State of the KFAC - 2018

FY18 accomplishments within KFAC Strategic Priorities:

  1. Excellence in Direct Services
  • Provided evidence-based autism interventions, training, and support for 86 clients/families, including 22 full-time comprehensive services clients
    • Hired, trained, and retained a highly qualified team of more than 100 full- and part-time employees
    • Increased the diversity of our 18 full-time staff persons with the hiring of two employees from diverse populations, including a Behavior Technician from Kampala, Uganda
    • Implemented a wait-list for services for the first time since beginning operations
  • Achieved a client retention rate of 88%
  • Developed and implemented new staff and client satisfaction surveys to gauge the social validity of KFAC services
  • Received a renewable grant of $170,000 per year from the State of Texas Health and Human Services Commission to provide low-cost ABA services to families without insurance coverage; this grant serves 28 families per year
  1. Excellence in Research
  • Received approximately $500,000 in grant funding, bringing our total grant funding to more than $2.3 million since opening. 
    • $489,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's Autism Grant Program to investigate the effectiveness of expanding the Texas HIPPY programming for more than 100 families with children with autism throughout the State.
    • UNT Global Engagement Grant to investigate the efficacy of autism training in Uganda
  • Facilitated six faculty and/or student research projects from the Department of Behavior Analysis and Educational Psychology, and mentored an undergraduate Honors College research project
  • KFAC Published one research article in a top-tier autism research journal, one book chapter in collaboration with a mentored doctoral student; one manuscript is in preparation
  • Presented KFAC research at the world's foremost autism research conference (International Society for Autism Research) and the Texas Autism Research Conference
  • Completed a State of Texas contract to evaluate innovative treatment research at Texas State University
  • Co-chaired President Smatresk's search for the Director, UNT Institute for Autism Research Excellence
  • Collaborated on KFAC research project with one of the top pioneers of ABA and autism research (Dr. Richard Foxx, Penn State University) 
  1. Excellence in Training and Outreach
  • Hosted the 10th Annual UNT “Adventures in Autism Intervention and Research” conference, attended by more than 350 parents (we were awarded a grant from the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities to cover registration costs for 112 parents) and professionals and featuring keynote and breakout presentations by internationally renowned and UNT autism researchers
  • Developed and implemented new clinical standards to improve the delivery of KFAC training and direct services
  • Hired a new full-time Director of Training to oversee strategic training goals
  • Implemented a new policy requiring all KFAC service providers to be nationally certified “Registered Behavior Technicians”
  • Hosted 19 UNT students for course-related activities, including internships, field experiences, observations, and volunteer/service opportunities
  • KFAC staff provided training for 149 professionals and parents in Kampala, Uganda (funded by UNT International Office Global Engagement Grant)
  • Collaborated with KFAC parents to form a formal parent support group
  • Partnered with HBO, Charter Communications, and the Sesame Street Workshop on a UNT-based event to increase community awareness about autism
  1. Excellence in Operations
  • Implemented an internally-developed software system (QuickLog) to improve the efficiency and coordination of KFAC clinical and administrative operations
  • Continued efforts to align KFAC policies and procedures manuals with UNT format
  • Requested review by UNT Risk Management and liability insurance provider in order to identify possible target areas for improvement
  1. Excellence in Organizational Improvement
  • Implemented a comprehensive Employee Engagement program; Attained staff engagement ratings among the highest of any department at UNT
  • Developed new 5-year Strategic plan aligning with UNT and College of Education (COE) strategic priorities
  • Participated in COE strategic planning activities
  1. Excellence in Financial Stewardship
  • Reported FY18 profits of approximately $170,000, to be added to current KFAC reserve account totals of $800,000 for emergency needs;
  • Improved insurance billing processes resulting in increased recoupment of reimbursements and accounts receivable monies;
  • Requested UNT financial audit in order to identify possible target areas for improving efficiency of financial accounting
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