Elizabeth Houck, PhD, BCBA-D
Assistant Professor, MMI Dept of Severe Behavior
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Elizabeth "Bethjoy" Houck, PhD, BCBA-D is an assistant professor and board-certified behavior analyst in the Severe Behavior Department at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute. In 2023, Houck completed her PhD at the University of North Texas where she worked as a clinician across programs serving children and adults with severe problem behavior in clinic, home and residential environments.
Currently, Houck works in MMI’s Severe Behavior Department where she is a case manager for the day treatment, intensive outpatient and follow-up clinics. The programs within the Severe Behavior Department provide assessment and treatment services to children with severe problem behaviors. The aim of services is to provide evidence-based behavior assessments, interventions and training to individuals and their caregivers, focusing on decreasing problematic and maladaptive behaviors, and teaching functional, alternative behaviors using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis.
- PhD: Health Services Research - University of North Texas, 2023.
- MEd: Autism and Developmental Disabilities - University of Texas at Austin, 2009.
- BA: Cognitive Neuroscience - Johns Hopkins University, 2008.
Specialty Certifications:
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Houck provides patient care services in the Department of Severe Behavior Disorders at Munroe-Meyer Institute.
- Clinic Location: Munroe-Meyer Institute
- Houck, E.J., & Dracobly, J.D. (2022). Trauma-Informed Care for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: From Disparity to Policies for Effective Action. Perspectives on Behavior Science, (1-21)
- Houck, E.J., Dracobly, J.D., & Baak, S.A., (2022). A Practitioners Guide for Selecting Functional Communication Responses. Behavior Analysis in Practice. (1-11)
- Houck, E. J., Dracobly, J. D., Smith, R. G., Bauer, M. S., Pelletier, D. R., & Sanchez, A. J. (2024). Adapting preference assessments and reinforcement schedules to increase mask wearing with adults with intellectual disabilities. Behavioral Interventions, e2008.
- Mpofu, E., Houck, E.J., Linden, A., & Fernandez, C. (2022). Intellectual and Developmental Disability Health and Wellbeing. In E. Mpofu (Ed.). Sustainable Community Health: systems and Practices in Diverse Settings. New York, NY: Palgrave/Macmillan.
Houck has taught courses in functional assessment of problem behavior, evidence-based practice in applied behavior analysis and research methods. She has also supervised students for practicum courses completing requirements for credentialing as board certified behavior analysts.
- Function-based interventions for severe problem behavior.
- Trauma-informed care for individuals with communication disorders.
- SEAB Dissertation Award in Applied Research, APA: Division 25, 2024.
- Innovative Student Research Grant, Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis, 2022.
- Association for Behavior Analysis International.
- Association of Professional Behavior Analysts.
- American Psychological Association.
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Munroe-Meyer Institute
985450 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-5450
Explore programs and services available through MMI's Severe Behavior Disorders Department.