Civitan-Sparks Clinics
Director: Alan K. Percy, MD
Established: 1967

Mission and Demographics
The mission of the Civitan-Sparks Clinics is to improve the well-being of individuals and families, especially those with or at risk for neurodevelopmental disabilities, through research and exemplary clinical services. The Civitan-Sparks Clinics operate administratively through the Civitan International Research Center (CIRC) and currently have 15 appointed faculty representing 7 departments and 5 schools at UAB, as well as 1 school at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.

Center Research
The Civitan-Sparks Clinics provide clinical services for individuals and families throughout Alabama and involve multiple disciplines including pediatrics, psychology, speech pathology, audiology, physical and occupational therapy, special education, nutrition, dentistry, optometry, and social work. The Civitan-Sparks Clinics staff also play an important role with Alabama's Early Intervention program.

Clinical research programs address several key areas of neurodevelopmental disability. These include the following: Early Head Start, Pediatric Neuromotor (Constraint Induced) Therapy for Children with Cerebral Palsy, Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Rett Syndrome, Very Low Birthweight and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Follow-up, Congenital Viral Infections, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Effect of Disability on Siblings, Impact of Development and Teen Parenting on Teen Behavior, and Transition from Pediatric to Adult Programs and Employment.

Training
The Civitan-Sparks Clinics and the CIRC have built a reputation as one of the nation's outstanding interdisciplinary training programs involving the disciplines noted above. For the most part, training programs are focused on graduate and postdoctoral educational experiences in interdisciplinary settings. We currently have 24 long-term trainees in the program. Training programs are administered in association with funding from the federal University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities grant program and the UAB Maternal and Child Health Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (MCH LEND) interdisciplinary training project.

Other Initiatives
The Center also has an important pediatric initiative called Sparks Pediatrics, a Primary Care Clinic for children with health care disparity and those at risk for neurodevelopmental disabilities.

For additional information please contact the administrative staff below or visit the CIRC and Civitan-Sparks web sites at: www.circ.uab.edu and www.circ.uab.edu/Sparks .

For additional information:

Director: Alan K. Percy, MD
Email: apercy@uab.edu
Phone: 205-934-1055

Administrator: Kevin Speed
Email: kspeed@uab.edu
Phone: 205-975-7394

Approved by: Alan K. Percy, MD, Director
Date: April 14, 2007

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