Page 113 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2020

GIVING BACK
Mississippi Centers for Autism &
Related Developmental Disabilities
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photo courtesy of MCARDD
The Mississippi Centers for Autism
& Related Developmental Disabilities (MCARDD) was founded in 2005 by Dr. Alfred E. McNair, Jr. with a mission to provide the best available treatment and services to anyone a ected by Autism Spectrum Disorder so they can live fuller, more complete lives.
“As the need for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) programs grew for addressing complex behaviors associated with Autism or other disorders, services expanded and continue to grow to meet the needs of families,” says Katelyn Martin, clinical director of operations. “Thus, MCARDD’s intervention program which consists of clinic-based
Autism services was implemented.” MCARDD provides a clinic-based
program in which basic skills are taught to each child to enhance communication and living skills. Each child has one-to- one sessions with an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapist based upon his or her individual program. Through this program, the center provides:
• Language and Functional Communication: communicating needs to others
• Independent Play: playing alone with no assistance
• Social Skills: interacting with others • Imitation: imitating behaviors or
vocalizations of others
• Gross/Fine Motor Skills: Control over balance and body movement
• Listener Responding: attending and responding to spoken words
• Visual/Perceptual Skills: interpreting things he/she sees visually
• Self-help Skills: Skills such as dressing, grooming, feeding, toilet training
In addition to these clinic-based programs, MCARDD o ers Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and treatment, which is completed via parent interview and direct observation. Once the analysis is conducted, MCARDD gives a written plan to parents who are then given training by a board certi ed behavior analyst.
Mississippi Center for Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities 4061 Suzanne Dr., D’Iberville
228.396.4434 • www.mscentersforautism.org
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