Overview:
• UC Health is expanding the Timothy Freeman, MD, Center for Developmental Disabilities to enhance healthcare for adults with disabilities.
• Set to open in 2025, the facility will provide a range of person-centered services, supported by $6 million in state and federal funding.
• The Center aims to address healthcare disparities and improve access to quality care, ensuring a collaborative environment for patients and their families.
By Alex Lolli
Media Relations | UC Health
UC Health announces the expansion of the Timothy Freeman, MD, Center for Developmental Disabilities. This groundbreaking initiative is dedicated to enhancing the health care experience for adults with developmental disabilities. Scheduled to open in 2025, the newly expanded Center on Victory Parkway will provide a comprehensive range of person-centered, interdisciplinary services. These services are specifically designed to meet the unique health care needs of adults aged 18 and older with developmental disabilities.
Since its founding in 2022, the Timothy Freeman, MD, Center for Developmental Disabilities has been dedicated to advancing health care for a frequently underserved population. Currently serving over 1,200 adults, the expansion will allow the Center to reach even more patients, reinforcing its mission to not only deliver top-tier medical care but also to educate health care professionals and foster community partnerships that promote health care equity and accessibility. With $3 million in state funding and an additional $3 million in federal funding, the Center has received strong governmental support to continue its mission for the Cincinnati community.
“UC Health is proud to expand the Timothy Freeman, MD, Center for Developmental Disabilities,” said Cory Shaw, President and CEO of UC Health. “We’re not just expanding services — we’re reinforcing our commitment to providing personalized, respectful, and dignified care that meets the unique needs of this underserved community. It’s all about making our city healthier and stronger.”
The expansion of the Center has been carefully designed with input from patients, families, caregivers, community leaders, and self-advocates. The facility will be larger, and the layout promotes collaboration among interdisciplinary team members and offers a supportive environment for patients. Key features of the new facility include:
- First-floor parking with improved access to the Center.
- Expanded primary care and behavioral health rooms to enhance capacity.
- Consultation rooms for use by specialty and community partners.
- A community room dedicated to education, collaboration, and other program options.
- A sensory room designed for support and anxiety reduction.
- Accessible Hoyer lifts, adult changing station, and on-site laboratory.
Lauren Wang, MD, Director of the Timothy Freeman, MD, Center for Developmental Disabilities at UC Health, emphasized the significance of this expansion: “The expanded facility will position the Freeman Center as a national leader in developmental medicine and interdisciplinary care models, transforming health care for adults with developmental disabilities in our community and beyond.”
The expanded Center represents a significant milestone in providing exceptional care and support for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Beyond primary care, the Center will offer a broad range of services, including:
- Behavioral health and psychiatry
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation
- Nurse care coordination
- Dietary support
- Social work
- Specialty consults with UC Health providers
- Health care transition planning
Individuals with developmental disabilities have faced significant health disparities due to several factors, including limited access to high-quality medical care, insufficient training of health care providers to address their needs, social determinants of health (such as poverty, race, and gender), and the exclusion of people with developmental disabilities from public health initiatives and preventive measures.
The Timothy Freeman, MD, Center for Developmental Disabilities serves individuals with a variety of developmental disabilities, including but not limited to Angelman syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Rett Syndrome, spina bifida, Williams syndrome, and other rare genetic conditions.
For more insights into the Timothy Freeman, MD, Center for Developmental Disabilities Freeman Center’s mission and plans, visit: freemancenter.org