2023 Department of Pediatrics Academic Annual Report

Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics

PEDIATRIC FACULTY Laura McGuinn, M.D.....................Division Director | Professor Snehal Khatri, M.D...........................................Associate Professor Justin Schwartz, M.D......................................Associate Professor Kimberlly Stringer, M.D., MPH.......................Associate Professor Karlene Walker, M.D..........................................Assistant Professor Kristi Domnonavich, Ph.D............................................Psychologist Brandi Ellis, Ph.D............................................................Psychologist Kristi Guest, Ph.D..............................................Associate Professor John Houser, Ph.D........................................................Psychologist Stephen Mitchell, D.M.D....................................................Professor Sarah O’Kelley, Ph.D.........................................Associate Professor Sarah Olivas, Psy.D........................................................Psychologist Sarah Ryan, Ph.D............................................................Psychologist CIVITAN SPARKS CLINICS PEDIATRIC FACULTY AND TEAM MEMBERS

UAB DEPARTMENT OF NEUROBIOLOGY AND CIVITAN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER AFFILIATED FACULTY Cassandra Newsom, Ph.D..............................Associate Professor

FEATURED RESEARCH The Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics is devoted to improving the system of care and care delivery for children with autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. Faculty and staff participate in multidisciplinary clinical care, training and research. Research spans a variety of areas, including development of an autism registry and bio-banking repository for autism etiological research in collaboration with the UAB Department of Neurobiology. The division collaborates with the Division of Neonatology, which is a member of the NIH Neonatal Research Network, for neonatal follow-up, including neonatal opioid exposure. Division faculty also collaborate with researchers on Rett syndrome and tuberous sclerosis in the Division of Pediatric Neurology. Sarah O’Kelley, Ph.D. , serves as a collaborator on a number of multidisciplinary research projects, including work with Dr. Martina Bebin on Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) longitudinal studies and Dr. Rajesh Kana (University of Alabama) on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) evaluation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) reading and social skills interventions. Dr. O’Kelley has an appointed seat on the Alabama Interagency Autism Coordinating Council (AIACC) and chairs the associated 0-5 Standards of Practice workgroup that is focused on screening and intervention within the early intervention and preschool populations. She serves as the University Center of Excellence on Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders (LEND) director and is the interim director for the UAB Regional Autism Network (RAN). Kimberlly Stringer, M.D., continues as a co-investigator for the Early Childhood Health Promotion System for High Need Program, which is a Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)–sponsored grant through the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The goals of this project are to increase the prevalence of developmental screening rates throughout Mississippi, establish a well-trained workforce regarding early childhood development, and achieve policy change and sustainability based on the novel system developed. EXTRAMURAL AWARDS, RECOGNITION & LEADERSHIP ROLES Justin Schwartz, M.D. , initiated and leads an interdisciplinary coalition, Achieving Health Equity for Alabamians with Disabilities (AHEAD) whose mission is to build a culturally responsive, ethical, accessible, and effective system care for medical, dental, mental health, and wellness needs of individuals with disabilities across the lifespan in the state of Alabama. Through this effort, partners are collaborating with healthcare providers and administrators to provide education, technical assistance, evaluation, and outcomes assessments to increase the readiness of the health system to receive and care for individuals with disabilities.

2023 Academic Annual Report

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