Upon first hearing of the project to build a Center of Excellence (COE) in Autism and Developmental Disorders, Lauren and Lou Primmer quickly became active members of the capital campaign to raise the necessary funding. They knew firsthand of the critical need to expand care to those with developmental disorders given their experiences seeking treatment for their adopted son, Asaminew. What they learned throughout their journey made them realize how much they wanted to give back to the community.

Meet Asaminew

A loving child with a heart-melting smile, Asaminew was adopted in 2008 when he was just shy of two years old. However, his parents quickly noticed that something was not quite right.

“When his behaviors continued to escalate, we had him evaluated and he was diagnosed with autism in 2011,” said Mr. Primmer. “We knew nothing about autism, so we had to get up to speed quickly.”

They learned that Asaminew was on the high end of the autism spectrum and his behavioral issues were fairly difficult. The Primmers spent several years seeking various forms of treatment throughout New England and their son went through a number of schools.

“Asaminew is really a great kid and everyone loves him — when he’s in a good place — but when he’s not it was hard to keep him in the various schools we found. As he got older and became more intense we knew he needed something special.”

Dr. Matthew Siegel

At that point the Primmers heard about Dr. Matthew Siegel and the developmental disorders unit at Spring Harbor Hospital. Dr. Siegel serves as Vice President of Medical Affairs for Autism and Developmental Disorders at Maine Behavioral Healthcare (MBH).

When the Primmers called, Dr. Siegel was quick to invite them in so he could meet their son. As the years went by Asaminew continued treatment and had four admissions to the developmental disorders unit at Spring Harbor Hospital. Under the care of Dr. Siegel and his skilled team, he was able to become stabilized in a controlled setting and continue improving.

“Dr. Siegel was an angel. We really owe so much to him for the early intervention he provided that allowed Asaminew to continue to grow.”

In May Asaminew turned 15 and is now a full-time resident at The New England Center for Children (NECC). While Asaminew’s current placement works for now, the Primmers know he will soon “age out” of the NECC and will need ongoing treatment throughout his life.

It’s a problem faced by many families of children with developmental disorders.

A Vision Becomes Reality

To meet the need of people like the Primmers, in August 2021, Maine Behavioral Healthcare opened a 28,000 square foot treatment, training and research facility on the campus of Spring Harbor Hospital. MaineHealth provided half of the funds to the project, and a capital campaign successfully raised the other half through generous contributions by community members and foundations. The world-class Center is a source of pride that will serve our communities for many years to come.

Coordinated Specialty Care for People with Developmental Challenges

The Glickman Lauder Center of Excellence opened on August 2, 2021, specializing in the unique needs of people with autism and developmental disorders. The multi-disciplinary team includes child and adult psychiatrists, developmental behavioral pediatricians, behavioral psychologists, behavior analysts, occupational and speech therapists, nurses, social workers, case managers, and special educators.