News

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Attention and Behavior Clinic is dedicated to meeting the needs of children in the community by providing “best practice” psychological services at an affordable rate.

Licensed clinical psychologists and SIUE graduate students in the Clinical Child and School Psychology program conduct comprehensive assessments for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

“We primarily provide services to children with current behavioral difficulties, including hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention,” said Gregory Everett, PhD, associate professor of psychology in the SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior and clinic director.

“In addition to being detailed and in-depth, our assessments provide families with recommendations regarding ways in which the findings could be used to help a child do better behaviorally in the home, or both behaviorally and academically in school.”

May through July, the CASE (Comprehensive Autism Spectrum Evaluation) Site operates in the clinic. It provides thorough diagnostic assessments of children suspected of having ASD.

“There are many families in the Metro East who are interested in having a comprehensive evaluation of their child when they suspect he or she may have ASD,” said Elizabeth McKenney, PhD, assistant professor of psychology and CASE Site director. “What we know about children with ASD is that they obtain the most benefits from interventions and therapies if they receive a diagnosis early. Our optimal window for identifying and beginning to provide services to children with ASD is ages two through eight.”

The Attention and Behavior Clinic offers graduate students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a clinical setting.

“It seems as though parents really value the ability to come into the clinic and talk to someone in person about their concerns, and give the full picture of their child including strengths and weaknesses,” said Kayla Bimm, a graduate student in the Clinical Child and School Psychology program. “They can be assured that we’ve taken a look at the full picture when we make final recommendations as to what services need to be provided to meet the student’s needs in the future.”

“It meant a lot to me to be able to work with families in the Attention and Behavior Clinic,” added Kacee Mann, SIUE alumna and school psychologist. “My experiences have directly translated to my job as a school psychologist. We’re the only profession where we get to work with students, families, teachers and other professionals to come together and make sure that the child gets the services he or she needs.”

For more information on services provided, call 618-650-2215 or visit siue.edu/education/psychology/abc.