Oregon Tech’s BRIDGE Clinic, formerly the BIG ABA Clinic, has a new location to continue serving children with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities.
Launched in 2018, the clinic was the first Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) provider in Klamath Falls. It serves as a training site for students in Oregon Tech’s Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis and Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology programs, providing supervised clinical experience required for professional certification.
BRIDGE is operated by Oregon Tech faculty member Dawn Bailey, Ph.D., who trains and supervises Oregon Tech students as they provide therapy and related services to clients. Through this model, students complete required externship hours while families receive behavioral health services.
“We launched this clinic because we saw a profound 'service desert' in our region,” Bailey said. “Before 2018, families in Klamath Falls often had to travel hours just to access basic behavioral health care. Our goal was to create a space where children receive evidence-based care close to home, while simultaneously giving our students the hands-on, supervised experience they need to become the next generation of certified practitioners."
Oregon Tech is an affiliate of Fit Learning, an internationally recognized provider of science-based instructional techniques, and in addition to ABA services, Associate Clinic Supervisor Spencer Corey, M.Ed., oversees BRIDGE's tutoring services. BRIDGE offers school-based and private one-on-one tutoring in reading, math, and logic to students across Klamath County.
Klamath Falls City Schools Special Services Director Dena Haudenshild says the collaborative spirit between BRIDGE staff and the school districts is critical to the development of young students.
“It’s great to see the growth and expansion,” Haudenshild said. “There’s absolutely an increase in the support that the clinic can offer to our students, and that’s been the biggest benefit to us because of the expertise that they have and being able to connect our students with highly experienced professionals.”
Klamath County School District Special Services Director David Marshall agrees and says the program has been instrumental in helping special services.
“The clinic has been very flexible, and we’ve been able to work it out so that additional assistance has been part of a student’s day,” he shared.
The demand for all service types remains high, and Bailey says that more clinicians are needed to fill the gap.
"The demand for our services is incredibly high; every day, more families are realizing how life-changing ABA therapy can be for their children. However, the reality is that we can only offer as much help as we have therapists available. We have a critical need for more students to enter this field to help us fill this gap. We need more hands to meet the needs of the families waiting for our help."
The new clinic location will support program growth, and donor backing played a central role in making the expansion and relocation possible. Major contributors to the project include Klamath County through American Rescue Plan funds, Matt and Tessa Amuchastegui, Klamath County Rotary Club, and many donors who gave in memory of educator and child advocate, Judie Miles.
Cec Amuchastegui has been involved with the clinic for years. Now, as an Oregon Tech Trustee, she is happy to see the growth and has personally experienced the difference it can make for families, having watched BRIDGE clinic staff successfully work with her grandchild.
“When we were having difficulties with things happening while [her grandchild] was in school, the staff at the clinic went into the schools and worked with the staff to show them what was working at the clinic,” Amuchastegui said. “Yes, the clinic is for students who are getting their degrees, but it also has such a greater impact on the community and families.”
The BRIDGE clinic provides Applied Behavior Analysis services primarily to children diagnosed with autism or pervasive developmental disorder, with interventions focused on social and communication skills and the reduction of behaviors such as self-injury or aggression. Tutoring services are available to all students in the county.
Find out more about the clinic at www.oit.edu/academics/degrees/msaba or abaclinic@oit.edu.
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