Bulloch County native Madelyn Vickery has established a Chicago Autism and Behavior Specialists (CABS) center in Statesboro. The center is located in the old Nash Finch Company building at 12319 US Highway 301 South and will be able to provide services for 40-50 individuals, ages 2-12.
Vickery attended Bulloch Academy, graduating in 2014, and graduated from Georgia Southern in 2019. Following her undergraduate education, she earned a masters in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
During her masters program, she worked as a case manager at the CABS center in Savannah. This year, she was given the opportunity to open a location here.
The CABS autism center in Statesboro will offer insurance- and Medicaid-funded full day and half-day program options five days per week. Teaching is 1:1 throughout the day, with opportunities for playing with peers. The center will also offer weekly parent support and involvement activities.
About CABS
CABS is a comprehensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program designed to meet the needs of individuals on the autism spectrum at whatever stage they may be. The Statesboro CABS office will be able to provide support whether a child is not yet ready to benefit from school, is struggling with behaviors or learning new skills, or needs help to be more independent as they prepare for the transition from teen to young adult.
“It is our mission to create a dynamic treatment program that considers an individual’s unique strengths and challenges, while working towards goals that are meaningful to them and their family,” Vickery said.
Vickery also shared that, unlike other ABA programs, CABS treatment programs do not rely on set curriculums or programming that consists of “checking off boxes.” Instead, CABS uses a variety of assessment tools and considers family goals and individual factors like a client’s motivation, strengths, communication preference, age, and their next learning environment.
The goal of CABS is to create truly individualized programming for all clients.
Carrying on a local legacy
Vickery’s family has lived in Statesboro for decades, and both her mother and grandmother have also worked with children in the education sector.
Her grandmother, Billy Vickery, retired from the Bulloch County Board of Education, and her mother, Tracey Vickery, currently teaches kindergarten at Julia P. Bryant Elementary.
She is excited to carry on the family legacy of not only living and working in Statesboro but also of having a positive impact on young people in our community.
“We are super excited to open in Bulloch County,” Vickery said. “I only hope I can give back to the community that gave – and still gives – so much to me."
Following renovations to the building, a grand opening for the center will take place later this fall. Applications are currently being accepted.
CABS was founded in 2008 by Amanda Parker, M. Ed. (BCBA), and currently operates clinics in Itasca, Illinois, and Savannah and Rome, Georgia. For more information on CABS, call 1-800-844-1232 ext. 4 or visit https://www.cabsautism.com.
