Connecticut Families for Effective Autism Treatment (CT FEAT) is a non-profit organization staffed by volunteers. We provide Connecticut families with information and networking opportunities

 

CT FEAT Professional Scholarship Opportunities

The Nancy Leahy Shea Memorial Scholarships for Professional Development
Applications Now Being Accepted


Established in 2004 in memory of Nancy Leahy Shea, the scholarships provide financial awards to Connecticut educators pursuing advanced academic training and certification in applied behavior analysis (ABA). By funding these scholarships, CT FEAT actively supports expanding the number of highly trained autism professionals in Connecticut.

Mrs. Shea was the mother of CT FEAT board member Bob Shea and grandmother of his son Jeremiah and daughter Fiona. According to Bob, “My mother always wanted the best for Jer and would definitely love the fact that through her scholarship we are training professionals to do the best for all kids with autism."

To date, awards totaling nearly $20,000 have been made to seven educators: four special education teachers, a school psychologist and two paraprofessionals. With CT FEAT’s support, two of these recipients have been able to complete their training and qualify as Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA), thereby helping to meet the growing need for professionals with this highly specialized training.

Who Can Apply
CT FEAT recently has changed the format of the scholarship program in order to broaden its impact. Instead of annually supporting a single person pursuing certification as a BCBA, FEAT is offering smaller grants to a larger number of recipients studying any specialized autism certification that includes a concentration of training in applied behavior analysis (ABA). Any Connecticut special education teacher, paraprofessional, speech-language professional or other educator currently working with children with autism is eligible to apply.

How to Apply
Applications for funding can be submitted at any time. CT FEAT’s board of directors reviews the applications on a quarterly basis and makes financial awards based on a variety of considerations, including the merit of the proposed activity, competing requests for funding, and the fund’s quarterly budget. The scholarship may cover the entire cost of the proposed activity or some portion thereof.

You can request an application by writing to: ctfeat1@ctfeat.org. Be sure to put “Professional Scholarship” in the subject line of your email.

Where to Study
Opportunities for studying research-based interventions for autism are available at various educational institutions here in CT as well as in the surrounding region and online. CT locations include Saint Joseph’s College in West Hartford, and Eastern CT State University in Willimantic. Many CT students also study at Elms College in Chicopee, MA, and Westfield State College in Westfield, MA.

For more information about where you can take courses approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), including distance learning programs in applied behavior analysis, go to www.bacb.com.
 

 

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CT FEAT, P.O. Box 370352, West Hartford, CT 06137-0352 Phone (860) 571-3888
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