HJAR Mar/Apr 2025

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  MAR / APR 2025 29 Jayne Bellando, PhD Jayne Bellando, PhD, is a pediatric psychologist and professor of pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Her clinical work is at the Dennis Developmental Center, the primary Developmental Diagnostic clinic in the state affiliated with UAMS. Bellando is the co-director of the Community Based Au- tism Liaison and Treatment Project (CoBALT), a program designed to help cut the wait time for children and families to be screened for developmental and autism concerns in the state of Arkansas. CoBALT is a collab- orative project with UAMS Department of Pediatrics and the Arkansas Division of Developmental Services. Jaimie Flor, MD Jaimie Flor, MD, is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and an associate professor at UAMS Depart- ment of Pediatrics. She is co-director of the Community Based Autism Liaison and Treatment (CoBALT) Project. She does her clinical practice at UAMS James L. Dennis Developmental Center and ACH Growth and Development Clinic, and she is involved in educational efforts through the Arkansas Leadership Educa- tion in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) grant. She currently serves as director of medical services for the Dennis Developmental Center. Maya Lopez, MD Maya Lopez, MD, is a board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatrician with academic training and a research interest in autism spectrum disorders and on promoting health and safety in early childhood education and care. She is currently chief of the section of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) at UAMS and practices at the UAMS Dennis Developmental Center full time. She is currently the principal investigator of the Arkansas Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring project, conducting surveil- lance on autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities across the state. Shruti Tewar, MD Shruti Tewar, MD, is a board-certified developmental-behavioral pediatrician and an adjunct associate pro- fessor at UAMS. She works with children and families with developmental concerns including autism, ADHD, learning difficulties. She has served as the medical director for UAMS Project for Child and Adolescent Evaluation ( PACE) that provides developmental and health evaluations for all children entering foster care in the state of Arkansas and as a consultant physician for the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program at Ar- kansas Children's Hospital. She currently serves on the board for Society of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Kimberly Macferran, MD Kimberly Macferran, MD, is an associate professor in the section of Developmental and Behavioral Pediat- rics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). Her time is split between the UAMS Dennis Developmental Center and ACH Complex Care Program. Her clini- cal work includes the evaluation and management of children with neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder and ADHD and those with medical complexity. Macferran is also the medical director of the Family Navigator Program at the Dennis Developmental Center. HJAR’S SPECIAL AUTISM REPORT AUTHORS