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Baylor SOE Faculty and Clinic Honored for Community Engagement [09/07/2021]

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Kelsey Ragan

Dr. Kelsey Ragan, clinical assistant professor in Baylor School of Education’s Department of Educational Psychology, received a 2021 Solid Gold Neighbor Award as director of the School of Education’s Baylor Autism Resource Clinic (ARC) in recognition of the clinic’s impact through community outreach. The award came at the end of the spring semester as Baylor University recognized outstanding engagement with the community with the annual award.

Dr. Ragan is a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) and a Licensed Psychologist (LP) with a background including school psychology work in the public education system in Texas, Virginia, and Florida. Her specialty areas are related to behavioral supports and accommodations, evidenced-based therapeutic interventions, special education services, and school- and clinic-based psychological services.

Baylor ARC, and the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD) that houses it, provide diagnostic and formative assessments, behavioral therapy. professional development, educational resources, and related supportive services. The affiliated faculty and students provide nearly 3,000 hours of autism-related services to the community annually through clinic-based programs and applied research interventions. Baylor ARC also provides clinical training for undergraduate and graduate students at Baylor.

“I am grateful that the Baylor ARC was recognized with this award,” Ragan said. “This acknowledgement is important for increasing the visibility of individuals with disabilities and providing awareness in the larger community for the services the clinic offers. The students and faculty who work at our clinic provide much-needed services to children and families in the community, such as diagnostic assessments, therapeutic groups, as well as social and advocacy opportunities for youth with developmental disabilities.”

Founded in 2008 by faculty member Dr. Julie Ivey, Baylor ARC addressed a significant need within the autism community in Central Texas, where there were few services or resources for families in need of diagnosis and treatment for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Since then, Baylor ARC has offered such programs as social skills groups, a community resource library for families and professionals, and a directory of autism service providers and practitioners such as dentists and doctors. Baylor ARC quickly expanded and served as the catalyst for the launch of the BCDD in 2015, which allowed expanded and diversified services.


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ABOUT BAYLOR SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

For more than 100 years, Baylor educators have carried the mission and practices of the School of Education to classrooms and beyond as teachers, leaders in K12 and higher education, psychologists, professors, researchers, and more. With more than 60 full-time faculty members, the school’s growing research portfolio complements its long-standing commitment to excellence in teaching and student mentoring. Baylor’s undergraduate program in teacher education has earned national distinction for innovative partnerships with local schools that provide future teachers deep clinical preparation, while graduate programs culminating in both the Ed.D. and Ph.D. prepare outstanding leaders, teachers and clinicians through an intentional blend of theory and practice. Visit www.baylor.edu/SOE to learn more.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

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