A developmental and behavioral pediatrics clinic that serves children with autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental needs at Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital in Knoxville will wrap up its current operations on June 29, 2026. Hospital leaders have told families the pause is tied to a provider’s departure and say services will return in a reimagined, multidisciplinary model. For parents who drive hours and fight through long waitlists, the notice has landed as more of a cliff than a gentle transition. The hospital declined to say how many families will be affected, citing patient privacy. Another parent, Todd Christopher, said the clinic has helped his family make real progress and that he has been told the waitlist can stretch to roughly 500 to 600 children. A March announcement about the Dolly Parton partnership highlighted broader investments in services and access across East Tennessee. The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee and related U.S. What families can do now The hospital’s letter outlines how existing appointments will continue through June 29, and the hospital news page lists phone and press contacts for families who have questions. For now, families and local clinicians say they want clearer details on the hiring timeline and on how the reworked model will handle children with complex behavioral needs. We will monitor hospital announcements and recruitment updates and will update this story as more information, including staffing timelines, becomes available. In a letter to patients obtained by WVLT, the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic was described as “concluding all current operations” as of June 29, and the hospital said it has launched a national search to recruit a replacement provider. In a statement also shared with WVLT, officials said appointments already scheduled before June 29 will be honored and that clinicians are working with patients’ primary care pediatricians on individualized transition plans.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://hoodline.com/2026/04/dolly-parton-kids-hospital-to-hit-pause-on-behavior-clinic-leaving-knoxville-families-in-limbo/