Children’s Center
Pamela A. Kimbrough, M.Ed.
Director of Children’s Center
The Department of Clinical Services (DCS), through the Children’s Center, assists and advocates for children and adults with special developmental, educational, or health needs and their families in achieving their fullest potential. The Children’s Center interdisciplinary professional team implements clinical assessment, intervention, and advocacy services for children and families; provides clinical instruction and technical assistance to schools and other community providers; and participates in investigations of program efficacy. The Children’s Center is dedicated to collaborating with others in the community, region, and state in developing and implementing community-based systems and supports to optimize children’s futures. The Children’s Center provides evaluations and treatment services for children presenting a wide-range of medical and non-medical conditions.
The goals of the Children’s Center are to:
- Provide interdisciplinary evaluations and treatment for children with known or suspected needs in development, education, mental health, or complex health function, which incorporates best practices.
- Include intensive, child specific collaboration with schools and families and follow-up activities in evaluation activities.
- Network with families and community agencies serving young children to implement results-focused intervention plans in natural environments.
- Provide consultative services and technical assistance to early childhood programs and educational agencies regarding best practices for children with special needs.
- Provide assistance to local education agencies in development and implementation of individualized education programs and individualized family service plans.
- Provide home-based and center-based training and counseling for parents and families.
- Continue research in areas related to children and families with special needs.
- Provide didactic and clinical teaching opportunities at graduate and undergraduate levels related to model programming for children with special needs.
Interdisciplinary Evaluation Program
The Children’s Center, within the DCS, provides comprehensive interdisciplinary evaluations. These services are available to children throughout the State of Louisiana and the Ark-La-Tex. Children are referred by LSUHSC-S pediatricians, school system personnel, private pediatricians and allied health professionals, and by parents. Evaluations address the Louisiana Pupil Appraisal Handbook and can include interventions within the school setting as indicated by those guidelines. Interdisciplinary teams are constituted according to the child’s individual needs, and these teams can include the following disciplines: medicine, psychology, marriage and family therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, audiology and education. The assessment team also provides interdisciplinary autism evaluations and family friendly arena assessments for younger children. Appointments are made by calling 318-813-2960 or visit the website at www.lsuhscshreveport.edu/alliedhealth and click on “Children’s Center”. Self pay and third-party reimbursements are accepted within applicable guidelines.
Interdisciplinary Treatment Programs
Academic Therapy Lab
The Children’s Center Academic Therapy Lab provides individualized instruction to students in grades 1-8 who exhibit academic difficulties in reading, writing, and/or math. Instruction is provided within a small group setting (4 or fewer) and includes a variety of strategies as well as computer-assisted instruction designed to remediate academic deficits.
Early Intervention Services
Members of the clinical faculty provide direct intervention services to infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children. The Children’s Center is a provider of early intervention services with the EarlySteps program, Department of Health and Hospitals. EarlySteps early intervention services are provided to children and families in the natural environment.
Child Development Group
Early language and play experiences open to children ages 3-5 years with Identified communication deficits are provided. Children are offered structured and self directed play opportunities as well as group activities each session as a vehicle to increase their speech, language, social/emotional, and cognitive skills. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend a set number of sessions throughout the semester.
Clinic Based Services
Individual speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological and family counseling is provided by Children’s Center faculty in collaboration with faculty from other Departments in the School of Allied Health Professions.
The Children’s Center Academic Therapy Lab provides individualized instruction to students in grades 1-8 who exhibit academic difficulties in reading, writing, and/or math. Instruction is provided within a small group setting (4 or fewer) and includes a variety of strategies as well as computer-assisted instruction designed to remediate academic deficits.
Professional Training Program
Education is provided to graduate and undergraduate students within departments of the School of Allied Health Professions, students and residents in the School of Medicine, as well as students in education, psychology, social work, and special education from area colleges and universities. Additional educational experiences are offered for students enrolled in courses that require observation of or participation in clinical /assessment activities such as those provided by Center faculty. Opportunities for clinical learning experiences vary as the array of clinical services expand.
Faculty Research
Collaborative research projects are being developed with the Department of Pediatrics regarding the diagnosis of children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Other research interests include outcomes of NICU graduates receiving comprehensive medical and developmental follow-up.
Faculty Practice Clinic
Faculty Practice Clinic
Stanley K. McCallon, PT, DPT, CWS
Director of Clinical Services
The Faculty Practice Clinic is a full service rehabilitation clinic located in the ground floor of the Allied Health Building. The Faculty Practice Clinic has full and part time faculty therapists within the School of Allied Health Professions who provide evaluation and treatment services. These services include physical, occupational and speech-language pathology services. Referrals are received from physicians and other community based agencies. Self pay and third party reimbursements are accepted within applicable guidelines. Appointments may be obtained by calling 318-813-2970 Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Please visit our website at www.lsuhscshreveport.edu/alliedhealth and click on the tab entitled “Rehabilitation Clinic.”
Faculty Development/ Practice Management Program
The Faculty Development and Practice Management Program provides education and training to LSUHSC-Shreveport students and residency programs in an effort to prepare Louisiana’s future healthcare providers to better understand the business of healthcare. The education provided, which includes both didactic and practical training, is designed to increase retention of Louisiana-trained healthcare providers and improve their potential for providing quality healthcare in a successful and sustainable practice. The program also provides practice management technical assistance to the DCS, as well as other clinics of LSUHSC-Shreveport and the surrounding area. |