Doris Hill’s work with Auburn’s Regional Autism Network supports families statewide

April is Autism Acceptance Month, but Doris Hill and her colleagues at the Auburn University Regional Autism Network strive to raise awareness and assist those with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, year-round.

“Our work is important because we provide training to families on evidence-based practice in autism,” said Hill, director of the Regional Autism Network and associate clinical professor in Auburn’s College of Education. “The RAN Family Navigator works one-on-one with families and provides a warm line of support when needed.”

In 2017, the Alabama Legislature established Alabama’s Regional Autism Network, or RAN, with locations at Auburn University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Alabama at Huntsville, the University of Alabama and the University of South Alabama.

The RAN is staffed by experts in the field of autism and is charged with providing resources and training for persons of all ages in the state of Alabama who have ASD. The Auburn University Regional Autism Network serves the residents of Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Chambers, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery, Pike, Russell and Tallapoosa counties.

Hill’s journey to the RAN began in Florida when she was hired to teach a class with children with autism. After that experience, she went back to school and became a board-certified behavior analyst and eventually earned her doctorate in collaborative special education at Auburn’s College of Education. When the RAN was formed at Auburn in 2017, Hill became the director and has held the role ever since.

The RAN has come a long way since 2017, and the Auburn RAN has been able to continuously improve its services, including hiring a family navigator, Maria Gutierrez, and a Korean community liaison, Mikyung Kim.

The trio works to provide a range of services to families, including guiding them to needed resources, assisting with problem-solving with those who work with individuals with ASD and providing opportunities for training and consultation.

They also work to identify and promote the development of programs to benefit individuals with ASD, their families, and care providers, and Hill hopes to steadily improve the reach of the Auburn RAN in the coming years.

Her experience working with the Auburn RAN has also impacted her as an educator in Auburn’s College of Education.

“I provide supervision at autism clinics to behavior technicians and work with parents of children with autism, and because I’m still providing services, I’m able to teach from an active perspective,” Hill said.

Amid Autism Acceptance Month, Hill hopes the work of the RAN reminds everyone of a key message in life:

“Each person is unique.”

Learn more online about the Auburn Regional Autism Network.