Dr. Brandon Rodgers
Siskin Children’s Institute (SCI) announces the expansion of behavioral health services available through the Center for Developmental Pediatrics. Beginning in August, children with special needs and their families will now have greater access to individual and family counseling designed specifically for their needs. In addition, the social skills groups and parenting workshops currently offered at the center will be expanded and available to more families in the Chattanooga region. All of these services will be made available on an affordable sliding fee scale.
“We are grateful for outstanding community support from our foundation partners, particularly the George R. Johnson Family Foundation as well as the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga and the Weldon F. Osborne Foundation, for helping us meet this community need,” says Institute CEO, John Farrimond. “We are excited to be able to provide the Chattanooga area with this much needed service and continue to improve the quality of life for children with special needs and their families.”
The program, led by Dr. Brandon Rodgers, LMFT, will utilize master’s and doctoral level interns from the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) accredited universities such as Lee University, Texas Tech, and others to both meet demand for services and provide local placements for graduate students.
“With the opening of the Developmental Family Therapy Center and partnerships with local and national family therapy programs, SCI will be able to positively influence the lives of our local families and children with special needs while also developing and training the therapists of tomorrow,” says Rodgers.
Families that have children with special needs ages 10 and under that utilize SCI services, as well as those who have not, are welcome to schedule an appointment. Appointments can be made by self-referral or families can be referred from an SCI provider, a primary care physician, or their child’s local school system.
Appointments are now being scheduled for August. Referral forms are available online at siskin.org/family.
For more information about Siskin Children’s Institute, visit siskin.org or call 423.490.7710.
Shown from left to right are Robin Posey, Community Foundation, Beverly Johnson, George R. Johnson Foundation, Janice Wilson, George R. Johnson Foundation, Barbara Marter, Osborne Foundation, Betty Lebovitz, board member, Edna Varner, board member, and Dr. Valerie Rutledge, board member