As college students head back to the classroom, Oregon Institute of Technology’s behavior analyst-students are heading into southern Oregon’s communities. Oregon Tech is proud to announce the official opening of the Behavior Improvement Group Applied Behavior Analysis (BIG ABA) clinic in Klamath Falls October 29.
The clinic, which is the only ABA provider within 75 miles of Klamath Falls, is intended as a comprehensive health care provider. Oregon Tech faculty, Drs. Dawn Bailey and John Borgen—who have more than 30 years of combined experience working with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as autism, ADHD, anxiety and other behavioral health diagnoses—will operate the clinic. They will also train and supervise Oregon Tech students within the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis and Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology programs to provide therapy and other types of care to clients. Through this opportunity at the clinic, students gain the extern and supervised experience required for certification that enables them to practice professionally after earning their degree.
The mission of the BIG ABA clinic is to provide high quality training and supervision for Oregon Tech students in the practice of applied behavior analysis such that they are prepared for employment, certification, and/or on a path to licensure upon graduation while simultaneously providing much needed evidence-based applied behavior analysis services to our local community.
The clinic began serving families in Klamath Falls mid-May with a free weekly parent training class thanks to a generous donation from the Patricia D. & William B. Smullin Foundation. Parents attended weekly sessions where child care and dinner was provided. Topics addressed in the trainings included how to deal with tantrums, aggression, and noncompliance as well as how to reduce sleeping and feeding difficulties.
The BIG Clinic will host an official open house on Oct. 28 as part of Oregon Tech Alumni Association activities, and a ribbon cutting open to the public Monday, Oct. 29 at noon at which members of the community and media are invited to attend (Sky Lakes Annex at 2421 Washburn Way, Suite K).
The BIG clinic will primarily serve children with diagnoses of autism or pervasive developmental disorder with interventions designed to address social and communication deficits as well as those targeted at reducing problem behaviors, including self-injurious behaviors, aggression and feeding disorders. The scope of service is based on a 2013 state law that required insurance companies to cover ABA therapy for the treatment of autism. However, some insurance companies have chosen to cover ABA for other mental health and developmental disorders. Families of children with diagnoses other than autism are encouraged to contact their insurance company to determine if ABA may be covered.
Find out more about the clinic at https://bigaba.oit.edu/ or contact 541-885-1675; abaclinic@oit.edu. Dr. Dawn Bailey heads up the leadership team for the clinic and is available for questions at dawn.bailey@oit.edu.
