BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRIC INSTITUTE - Key Persons
Ashley Beard is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is originally from Birmingham, Alabama,
Job Titles:
- Office Manager / Billing Specialist
Contact us today to learn more about how we can work together to create a positive outcome for your child.
Job Titles:
- Certified School Psychologist
Dr. Karen Patton is a licensed psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in School Psychology from the University of Georgia. During her graduate studies, Dr. Patton worked in both school and clinical settings. She completed her doctoral internship as a school psychologist with the Newark Public Schools in New Jersey, receiving training and experience across all grade levels and special programs including classrooms for children with emotional and behavioral disabilities, autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and multiple disabilities. After completing her training, Dr. Patton spent 10 years as a school psychologist with public charter schools in Newark, obtaining extensive experience in psychological and educational testing, functional behavior assessment and behavior plans, positive behavior intervention and support, and special education programming and compliance. She has served as a leader on multidisciplinary teams responsible for determining eligibility and appropriate educational services. Dr. Patton enjoys working with both families and schools to develop and implement the most effective, child-centered, individualized education programs and support plans.
After relocating to Birmingham with her family, Dr. Patton joined the Behavioral Pediatric Institute of Alabama in October of 2022. Her work centers on providing school-based consultation, independent educational evaluations, and comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for concerns related to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder, as well as other behavior and mood-based concerns. She strives to deliver clarity and comfort through the evaluation process and provide recommendations that empower and guide families to appropriate treatment and next steps. Dr. Patton has refined relationship-building skills and extensive experience working collaboratively with a diverse population of school-based staff, children, and families. She is committed to supporting emotional, behavioral, and academic needs of children through evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and advocacy.
Dr. Patton lives in Birmingham with her husband and their two children. She enjoys spending time with family, volunteering with her childrens' schools, running and staying active, reading, and exploring all that Birmingham has to offer.
Job Titles:
- Special Education Teacher
Elizabeth Heaton is a special education teacher certified in Kindergarten through 6th grade. Elizabeth earned her Masters degree in Collaborative Special Education from the University of Alabama in 2012 after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2010. Elizabeth began teaching in a city-wide autism unit for Tuscaloosa City Schools in August 2012, where she gained experience working with students in 3rd through 6th grades with a wide range of needs and backgrounds. In 2013, Elizabeth moved to Birmingham and accepted a teaching position at Cherokee Bend School in Mountain Brook, Alabama, serving students with low incidence disabilities, including autism, anxiety disorder, AD/HD, cerebral palsy, genetic and chromosomal disorders, hearing impairment, intellectual disabilities, specific learning disabilities, and mood disorders. Elizabeth gained valuable knowledge as an educator utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis and Picture Exchange Communication System in the classroom. Elizabeth is certified in Orton-Gillingham instruction for reading & math and is also certified in the SPIRE reading program. Elizabeth has experience teaching students who are working towards the Alabama Alternate Assessment and served on the AAA task force. Elizabeth also has experience and training in the areas of executive functioning, crisis management, multisensory structured language education/sensory diets, and dyslexia.
After her second child was born, Elizabeth took time off from teaching to focus on her family. In 2019, Elizabeth began teaching in the preschool setting and currently teaches in the 4K program at Ascension Episcopal Kindergarten in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. She also assists with social skills groups at the Behavioral Pediatric Institute of Alabama. Elizabeth lives with her husband, Allen, and sons, Parker and Vincent, and daughter, Lucia in Homewood, Alabama.