Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and TRIAD—the autism institute at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, have developed an initiative aimed at improving hospital care for neurodivergent youth through the Behavior Analytic Consultation Service (BACS). Spearheaded by TRIAD behavior analyst Katie Gibson, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, the program is designed to support autistic patients and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities during acute behavioral crises and medical care encounters.
The Behavior Analytic Consultation Service program, supported by Pablo Juarez, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, John Staubitiz, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA of TRIAD, and Heather Kreth, PsyD, director of Acute Behavioral Health at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital, is funded by a TennCare Behavioral Health Grant. Since its inception in January 2025, BACS has served 151 patients across 230 hospitalizations and over 850 individual encounters.
Gibson says the initiative was born out of a pressing need.
Katie Gibson, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
“Because hospitals are not designed to support neurodivergent youth, more than 50% of workplace violence injuries in hospital settings involve patients with autism or IDD,” said Gibson. “This statistic helped gain support to add expertise in working with this population in the hospital setting. These patients often face obstacles to obtaining medical care due to behaviors that challenge traditional health care delivery. BACS aims to bridge this gap by offering expert consultation, reducing restraint use, and enhancing provider confidence through targeted neurodiversity-affirming training.”
BACS has provided individualized behavioral recommendations and community resource referrals to 81 families. Notably, 67% of patients who initially were placed in restraints no longer needed them throughout their hospitalization or return stays to the hospital after BACS interventions, thanks to tailored behavior plans that promote safety and dignity.
Education is a cornerstone of the program. Eighteen training sessions titled “Safe and Compassionate Care for the Neurodivergent Patient” have been delivered to hospital departments and new nursing staff, receiving high praise for improving provider preparedness.
BACS is also piloting an outpatient initiative focused on safe needle procedures for autistic children and teens. This effort, led in part by TRIAD educational consultant Chloe Rothschild, aims to reduce patient trauma as well as staff injuries during medical procedures.
With plans underway to establish a severe problem behavior clinic, Gibson says Vanderbilt can further reduce psychiatric hospitalizations and support families in maintaining safe home environments.
“This service, though non-medical, can at times saves lives,” Gibson said. “We’ve seen many children who couldn’t access life-saving care due to behavioral challenges finally be able to access the health care they need with the proper behavioral supports in place.”
VUMC’s strong foundation in advocacy, research, and community outreach, anchored by the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and TRIAD, positions it uniquely to lead this work. The collaboration between hospital and academic teams exemplifies a model for systemic change in pediatric behavioral health.
For more information, contact Katie Gibson at katie.gibson@vumc.org.
Top photo by Getty Images/iStockphoto
