Alfred University secures funding for program providing autism evaluations

ALFRED, NY – Alfred University is home to a new Autism Evaluation Clinic thanks to $20,000 in grant funding secured by the University’s Lea R. Powell Institute and the Child and Family Services Center (CFSC). The program, which began this fall, provides families in the rural Southern Tier of Western New York easier access to diagnostic services for children and adults who may be on the autism spectrum.

Over the summer, two advanced School Psychology doctoral students, Kelsey Elliott and Abby Nevill, completed specialized instruction in the best practices of the evaluation and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Beginning in September 2021 and continuing through May 2022, the team of doctoral trainees and clinical supervisors will conduct comprehensive diagnostic autism evaluations that may lead to special education eligibility or access to community services through the New York State Office for Persons with Developmental Disabilities. The evaluations are being conducted on campus at the CFSC, under the live supervision of licensed faculty, Lynn O’Connell, professor of school psychology, and Andrea Burch, assistant professor of school psychology. It is expected that by the end of the 2021-22 academic year, 20 individuals will have received an evaluation and provided subsequent treatment plans.

The program is made possible by a $5,000 grant from the Family Foundation, Inc., of Silver Spring, MD, a small non-profit foundation that provides funds for programs that offer direct mental health and educational services to underserved populations, both in the United States and abroad. Additionally, $15,000 in funding was provided by the Lea R. Powell Institute for Children and Families at Alfred University, which serves as an organizing entity for the research, training, and service missions of the Division of Counseling and School Psychology. Alfred University’s Child and Family Services Center, a service component of the Powell Institute, was established 30 years ago to provide assessment and therapy services to children and families in the rural, underserved communities of western New York while also serving as a training center for graduate students in school psychology, school counseling, and mental health counseling.

The Southern Tier of western New York is significantly limited in the number of behavioral health specialists that are trained to diagnose and treat individuals with autism. The limited diagnostic and treatment options presents obstacles for families in the region, particularly in counties, like Allegany and Cattaraugus, in the Southern Tier, noted Dr. Steve Byrne, CFSC Director and Associate Professor of Counseling at Alfred University. “There are only a small handful of places in western New York that offer this,” Byrne said. “It’s a very difficult service to access for many families.”

Making autism assessment services more accessible is important, as early detection of autism is key to effective treatment. Currently, the only autism evaluation programs in the region are in Rochester and Buffalo, a 90-minute to two-hour drive for many families in the area. Those facilities have waiting times of three or more months, and travel expenses can make this prohibitive to families, many of whom lack adequate health insurance or financial means to travel long distances. Services provided through the Child and Family Services Center will come at little or no expense to families, with fees determined by a sliding scale based on family income and size.

A letter from the CFSC was distributed to local school districts, pediatricians, and other community professionals with hopes that families would find it easier to access services locally rather than traveling to urban medical centers. However, parents are welcome to refer their own children to the CFSC by calling 607-871-2229.

Richard Miller, president of the Family Foundation, expressed his support of the project.

“The Family Foundation partnership with Alfred University is an example where we responded to a need for autism services in an area largely underserved and also to encourage Alfred University to create a specific training program for future clinicians to work with this underserved population,” Miller said. “The University has created such an opportunity within their counseling and school psychology programs, and we are delighted to have played a small role in this new endeavor.”

The autism evaluation initiative is but the latest in a number of programs the Child and Family Services Center has offered over the years which benefit those in need in communities throughout the region. Other initiatives include:

• On-site counseling services at Fillmore Central School District and Andover Central School District in Allegany County;
• Onsite academic support for K-5 children enrolled in the Wellsville YMCA after-school program;
• An ACCESS grant that provided school-based mental health services and was funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which created satellite sites at Allegany-Limestone Central School District in Cattaraugus County, Arcade Central School District in Wyoming County, and Letchworth Central School District in Livingston County.
• A federal Department of Justice Rural Justice grant program that expanded services for children who witnessed domestic violence and at-risk youth in Allegany County.
• A New York State Even Start grant to provide services to pre-school families in Allegany and Cattaraugus counties.
• A partnership with Kinship Children and Family Services (now Catholic Charities of Steuben County) to provide counseling services to foster families.

“The Child and Family Services Center has become an integral part of the network of mental health and educational assessment services for children, families, and adults in this four-county rural area,” said Dr. Jay Cerio, dean of the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies at Alfred University and former CFSC Director. “It is a great resource for the communities.”