MACOMB/MOLINE, ILLINOIS (September 10, 2026) — Western Illinois University’s Autism Clinic of Excellence (WACE) has received a $45,000 grant from the Tracy Family Foundation through its Annual Cycle Grants Program.
The program funds non-profit organizations serving Illinois counties including Adams, Brown, Cass, Greene, Hancock, McDonough, Morgan, Pike, Schuyler, and Scott.
The Tracy Family Foundation has been a foundational partner in supporting WACE operations since 2024.
The foundation’s program managers, Terry Jenkins and Allie Walch, support the foundation’s education and mental-health initiatives.
“From our initial meeting with the Tracy Family Foundation, we have had the full support and encouragement to push beyond our initial idea and find innovative ways to reach more children and families across our highest-need areas,” WIU Associate Professor of Psychology Leigh Ann Fisler said.
Funding for the upcoming year will support WACE’s efforts to expand telehealth services through the ECHO for Autism program, providing additional support for educators across Illinois.
ECHO, which stands for Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes, uses an “All Teach, All Learn” model and a case-based learning process to help small groups address situations they may encounter in educational environments. A hub team of education experts works with participants to develop strategies and recommendations aligned with best practices.
In addition to the ECHO model, WACE will continue supporting families seeking autism evaluations by providing comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations, including full speech and language evaluations.
The WACE team also provides individual consultations with credentialed professionals, including an audiologist, speech-language pathologist, school psychologist, and board-certified behavior analyst.
“The support of the Tracy Family Foundation has been incredible,” Nicole Pierson, WIU assistant professor of Speech Pathology and Audiology said.
“We are so grateful for their continued contributions, which allow us to operate and expand WACE and support the important work being done here.”
WACE is a collaborative initiative involving WIU’s psychology and speech-language pathology programs and provides services and support to children, families, and educators throughout the region.
For more information about WIU’s Autism Clinic of Excellence, visit wiu.edu/autismclinic.
