HJNO Jan/Feb 2020

DIALOGUE 14 JAN / FEB 2020 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Chief Editor Smith W. Hartley Can you tell us about the genesis of the Michael R. Boh Center for Child Development? Lacey Seymour, PhD The Michael R. Boh Center for Child Development is a direct result of leaders from Ochsner Health Sys- temand Ochsner Hospital for Children rec- ognizing the need in our community for a center of excellence for childrenwith neuro- motor and neurodevelopmental conditions. Prior the opening of the Boh Center, there was no place for families to go for medical care in combination with psychological and rehabilitation services. The Boh Center was modeled after the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins Hospital. In addi- tion to learning from national leaders like the Krieger Institute, Ochsner Hospital for Children created an advisory committee to gather feedback from parents of children who would benefit from the Boh Center. The vision of the center is to be a comprehensive D r. Lacey Seymour received undergraduate and doctorate degrees in psychology at Louisiana State University, and completed an internship, as well as a postdoctoral fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medi- cine in Baltimore, MD. Seymour is a licensed psychologist, and is board certified in behavior analysis. She has over fifteen years of experience working with chil- dren in both clinical and school settings. She is the founder and for- mer clinical director of Ochsner Health Center for Children - Live Oak. Seymour has worked in both public and private school settings with teachers and school personnel as a consultant to design effective behav- ioral and academic interventions for students. Additionally, she has provided outpatient psychological and behavioral services to both typically developing children and children with special needs in a vari- ety of clinical settings. Seymour is active in several community organizations and profes- sional associations, and is a past president of the Louisiana Psychologi- calAssociation. She currently serves as a federal advocacy coordinator for the state of Louisiana for theAmerican Psychological Association. Seymour enjoys providing therapeutic services to children and fami- lies across the Gulf South region, as well as advocating for mental health policy at both the state and federal level. Boh Center Waiting Room