The Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia recently celebrated their 7th anniversary. Festivities included a birthday party for the children who attend their ABA therapy clinic.
Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia is a practice in Statesboro led by Michelle Zeanah, MD. Leaving primary care to start a practice concentrating on behavioral pediatrics, Dr. Zeanah wanted to focus on the children who needed her the most: children with autism spectrum disorder, complex ADHD, and anxiety disorders.
The first patient was seen at the practice on Nov. 17, 2016. At that time, the team was only one full-time physician and two part-time support staff.
In 2018, Dr. Zeanah opened the first ABA clinic in Bulloch County. Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia has since added services in counseling, parent training on behavioral interventions and case management.
The practice grew and now has two physicians, two physician assistants, four BCBAs and an LPC/counselor. The support staff has grown to 26. There are plans to add a special education teacher to assist families in collaborating with their child’s school.
Children from half of Georgia’s 159 counties are served at the practice. Over 3,500 patients have been cared for and 1,000 children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder since the opening of the Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia. Dr. Zeanah has diagnosed children whose families have waited more than five years for an evaluation.
In addition to focusing on behavioral pediatrics, the practice has built partnerships with the Georgia Southern Jiann-Ping Hsu School of Public Health, Mercer University School of Medicine, and Philadelphia College of Medicine by providing educational internships for over 50 students.
These students leave with an understanding that autism does not have a look and not all hyperactive children need medication for ADHD. They have gone on to become physicians, behavior analysists, counselors, speech therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, and teachers.
Many would say that Dr. Zeanah works a lot. When asked what keeps her working such long hours she replied, “Foster children have always held a special place in my heart. When Commissioner Candace Broce of the Georgia Department of Human Services asked me to lead a pilot project to determine how common autism is among foster children and what is needed to help foster children with autism achieve permanent homes, I jumped at the opportunity. It turned out to be a part time job in addition to my current full-time job. Fortunately, I have an amazing team to work with.”
Dr. Zeanah wants Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia to continue to thrive by meeting the need for autism diagnosis and management in rural South Georgia. Early diagnosis and treatment make a huge difference for children with autism. She says, “I hope to grow my staff so that we can meet the needs of our community.”
