In conjunction with Autism Acceptance Month, the College of Education is highlighting the following initiatives that are expanding and improving autism services in South Carolina with faculty-led contributions.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has contracted with faculty at the College of Education to provide support for students to obtain their M.Ed. in Applied Behavior Analysis and become Board Certified Behavior Analysts. Ultimately, the goal of the contract is to increase provider capacity in the state, specifically for underserved populations.
Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) are experts in the science of learning and oversee Applied Behavior Analysis services for individuals with autism. BCBAs conduct assessments and design instructional programs to teach new skills and decrease challenging behaviors, ultimately helping individuals improve their quality of life and become more independent.
These future BCBAs will be equipped to provide ABA to Medicaid recipients diagnosed with autism. Students who are selected to participate will receive full funding. The first cohort of students has been selected and will start in Fall 2026; applications for a Fall 2027 start will be announced. This contract is led by Professor Katie Wolfe, Ph.D., BCBA-D along with Ashley Holt, Ph.D., BCBA and Lauren LeJeune, Ph.D., BCBA.
Professor Wolfe is also leading the Family Training and Support Service Study. This collaborative effort between the university and the S.C. Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities is designed to evaluate the effects of providing parents and caregivers with one-on-one training to help them learn to implement evidence-based strategies with their child or young adult with autism, intellectual disability or developmental delays. The family-centered service involves partnering with the child and family to identify goals and select interventions that fit the child and family’s unique context. Wolfe and her team are conducting a randomized waitlist-control trial to evaluate the effects of the Family Training and Support Service on child outcomes, caregiver stress and family quality of life.
For more information about either of these initiatives or to schedule an interview with Professor Wolfe, contact Anna Francis at annafrancis@sc.edu.