Adult Autism Connection

As individuals with autism become adults, many are left without the critical services they need. The Adult Autism Connection, a program sponsored by the Barber National Institute, offers neuropsychiatric services to help adults reach their potential for fulfilling, productive lives.

Available Services

The AAC provides individualized neuropsychiatric services by a physician who is board certified in both psychiatry and neurology. Our services include:

• evaluations
• medication management
• diagnostic services for adults who are thought to have autism, Asperger or related disorders but have never received a formal diagnosis.

When beginning the program, adults will have a one-hour appointment for an initial evaluation; further services will then be determined.

What is special about our services?

All services reflect a higher level of coordination and emphasis on autism than is typically offered in other settings. The traditional mental health system often considers autism as a mental health disorder. The Adult Autism Connection recognizes the unique complexities of autism that do not easily fit in other settings. Our professional staff draws upon years of experience and training in providing autism services to meet the needs of adults.

Who we serve

The program is designed for adults age 18 and older, but younger adolescents will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Payment is covered by Medicare and Medical Assistance, as well as most private insurance agencies.

Facilities Dedicated to the Need

The Adult Autism Connection is located in the new South Complex of the Barber National Institute accessible from East Bay Drive along the Bayfront.

Information or Scheduling

For more information or to schedule an appointment,
call the Barber National Institute at 814-874-5522,
or click here to email us .

M. Eileen McNamara, MD
Medical Director
Adult Autism Connection

M. Eileen McNamara, MD, has the exceptional distinction of being board certified in both Psychiatry and Neurology. With more than twenty years experience working with adults with autism and related disorders, she has a strong commitment to appreciating the uniqueness of every individual. In her approach to treatment, she dispels commonly used labels to recognize and consider the needs and potential of each patient.

Dr. McNamara graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in Biophysics. She went on to the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, where she received the L.W. Earley Memorial Award presented to the graduate with the highest achievement in Psychiatry.

She completed her residency in Psychiatry at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh, PA and a residency in Neurology at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT.

Her previous appointments include serving on the faculty of both the Psychiatry and the Neurology Departments at Brown University in Providence, RI for eight years. During that time she also served Rhode Island Hospital in several capacities, including as an Assistant Physician in the Department of Psychiatry, and director of Outpatient Psychiatry and assistant director of Inpatient Psychiatry.

Dr. McNamara has served as a reviewer for several professional journals, including the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences and the American Psychiatric Press, and has been involved in the publication of numerous articles and books. She received a national award for her contributions to the DSM – IV.

Dr. McNamara’s family is from the Erie region, where she now makes her home. She provides psychiatric services to adults in programs at the Barber National Institute.