Announcements

Kudos

Keystone congratulates Dr. Adrienne DeSantis and Dr. Paras Nabizadeh on passing their board exams to become board certified behavior analysts. This has been a long journey for you both and we’re so proud of you!  Thank you for your hard work and dedication!

An interview with the Executive Director

The past few months have been productive ones here at Keystone with a lot of changes. This month we were able to sit down with a very busy Dr. Katie Falwell, Executive Director of Keystone, to have her share some of her thoughts with us.

Where do you see the clinic and academy in 5 years?

We have many great short-term and long-term goals in place. In working with our board and community liaisons, our five-year plan is to build a new facility that will include opportunities for outdoor learning spaces as well as state of the art clinical, research, and training capacities. Those are, of course, in addition to continuing and expanding our testing/assessment, cognitive/behavioral therapy, applied behavior analysis, feeding therapy, and special education departments.

How do you achieve/maintain balance in your life with such a demanding job?

There is not much balance in the first 2 years of opening a business! It has been a full court press to continue to meet the needs of the community while maintaining our core values of quality, integrity, and unity. I try to make time to take care of myself by exercising, spending time with friends, and keeping a good sense of humor.

Did you expect to have such rapid growth in just 2 years?

I moved here from Baltimore and quickly realized that the breadth and depth of services offered in larger cities were limited or non-existent here. Initially, I was working as faculty at University of Florida and maintaining a small clinical caseload on the side. The side job transitioned rapidly into a full-time practice. Once the clinic was established, the referral base continued to grow. It is a great feeling to see that the majority of our referrals are word of mouth, which means that the community respects and highly regards the quality of our care. It is somewhat astonishing to think that just 3 years ago, I was a single practitioner, and now Keystone has, between the clinic and school, a staff of 48.

What do you contribute to your success?

Motivation, commitment to quality care, a strong support network, and a fantastic team of professionals, colleagues, and staff that I have the pleasure of working with every day.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I love that my job is different every day. Variety is the spice of life. From hour to hour I am moving from one type of service to the next. This ranges from intakes, supervision of staff, IEP meetings, individual therapy, parent training, school consults, community presentations, and team meetings for the daily operations of the practice.

A theoretical question- it seems that the incidence of autism is significantly increasing- any ideas as to why there is this increase?

I believe that there has been a paradigm shift in the view of autism. Back in the 50 and 60's, families who had special needs children were often encouraged to send them away to state facilities as autism was considered untreatable. Today, we know differently. Early intervention is a critical component in outcomes. Further, autism has become a more accepted diagnosis in society and there is less of a stigma for parents to accept the diagnosis and seek appropriate treatment. Also, our definition of autism has loosened over the years. Today, more children meet the criteria for autism. Finally, genetics research and testing has become increasingly sensitive refined. Of course, we also have to weigh the environmental factors. As it is often stated, genetics loads the gun, but the environment pulls the trigger.

What inspired you to get into this field?

My grandparents were set on me finishing college and returning home to run the family business. I was not sold on my business major and took a psychology class as an elective. At the same time I became a nanny for a professor who had three special needs children. Watching their daily struggles pushed me to want to learn how to help them grow, learn, and achieve. Once my feet were wet, I had the itch to learn more and more about the field. I am a professional student at heart and I am always excited to take a new class or attend a conference, and I continue to learn every day. My clients teach me more about life than any other source.

What is the biggest challenge that you face the in the day-to-day operations of such a rapidly growing company?

Finding enough time in the day. My husband laughs at me while I am getting dressed every morning. He often finds me drying my hair and answering emails, while reading a magazine. It is, however, just that kind of multi-tasking that I constantly use to meet the day-to-day challenges.

Do you have any plans for any research projects?

Research is our next endeavor. Research has taken a back burner in the past 2 years as I moved away from academia and started the practice and now the school. Research interests include parent training, treatment modalities, feeding, verbal behavior, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, and co-morbidity and implications between ADHD and autism.

If you were not a psychologist, what job would you do?

A marine biologist! I could spend all day on a boat in my bathing suit interacting with aquatic life. Spending time at the beach or scuba diving are my favorite past-times.

What made you choose the name Keystone?

In architecture, the keystone is the piece that locks all of the stones into position, allowing the structure to bear weight. Figuratively, a keystone refers to the central supporting element of a larger structure, without which the whole structure would collapse. I wanted a name that would symbolize the support for the families that we serve. Our logo is comprised of multiple colored keystones that represent the variety of disciplines and services we provide.

Is there anyone in the field that you consider an inspiration?

I have learned so much from colleagues and supervisors throughout my career, but I was most inspired by my mentors at The Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins. The training experiences and supervision there is unsurpassed.

Do you have any advice for new professionals coming into this field?

The field can be overwhelming at times. You have to learn to set limits and take care of yourself. Flight attendants inform passengers to put on their own oxygen masks first before assisting anyone else. This carries over to everyday life. You cannot help others if you cannot help or take time for yourself. However, we also need to recognize that the families that come to us are often in great distress. Too often in the medical field, patients can be rushed and feel like herded cattle. I encourage my staff to slow down. Remember the details, right down the family's pet's name. It gives support to the fact that our families are valued and important. Always provide a caring touch and kind words. It will benefit both the patient and the provider through the course of treatment.

What is the most important thing the parent of a newly diagnosed child should know?

It takes a village to raise a child. Do not be afraid to reach out for help. You will need to be strong and garner the right support to be your child's biggest advocate.

Sensory Friendly Films

The AMC Regency movie theatre will be participating in the monthly "sensory friendly films" series. Sensory friendly films are a way for families affected by autism and other disabilities to enjoy films in a safe and accepting environment. During these special showings the lights in the theatre will stay on and the sound will be turned down. No previews will be shown and families are welcome to bring their own gluten free/ casein free snacks. Talking, singing, dancing and moving around are all allowed. March's movie will be "Hop" and will be shown on April 2nd at 10 am. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the theatre at 1-888-AMC 4 FUN.

Save the Dates

The fourth annual World Awareness Day is on April 2. People, schools, organizations, and companies are hosting events around the world. On the evenings of April 1 and 2, prominent buildings across North America and the world including the Empire State Building in New York City and the CN Tower in Toronto will turn their lights blue to raise awareness for autism and to commemorate World Autism Awareness Day on Saturday, April 2. Please join us on April 1st by wearing blue. We hope to have 100% Keystone participation.

Community Giving

The Jessica Green Foundation was established by Helen Green in memory of her daughter Jessica. Jessica was a young woman who loved to paint, play sports and especially loved to bike ride. This young woman also happened to have autism. Jessica was a very giving person and this inspired her mother. After Jessica's death, Helen started a foundation based on the same principles her daughter showed the world. The Jessica Green Foundation is a charity dedicated to providing autistic children, their families and supporting organizations any support, assistance or service needed.

On March 26th, the employees of Keystone and Keystone Academy and their families supported the Jessica Green Foundation by taking part in the Ride With Me for Autism event at Camp Milton.

Toy Drive

Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics and The Keystone Academy will be holding a toy drive during the month of April. If you have any slightly used or unused toys you would like to donate to help aid in the treatment of our clients there will be boxes in both the clinic and school lobbies.

Summer Camp 2011 - Reaching New Heights

We are very excited to offer "Reaching New Heights," the themed Summer Camp hosted by Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics and The Keystone Academy. This will be our camp's third year, and we are already working hard to prepare for another outstanding camp experience.

This 4-week summer camp will focus on increasing your child's ability to effectively interact within social, academic and behavioral contexts. Campers will be challenged to maintain skills they have worked on all year long, while being introduced to new skills that will broaden their repertoires.

For more information, see the Summer Camp 2011: Reaching New Heights Information Package and Registration Package. For questions, please contact Marlena Jenkins at 904-619-6071 or via email at jenkins@thekeystoneacademy.com.

KEYSTONE BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS STAFF