Our Mission and History

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in every 68 children in the United States has some form of autism spectrum disorder.  In the Twin Cities of Minnesota and Saint Paul that number has been estimated to be one in every 33 children. Right now there are no medically validated means to address the core deficits of autism. The potential gains from a better treatment for autism are potentially enormous, for those with autism, for their families, and for society as a whole.1in68

We don’t want to ‘fix’ people with autism – they have a unique way of doing things that can benefit the world.

It is our mission to bring about their full potential through being more present.

Scientists have only recently learned that the brain can change and adapt, a process known as neuroplasticity, and new ways are evolving to help people’s brains work better.  Kim Hollingsworth Taylor, founder of Clearly Present Foundation, saw a unique opportunity to make a huge difference in the well-being of people with autism and their families. Her son was one of the first participants in a clinical trial at Harvard in 2012 after learning about John Robison’s blog and his experience with TMS.

Clearly Present Foundation is formed to promote awareness and research into TMS as a potential treatment for autism spectrum disorders. It will hold conferences among researchers and practitioners in this area, and will work to facilitate the flow of information between these researchers and practitioners, as well as with the broader public. In some cases, Clearly Present will be able to connect researchers who are looking at TMS as a potential treatment for autism with sadgirlsources of funding for their research; in other cases, Clearly Present may act as a conduit for such research funding. Clearly Present will not seek to carry out any research directly. Clearly Present will accept financial support from other charitable foundations, private donors, government sources, and the medical technology industry. However, it will remain an independent voice that is not directly affiliated with others.

CPF organized and called a consensus conference of physicians and researchers in May 2014 to examine scientific knowledge of TMS therapy for autism and develop a white paper on the next priorities for research. This white paper will be published in Autism Research. CPF will seek to fund this study through partnerships with private and public stakeholders, and to provide a mechanism for educating physicians and others about TMS.

The conference, held May 13 and 14, 2014 in Atlanta, included the preeminent expert on TMS, researchers from every group that authored published studies on therapeutic use of TMS in autism, an eminent psychiatrist who is both knowledgeable about autism and agnostic about TMS. There were 23 attendees and all participants, including the presenters and organizers, volunteered their time. Researchers from leading institutions such as Duke, Johns Hopkins, UCLA, Harvard, the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota, combined in interdisciplinary dialog with members of the National Institute of Mental Health, leading autism non-profits and industry.