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COMMITMENT TO EFFECTIVE AUTISM EDUCATION

At the Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis conference in April at Caldwell College, attendees had the opportunity place on colorful boards the name of a loved one or someone they know with Autism to show their commitment to furthering effective Autism education.

Pictured next to those boards from left to right, bottom row: Alex Giaquinto, Ph.D., Chair, Caldwell College Board of Trustees; Patrick R. Progar, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Associate Professor & Chair, Psychology Department; Sister Patrice Werner, O.P., Ph.D. , Caldwell College President; Sharon A. Reeve, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Coordinator, Applied Behavior Analysis Graduate Programs; Rita Wolpert, Ed.D., Professor of Psychology

Back row left to right: Steve Freeman, Senior Vice President, Institutional Advancement at Caldwell College; Paul R. Douillard Ph.D., Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs at Caldwell College; Kenneth F. Reeve, Ph.D., BCBA, Associate Professor, Psychology; Tina Sidener, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Assistant Professor, Psychology

CALDWELL RECEIVES APPROPRIATIONS TO LAUNCH NEW PH.D. PROGRAM AND ON-CAMPUS CLINIC

National Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis Draws Hundreds to Caldwell College

Caldwell College was the beneficiary of $476,000 in federal funds to help launch the new Ph.D. degree program in Applied Behavior Analysis and the forthcoming on-campus Autism Clinic that will benefit Caldwell students, local teachers, parents and children with autism. The appropriation was endorsed by Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen of the 11th Congressional District and U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg, and was part of the recently passed 2009 omnibus bill in Congress.

"The graduate programs in Applied Behavior Analysis, the Psychology Department, and Caldwell College were honored and delighted to hear that we received the award," said Chair of the Psychology Department Patrick Progar, Ph.D., BCBA-D. "Hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families will benefit from these appropriations, as well a new generation of leaders in the autism and applied behavior analysis field."

The Ph.D. program will be the first ABA doctoral program in the state of New Jersey. There is a great need for trained professionals in ABA since the Garden State has the highest prevalence of Autism Spectrum disorders in the nation with 1 in 94 people affected.

During April, which is Autism Awareness Month, the Caldwell College Psychology Department held a national Conference entitled Innovations in Autism Treatment and Applied Behavior Analysis. Hundreds of educators, parents, professionals, graduate students and caregivers came out to hear top-names in ABA speak Friday April 17 and Friday April 24.