Kelly Brown hopes to introduce a new “Buddy” to children with disabilities.
This sidekick in the making is a special bib called the BibBuddy that features sensory toys that attach to fabric. That way, kids can keep sensory items within reach for when they need them.
Brown said her job at the J.D. McCarty Center for children with developmental disabilities inspired the invention, which is patent pending.
Notes on a napkin proved prophetic for Liz Moore.
Moore sketched a drawing of what she’d like to see in a new Outpatient Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Clinic about two years ago.
That drawing is now a reality for Moore, the director of ABA services at J.D. McCarty Center for children with developmental disabilities.
“This napkin design has been put on paper and built with concrete and glass. I still think I’m in disbelief that it’s happening,” Moore said, before the grand opening of the clinic on Aug. 8.
Hundreds of cyclists from across Oklahoma and surrounding states will participate in the 28th annual Norman Conquest bicycle tour on July 12.
The event features different routes for cyclists to choose from that will take them through eastern Cleveland County.
The tour is hosted by the Bicycle League of Norman, and starts and ends at J.D. McCarty Center for children with developmental disabilities at 2002 E. Robinson St. in Norman.
Dr. Marc Hille, a pediatric neurologist, is retiring from the J.D. McCarty Center after 25 years of working with patients through a neurology clinic at the center.
Hille helped develop the monthly clinics where he and center employees review medication management for patients with seizure disorders or significant behavioral challenges.
Center CEO Mike Powers said Hille created an environment of care and cooperation with the clinic.
"You built our neurology clinic to make it a collaborative effort," Powers said, during a retirement ceremony for Hille.
Registration is underway for Camp Claphans, a summer camp in Norman for kids with disabilities.
The camp is open to kids 8 to 20 and is an outreach program of the J.D. McCarty Center for children with developmental disabilities.
The camp offers spring, summer and fall sessions.
Six camp sessions are offered in the summer, and the sessions are from Sunday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon.
The spring and fall camps are from Friday through Sunday.
Saundra Myers-Johnson spent nearly 40 years working with, supporting, guiding and advocating for children with developmental disabilities.
To honor her service and continue her work, a clinic will now bear her name at the J.D. McCarty Center for children with developmental disabilities.
The Saundra Myers-Johnson Psychological Assessment Clinic, located on the center’s Norman campus, offers comprehensive psychological and developmental assessments for children from birth to age 21.
The J.D. McCarty Center hosted a kickoff ceremony earlier this summer for our new Outpatient ABA Clinic, now under construction on the center's campus.
The building will feature 14,000 square feet of space, which will allow room to serve 30 outpatients in ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy. The new building also will have space for outreach programs, such as parent support groups and training.
“We’re really excited about what we’re going to be able to do moving forward,” said Liz Moore, director of the ABA program.
Got a minute to spare? Then come strike up some fun at the annual Pins for Progress charity bowling tournament. The event benefits the J.D. McCarty Center's programs.
The tournament is set for April 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sooner Bowling Center, 550 24th Ave. NW in Norman.
This year, teams can enter for free. Entries will be received on a first-come, first-served basis. Teams can choose competitive or non-competitive play and can have up to six players on a team. To reserve a lane, click here.
Registration is under way for Camp Claphans, a summer camp in Norman for kids with disabilities.
The camp also is expanding to give more children the chance to experience the camp program.
"I am excited to announce that this year we are starting to grow our camp by adding additional camp dates," said Camp Director Bobbie Hunter. "We will now have a spring and fall session."
The camp is open to kids 8 to 20 and is an outreach program of the J.D. McCarty Center for children with developmental disabilities.
A group of patients at the J.D. McCarty Center are going on adventures, getting jobs and gaining more independence.
The patients are teen boys who are part of a new “Real World” program at the center. The program this summer is designed to give them experience with tasks such as interviewing and obtaining a job, cooking, making new friends and learning about community resources.
Six patients are involved in the pilot program.