepting patients for evaluation and treatment.

Caravel CEO Mike Miller said: “ABA therapy helps children who are on the spectrum achieve better outcomes, especially when we can start treatment in the early developmental years.

“We want to ensure that all children, including those in rural communities, have access to this life-changing treatment, so we’re excited to celebrate the grand opening of our newest clinic.”

ABA therapy is claimed to enhance language, communication skills and focus in young children through the use of positive reinforcement.

Caravel's proprietary PathTap platform is intended to produce the best ABA outcomes by letting doctors monitor patients' progress in real-time.

Caravel Dubuque clinic director Hannah Bechen said: “Early diagnosis is the best possible scenario for a child with autism.

“By diagnosing at an early age and beginning ABA treatment, we can help that child learn to connect with the world.

“We give that child the greatest opportunity to reach his or her full potential.”

Founded in 2009, Caravel Autism Health aims to improve outcomes for children with autism by providing research-based, data-driven programmes to assist them in their development and interaction with the world.

The group recently opened a clinic in Franklin, Wisconsin, to serve children and their families in the suburbs of south-west Milwaukee.

Earlier this year, it opened a facility in Munster, Indiana, where young children can work one-on-one with therapists to improve their abilities, gain confidence and learn to engage with their environment.