www.bcotb.com
PRESS RELEASE
September 16, 2009
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Julie Capobianco, 813-892-5756
 AUTISM ADVOCATE NAMED
HEALTH CARE HERO FINALIST
  
Tampa Bay Business Journal Presents Awards Next Month
TAMPA, FL - September 16, 2009 -  Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay is pleased to announce it's founder and president, Kelley Gardner-Prince, has been named a finalist for the Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2009 Health Care Heroes Awards.
 
Prince is a finalist in the Medical Professional/Non-Physician category and is recognized for her contributions and support to the Bay area community for helping children diagnosed with Autism, and their families, utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis therapy. 
 
"To be included in this select group of professionals, is truly an honor," Prince said.  Her curriculum utilizing ABA therapy is credited with helping to 'mainstream' several children into public schools in time for the start of the new school year - an ideal many parents of children diagnosed with Autism struggle to or never achieve.  "The fact that our treatment model has been able to help prepare our clients for a typical classroom setting is a great accomplishment for us," says Prince.  "Without our early intervention approach, these same children may have spent their entire educational experience in classes designed for students with specific learning needs."
 
Prince and her staff from both Behavioral Consulting locations are committed to supporting local organizations and functions focusing on Autism awareness, research and treatment.  In 2008, Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay hosted an Autism awareness event at the St. Pete Times Forum for a Tampa Bay Lightning game, and for the last several years, the staff volunteered at and participated in the Tampa Bay Walk Now for Autism at MOSI. 
 
In May, the Tampa Bay Chapter of the international advocacy organization, Autism Speaks, named Behavioral Consulting its 'Most Valuable Resource,' and most recently, Prince partnered with the USF Silver Child Development Center and the Tridas Center for Child Development and arranged and hosted two events where parents had the opportunity to meet with a physician and have their child screened for Autism, at no cost to them.  
 
The Tampa Bay Business Journal will honor all finalists and announce the winner for each category at an awards dinner, Thursday, October 1st at the Quorum hotel on Westshore Blvd. in Tampa. 

About Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay
Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay implements Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) programs with an emphasis on verbal behavior.  Our skill acquisition programs, customized for each child's learning needs, focus on evoking language and communication, self-help skills, compliance behavior and appropriate peer and social skills.   We provide discreet trial teaching in addition to natural environment teaching, while using error-less learning techniques.  To maintain a consistent level of quality, our Board Certified Behavior Analysts oversee programs and evaluate and document progress every 4 weeks.
 
Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay compared the rate of development in 18 clients who were between the ages of 2 and 7 years old during the onset of services.  All received our intensive instruction averaging 10 hours a week for 5 months.  We found, on average, the group more than doubled their original skill set.  Based on these findings, we're confident that all children, regardless of skill deficits, diagnosis, or behavior, can learn skills and develop behaviors never before thought possible if a quality behavior analysis program is implemented.  
 
Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay has 2 locations to serve you: 6916 W. Linebaugh Avenue, Suite 102 in Tampa and 3717 Turman Loop, Suite 102, in Wesley Chapel.  For more information, please visit their website, www.bcotb.com, call 813-265-0210 or send an email to info@bcotb.com.