WKU Clinical Education
Complex Moves Forward

June 15, 2004

Bowling Green, Ky. - An interdisciplinary project to provide a series of clinical services to the region is a step closer.

Western Kentucky University today announced that the WKU Real Estate Corporation has purchased a former Mexican restaurant at 14th Avenue and Adams Street to house the Clinical Education Complex. The building will be renovated and expanded with the intention of opening in 2005.

The Clinical Education Complex (CEC) will house the following programs: Child Development Center, Kelly Autism Program, Acquired Brain Injury Resource Program, Family Counseling Clinic and the Communication Disorders Clinic.

"This complex will create a comprehensive clinical setting for education and health and human services professionals," WKU President Gary Ransdell said. "It builds upon a strong tradition at Western to meet community needs, fill service delivery gaps, provide opportunities for applied research and enrich both undergraduate and graduate students' educational experiences through an interdisciplinary team approach."

The property purchase is the first of a three-phase fundraising campaign for the CEC and $500,000 has been raised from 65 donors so far, said Tom Hiles, WKU's vice president for Institutional Advancement. An additional $700,000 will need to be raised for the renovation and a 5000 square-foot expansion to bring the total space to nearly 10,000 square feet. The third phase will be to raise a minimum of $1 million to create an endowment to supplement the CEC's operations, he said.

Hiles said two leadership gifts helped push the CEC beyond phase one: $100,000 each from Don and Suzanne Vitale and from Shirley Scott, all of Bowling Green.

Suzanne Vitale, who has an autistic grandson, called the CEC a partnership between the community and Western Kentucky University.

"It takes a village to raise any child; and it takes a larger village to raise a special needs child," she said.

Child Development Center
The mission of the Child Development Center (CDC) is to be a regional and national leader in interdisciplinary education for training, research and service to health and education professionals for advance the health, development and learning potential of children.

The CDC will provide opportunities for students to work with different health and educational professionals in providing services to children with health, development and learning disabilities; increase community partnerships and link community and university resources that address the needs of children; and advance research that increases understanding of child development and its impact upon health, learning problems and quality of life of children and their families.

Kelly Autism Project
The initial focus of the Kelly Autism Project will be on preparing young adults, ages 14 and older, with autism to effectively transition to a purposeful, fulfilling life after their public school years are over. Eventually other age groups and classifications within the autism spectrum of disorders will be included. The project was launched through a gift from John and Linda Kelly.

Acquired Brain Injury Resource Program
The Acquired Brain Injury Resource Program, offered by the Department of Communication Disorders, offers information, services and support to individuals with acquired brain injury, their families and others interested persons who live in the Barren River Area Development District. The program will also advise brain-injured individuals who either attend or would like to enroll in courses at WKU and provide recreational activities to interested brain-injured individuals at Western.

Family Counseling Clinic
The Family Counseling Clinic will offer help to families and individuals who desire counseling for managing their personal and relationship problems but cannot afford a counselor. Graduate interns will work under the supervision of University faculty who are licensed mental health and marriage and family counseling professionals.

Communication Disorders Clinic
The Department of Communication Disorders established a community clinic in 1975 to provide outpatient services to individuals with communication disorders. The clinic provides evaluation and treatment services supervised by certified and licensed faculty in language, articulation, voice, fluency, hearing and swallowing disorders. It is the only university facility in Kentucky licensed as a rehabilitation clinic.

For more information, contact Tom Hiles at (270) 745-6208 or Suzanne Vitale at (270) 781-0477. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

-WKU-