Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex 2016 – 2017 Annual Report
The Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex (CEC) provides supports that enhance socialization and communication while enriching the quality of life of individuals and families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Delays/ Disabilities.
In doing so, the CEC offers vital and essential clinical experiences and curricular support for WKU students.
The CEC collaborates with other university programs and community agencies to remove barriers and increase opportunities for full inclusion for individuals impacted by autism and developmental delays/disabilities while engaging in applied research and professional development consistent with its vision and mission.
Dear Friends of the Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex, Thank you for making 2016 - 2017 another remarkable year for the Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex! This year marks our 11th year of service for the organization. Our dedicated staff has done an incredible job at expanding our outreach while strengthening our programs and services. Throughout the year, we look to our vision, our mission, and our core values to keep us focused and effective. As we have worked to provide services to individuals and families with special needs in our community, we have also worked diligently to develop programs and projects that create lasting benefits in our clients’ lives. The CEC continues to be highly effective in helping individuals with autism and developmental delays and disabilities maximize their quality of life. From helping a family secure needed early intervention programs so their child with autism can be ready for school, to helping a graduating high school student with autism find a first job, the CEC is there. But it is you, our supporters, who empower us with your generosity and who demand the best from us for the hundreds of children and families we serve. Your compassion enriches their lives -- as it does ours -- and we are deeply grateful for your continued support. Our goal is to keep our overhead low while increasing the level of service to our clients. You truly make this possible!  The Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex is stronger than ever due to our continually-expanding community who come together to donate time, resources, and talent in support of our important mission. Best regards,
Mary Lloyd Moore, Ed.D., CCC-SLP Executive Director Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex
“ It takes a village to rear a child. It takes an even larger village to rear a child with special needs.” – Suzanne Vitale, 2008.
Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex at WKU Dignity. Respect. Trust. Hope. These core values of the Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex serve as guiding principles at the CEC as teachers and students work to help children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and developmental delays/ disabilities. In 2003, Suzanne Vitale saw a vital need in Bowling Green, Kentucky for a facility that could meet the educational and social needs of children in the community with special needs, as well as a place to train future therapists. Since its inception, the CEC has been a place where families are accepted and supported while navigating unique challenges that others may not understand. The CEC strives to remove social barriers and help individuals affected by ASD and developmental delays/disabilities to become contributing members of their communities. With Suzanne Vitale’s vision and dedication, along with the financial support from the community, the CEC opened its doors in the fall of 2006.
The CEC has provided services to over 200 members of the community and their families between the summer of 2016 and the fall of 2017. This could not have been accomplished without the commitment of the dedicated staff and the generous support of the CEC’s donors. A few program highlights include: •O rganizing the LifeSkills Run/Walk for Autism Awareness. •P roviding services to over 200 individuals and families with special needs in our community. •D eveloping quarterly coffee hour workshops for parents and caregivers of individuals with special needs. The workshops are opportunities to network, gather vital information, and learn about different resources for individuals with special needs. •D eveloping partnerships with community businesses and organizations. These business
partnerships provide job training opportunities for the Kelly Autism Program’s transition to work program, expand the Family Resource Program’s outreach programs, and provide autism screening and awareness opportunities for the Renshaw Early Childhood Center. • Planning and developing new outreach events and services such as the FRP’s Special Needs EXPO and the CEC’s “Autism After 21” initiative. The CEC at WKU employs 15 fulltime staff members and houses the Communication Disorders Clinic (CDC), the Family Resource Program (FRP), the Kelly Autism Program (KAP), and the Renshaw Early Childhood Center (RECC). As you read the following pages and look at the photos in the CEC annual report you will learn more about how your donations make our efforts at the CEC possible.
Communication Disorders Clinic
The primary role of WKU’s Communication Disorders Clinic is to be a training facility for future speech-language pathologists, but the clinic also provides services for clients across the area. The CDC is licensed by the State of Kentucky and operates within the guidelines set by the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA).
The Communication Disorders Clinic (CDC) is a satellite facility housed in the Clinical Education Complex and is an integral component of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department. Student clinicians gain clinical experience as they assess and treat clients of all ages with a variety of communication disorders. They are supervised by Speech Language Pathologists or Audiologists, all of whom are certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and licensed by the State of Kentucky. The ages and backgrounds of the CDC clients are diverse. Evaluations and treatments are available for individuals with delays or disorders in hearing, language, fluency, voice, articulation, swallowing, and phonology, including those with severe speech impairments requiring augmentative and alternative communication. The CDC is licensed by the State of Kentucky and operates within the guidelines set by ASHA. The CDC is also the only university clinic in the state of Kentucky that is a licensed outpatient rehabilitation clinic. Eighty-two student clinicians from the Communication Sciences and Disorders
Department provided services to 142 clients from fall 2016 through summer 2017 in both individual and group sessions at the CEC. The clinic students were supervised by eight speech speech-language pathologists. The CDC provided pragmatic language services to the Kelly Autism Prime Time Program in fall 2016 through spring 2017. Fourteen senior-level student clinicians provided services to 14 KAP Prime Time Program clients. During the fall 2016 and the spring 2017 semester, four CDC student clinicians provided services to four clients in the Renshaw Early Childhood Center’s “Tiny Tops” project. The “Tiny Tops” project is a parent/caregiver and child group for young toddlers designed to prepare children for entry into RECC’s toddler group. In spring 2017, the CEC received $15,600.00 in grant funding from United Way of Southern Kentucky. The grant funded the Hanen: More Than Words Program initiative, which was implemented in fall 2017. The Hanen: More Than Words Program is an innovative and creative approach to early childhood intervention which allows parents to apply appropriate responsive interaction strategies to everyday situations with their child.
Parents and caregivers receive formal and informal social support from the Speechlanguage pathologist (SLP) whose multifaceted role includes that of group leader, interventionist, coach, and counselor. The More Than Words Program emphasizes proactive intervention and equips the parents of individuals on the autism spectrum with evidence based, best practice techniques to facilitate increased quality of life, communication development, and educational readiness. The CDC scored 99% or higher on all Quality Assurance checks for 2016 - 2017. The QA checks are completed by clients and families at the conclusion of each semester, and the data collected from the QA checks are used to improve our clinical services. The 99% or higher scores reflect client and family satisfaction with the services they received at the WKU Communication Disorders Clinic. CDC Director Caroline Hudson delivered a presentation for parents and caregivers at the Down Syndrome of South Central Kentucky’s Individualized Education Plan Advocacy Day on March 25, 2017. Mrs. Hudson discussed using Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) in the public school system.
The Family Resource Program strives to build bridges between individuals and needed services within the community, and to enhance the community’s knowledge and awareness of individuals and family needs.
Family Resource Program The WKU Family Resource Program is the point of entry for services at the Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex. Its vision is to provide services for families with children with special needs. The mission of the FRP is to: proactively empower individuals and caregivers; provide individuals and families with information and referral services; build bridges between individuals and needed services within the community; and enhance the community’s knowledge and awareness of individual and family needs. Services and resources provided in the FRP include: • Information for families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder and developmental delays and disabilities
• Referrals • Family needs assessments • Resource assistance for local and surrounding communities
• Family support for adjustment and transition
• Educational support for families, caregivers, and community partners The FRP received 116 service and resource referrals in 2016 – 2017 and enrolled 36 families with special needs in the Family Resource Program. The FRP Coffee Hours were reestablished in 2016 and are designed to provide support and training that enhance the lives of our families with special needs. The goals are to provide network opportunities for families who are experiencing similar situations and to provide an opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns, and offer support to each other. Between summer 2016 and fall 2017, 20 – 25 families were represented at the FRP Coffee Hours. The annual Special Needs Summit was held October 14, 2016 and October 13, 2017. Each event attracted nearly 200 attendees and over 40 vendors. The goals
of the Special Needs Summit are to connect members of the special needs community, provide strategies on working with individuals and children with special needs, and provide information on community resources and services. Professionals who attended the conferences were able to earn Continuing Education Credits in disciplines such as Nursing, Social Work, Physical Therapy, Counseling, First Steps, EILA Education, Early Child Care and Education, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. The FRP’s second annual Family Fun Day in April 2017 was a smashing success. Over 200 children and parents attended. Family Fun Day is exclusively for children with special needs and their families, and is an afternoon of music, food, face painting, inflatables, and fun. Family Fun Day is an event the special needs community can call their own and includes activities tailored to fit their needs. In the summer of 2017, the Family Resource Program hosted a luncheon for
The Family Resource Program strives to build bridges between individuals and needed services within the community, and to enhance the community’s knowledge and awareness of individuals and family needs.
Family Resource Program, continued
the inaugural Special Needs EXPO. The luncheon was an opportunity for the FRP Advisory Board to inform community organizations about the expo and ask them to be part of the event. There were 27 attendees representing different organizations within the community who are interested in participating in the event. The Special Needs Expo will be held March 24, 2018. The Special Needs EXPO will include emphasis in the following areas:
• Early Childhood Intervention • Education awareness and Support Groups
• Sports and Recreation • Health • Transition resources for individuals with special needs aged 21 and over
• Advocacy and Support
The goal in hosting this event is three-fold:
• To provide information. With the many resources available to families, it is possible that there are some services that they are unaware of. The Special Needs EXPO will provide a fun atmosphere where children and families can speak face-to-face with various agencies within the community that may be able to meet their needs. The Special Needs EXPO is an event characterized by cooperation, not competition, so families can see community agencies working together to provide the best services possible for their children.
• To inspire hope. It is easy to see how families struggling with the day-to-day care of a child with special needs may become discouraged. The Special Needs EXPO is designed to inspire hope for families throughout each phase of life by helping them see that they are not alone. Families with special needs can not only survive the many challenges they face, but they can also thrive.
• To empower families. By providing information and inspiring hope, the Special Needs EXPO will empower families to make the best choices for themselves and their children. The event is an opportunity for families with special needs to gain confidence in their ability to plan for their future and provide the best care for their children.
The Kelly Autism Program (KAP) provides an educational, social and supportive environment so that individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder can achieve their potential as independent, productive, and active community citizens.
The Kelly Autism Program The Kelly Autism Program was established at WKU in 2002 and was made possible through donations from the program’s founders, John and Linda Kelly. The KAP provides educational support for individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and assists them with establishing and improving their social development and life skills. For individuals in the program, KAP also encourages participation in community events, prepares them for employment, and provides support for parents and other family members. These services are provided to individuals diagnosed with ASD age seven through adulthood, helping them to achieve their potential to be independent, productive, and active in their communities. The KAP Prime Time is an after school program for those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or other developmental or social delays. The program consists of activities focusing on social language
growth and development, interactions, and personal skills. The curriculum focuses on tasks, such as getting along with others, problem solving, friendship skills, and taking turns. Seventy-two students were enrolled in KAP Prime Time during the fall of 2016, 71 students were enrolled in the spring of 2017, and 48 students were enrolled in summer of 2017. The KAP Circle of Support is a college program that provides support for college students diagnosed with ASD. The Circle of Support provides private rooms in the residence halls, study tables, mentoring services, counseling services, and social activities. All the students enrolled in the KAP Circle of Support are degree-seeking students at Western Kentucky University. The Kelly Autism Program is the only provider of these types of services in the region, and its mission is to become a national model for comprehensive opportunities for these individuals and their
Building a world where all individuals flourish as valued members of the community
The Kelly Autism Program, continued
families. Since 2006, 36 Circle of Support students have graduated from WKU, with four students continuing on to graduate school. Fifty-seven degree-seeking students are currently enrolled in the Circle of Support Program. Employment Group and Life Skills services are provided to young adults after they graduate high school or college. The program assists them in building life skills, solving problems in daily life situations, and exploring career choices to find gainful employment. When employment is secured, KAP staff members continue to provide support to participants with required job and social skills. KAP’s Employment Group and Life Skills group provided services to 20 young adults in 2016-2017. The KAP Prime Time, Employability Groups, and Circle of Support provided services for 149 clients in 2016-2017. To provide this level of care, the KAP staff spent hundreds of hours in tutoring, mentoring, and community awareness
events. Seven full-time staff members, 36 student workers, and one graduate assistant worked a total of 14, 248 hours in the KAP Prime Time (primary and secondary afterschool) and College Programs in 2016-2017. KAP also provides training opportunities for future professionals by allowing student clinicians the opportunity to complete clinical/practicum hours within the Kelly Autism Program. Student clinicians completed 1,410 clinical/practicum hours in 2016-2017. KAP establishes and maintains positive relationships with families and professionals for the betterment of individuals diagnosed with ASD. KAP shows respect and dignity for all individuals, families, races, creeds, and ethnicities, and strives to always keep the best interests of the individual and family at the center of our practice. The KAP was awarded $17,000.00 in grant funding from WHAS Crusade for Children, Inc. in July 2016, and $20,000.00 from WHAS in July 2017.
The Kelly Autism Program, continued
Many new initiatives were introduced at KAP last year, including: • A behavior, specialist/consultant • A skill streaming curriculum and various transitioning activities • An interactive Smart Board for use with the KAP skills streaming curriculum • A partnership with Center for Courageous Kids (CCK) for employment placement and opportunities The Kelly autism program has shown significant progress since its inception in 2007. Not too many years ago, people were unaware of the ubiquity of autism. In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated one in 150 children had autism. The CDC currently estimates that 1 in every 68 children in the United States has autism — a 119.4% increase in 17 years. The numbers confirm that autism spectrum disorder (or awareness of it) is on the rise. This is why KAP’s mission has never been more urgent. One of the Kelly Autism Program parents, whose child has participated in KAP for over a decade, had this to say about the program:
“ From the beginning Ben has received noticeable benefits from the various activities. These include gaining new friends, self-directed social interaction with peers and staff, making choices, working on communication skills, completing tasks, learning to tolerate and then enjoy sessions which are at a greater level of noise than he is accustomed, and being able to experience some independence while being cared for by others outside his family in a safe and respectful environment. As parents we greatly appreciate the staff’s high level of concern and enthusiasm for the participants. The Kelly Autism Program has been great for Ben and we look forward to his continued involvement.” Sincerely, Lanny & Diana T.
The Kelly Autism Program (KAP) provides an educational, social and supportive environment so that individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder can achieve their potential as independent, productive, and active community citizens.
The RECC is accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and recognizes the potential of each child and the vital contributions parents make to the RECC community.
Renshaw Early Childhood Center The Vickie and Dan Renshaw Early Childhood Center (RECC), also called Big Red School, is located in the Clinical Education Complex. The RECC serves children with developmental delays/ disabilities, as well as typically developing children. Children who attend the RECC grow and learn in a developmentallyappropriate environment where they find nurturing relationships, acceptance, and an appreciation for diversity. Typically developing children also serve as peer models for children with developmental delays or disabilities, becoming part of an environment of support that benefits all children in the program. The goal of the RECC is to provide high-quality early childhood education for children (aged one year through kindergarten) and their families. The RECC provides services to toddler groups for children 15 months to 3 and preschool
groups for children 3 to 5 years old. The RECC also provides an after-school kindergarten group for children age 5 to 7 with disabilities. The RECC staff helps children achieve their true potential, and recognizes the vital contributions parents make to the RECC community. The teaching staff create an exceptional group-learning environment for the children who attend the program. Future educators, therapists, and early childhood professionals receive practical training in the RECC classroom. The RECC permanent staff includes two full-time employees and one parttime employee. In 2016, the RECC employed one graduate assistant each semester and 11 student workers over the course of the 2016-2017 academic year. Four Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education 421 students and six IECE 324 students completed field
hours in Big Red School with children and families. One hundred and thirty nursing students completed their pediatric clinical experiences. Overall, 152 students participated in RECC Big Red School during the 2016-2017 school year. Student involvement represented the following academic departments: Nursing, IECE, Physical Education, FACS, Special Education, Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Photojournalism. The RECC continues to be involved in community events such as the LifeSkills Run for Autism, Family Fun Day events, Griff’s Serving up Awareness Event, Chickfil-A’s Autism Screening Event, Center for Courageous Kids (CCK) Day, CEC Special Needs Summit, and the Family Resource Program Family Fun Day.
Renshaw Early Childhood Center, continued
The RECC received 64 referrals (a 39% increase from 2015-2016) and served the needs of 83 children (a 14% increase from 2015-2016). • Thirty-nine children received individualized child-specific interventions and 17 children received Occupational Therapy services. •E ighty-nine progress meetings were conducted, and an additional 22 meetings were held with families regarding specific child needs.
New initiatives and achievements for the RECC last year include: • The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) annual report was accepted and approved. • NAEYC family and staff surveys were completed in June 2017. • TJ Samson group collaboration occurred during summer 2017 and provided services for 6 children on RECC wait list.
•T hirty-one children received developmental screenings. Nine of those indicated a need for concern, and RECC staff made appropriate recommendations and/or referrals for further evaluation.
• Tiny Tops, a parent-child group program, and Building Blocks, a more intensive program including individual developmental sessions, speech consultation, and occupational therapy consultation began in Fall 2016 as pilot projects.
•S even developmental assessments were completed.
• Outreach Consultation Clinic began as pilot for one child in Spring 2017.
•O ne transdisciplinary play-based assessment was completed with the assistance of IECE 324 students.
• The RECC fundraising committee was re-established and planning began for the New Year’s Eve Gala.
•F orty autism screenings were conducted. Of the 40 screenings, 20 indicated positive results for Autism Spectrum Disorder. The families were referred to specialists for further evaluation. These screenings included children assessed at community events as well as the RECC.
The RECC seeks to create a challenging learning environment that encourages high expectations for success through developmentally-appropriate instruction for all students, while providing a safe, nurturing, and positive environment where families, staff, and community work as a team to encourage a lifelong love of learning.
Autism is America’s Fastest Growing Developmental Disability
1 in 68
children are diagnosed with Autism
1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls
are diagnosed with Autism
Today approximately
120
parents will be told that their child has Autism
More than
3.5 million Americans live with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. (Buescher et al., 2014)
The statistics are provided by the most recent CDC Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) report, and are based on information collected from the health and special education 2012.
Prevalence of autism in U.S. children increased by
119.4%
from 2000 (1 in 150) to 2010 (1 in 68).
Total CEC Grant Funding Academic Year 2016–2017
$69,550.00
WHAS Grants KAP $20,000 (29%)
WHAS Grant RECC $33,950 (49%)
United Way of So. KY. $15,600 (22%)
Support the Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex at WKU! The Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex at WKU is committed to serving families facing unique challenges like developmental delays and autism. The CEC relies on continued support to fund research in the fields of Autism Spectrum Disorder, communication disorders and developmental delays and disabilities and to provide services to families who are unable to pay. Your gifts make a difference, and your financial support can help create even more milestones and more celebrations!
Make a gift online using WKU’s secure online giving page.
Your gifts allow a child to attend the following programs: Big Red School at the Renshaw Early Childhood Center $225/semester (1 day each week) $450/semester (2 days each week) Communication Disorders Clinic $180/semester (1 session each week) $360/semester (2 sessions each week) Prime Time in the Kelly Autism Program $300/semester (Fridays only) $400/semester (Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday)
Or gifts may be mailed to: WKU Foundation 292 Alumni Avenue Bowling Green, KY 42101
Checks should be made out to the WKU Foundation. To ensure your gift is designated correctly, please add “WKU CEC” in the memo field of your check.
Your support of the Clinical Education Complex is greatly appreciated!
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Milestones happen at the CEC every day. Your financial support can help create even more milestones and celebrations!