Quick Facts

integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD)

Mission

Serve families of children with autism spectrum disorder and related disorders by:  

• Providing the most comprehensive and effective treatment services available;
• Promoting the widespread dissemination of new technologies through specialized training and consultation;
• Addressing the disparities in access to effective treatments for autism spectrum disorder in underserved rural and remote areas through advanced, web-based technologies; and
• Engendering the continual development and refinement of effective treatments through systematic research.

History

• The Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD) began seeing patients in January of 2006.
• In November of 2006, the Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI) opened a specialized treatment facility for the CASD.
• In 2008, 2012, and 2015, MMI renovated space to develop and expand the CASD, which is presently housed in approximately 14,000 sq. ft. of specialized treatment and research space.

Organization

• 6 faculty members who are licensed psychologists (n = 2), board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) at the doctoral level (n = 6), or both (n = 2)
• 10 BCBAs
• 11 PhD students (also with the BCBA credential) who work in our clinical and research programs halftime.
• Three predoctoral interns.
• Four postdoctoral fellows.
• About 60 Registered Behavior Technicians.
• Five administrative support staff members.

Clinical Services

Over 400 children are seen in the iCASD each year for diagnostic and etiological evaluations related to autism spectrum disorder, and over 100 children per year receive treatment from one or more of the iCASD programs and provides about 18,500 hours of service annually. Five programs within the iCASD each offer a continuum of services, including outpatient, intensive outpatient and day-treatment services.

• Autism Diagnostic Clinic, which provides interdisciplinary evaluations to individuals suspected of having autism spectrum disorder;
• Early Intervention Program, which provides early intensive behavioral intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorder in order to decrease the primary symptoms of this disorder and improve the child’s cognitive, social, communicative, and self-help skills;
• Virtual Care Program, which provides assessment and treatment services to children and families affected by autism spectrum disorder in rural and remote locations via advanced telehealth methods.

Education and Research Activities

• The faculty of the iCASD have over 65 years of combined experience in clinical service and clinical research.
• Our faculty have published over 245 research articles, papers, and chapters on (a) analyzing the function of severe problem behavior in order to develop effective and individualized treatments, (b) translating research on basic behavioral processes in order to improve treatments for children with autism spectrum disorder, and (c) improving virtual assessment and treatment strategies in order to address treatment-access disparities for individuals in rural and remote areas.
• The faculty in the iCASD teach eight of the ten courses in the Doctoral Program in Applied Behavior Analysis.
• Our faculty provide clinical and research training for 10 to 12 doctoral students per year.
• Our faculty provide clinical and research training for two to four predoctoral interns and four to five postdoctoral fellows each year.
• We serve as a practicum site (with specialized training in ABA) for undergraduate students from Midland University and graduate students from University of Nebraska – Omaha.
• Our faculty and staff organize conferences and activities for multiple local and national organizations, including the Association for Behavior Analysis Annual Autism Conference, the Heartland Association for Behavior Analysis, the Nebraska Association for Behavior Analysis, and the American Psychological Association – Division 25.
• We routinely provide tours, lectures, and specialized training to faculty and colleagues from other universities located in the United States and abroad.

Contact

Regina Carroll, PhD, BCBA-D – Associate Director, iCASD
402-552-6168  |  Email Dr. Carroll