Naomi B. Swiezy, Ph.D., HSPP

Alan H. Cohen Family Scholar of Psychiatry
Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry
Program Director, Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center
Program Director, HANDS in Autism

Dr. Swiezy joined the faculty at Indiana University School of Medicine in 1998 and specializes in Applied Behavior Analysis, caregiver training, and the behavioral assessment and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. She was named the Alan H. Cohen Family Scholar of Psychiatry in July, 2007 and is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in Clinical Psychiatry. Dr. Swiezy functions as the Program Director of the Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Riley Hospital for Children, directing the programming and coordination of outreach and behavioral research and services of the Center. She provides consultation in clinic as well as in the community through home intervention and school contracts and collaborations. In 2004, Dr. Swiezy developed the HANDS in Autism (Helping Answer Needs by Developing Specialists in Autism) training model and currently serves as Program Director. This program was designed to provide intensive and hands-on coaching and training of staff and professionals working in educational environments with individuals across the autism spectrum. Foundational support for the program was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and primary ongoing support has been provided by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and added philanthropic support. Dr. Swiezy has served as a board member and committee member to a number of hospital and community organizations. She is an editorial board member of the peer-reviewed journal, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dr. Swiezy presents and publishes widely in the area of autism and the development of the HANDS program. She has recently been awarded NIH grant funding as the PI for a multisite RO1 to study effects of a manualized parent training program for which she helped conceptualize and author. The HANDS program has also recently been awarded a grant as the Indiana (Autism) Resource Center for the Indiana Resource Network from the Indiana Department of Education. This latter grant will enable the HANDS program, under direction of Dr. Swiezy, to expand foundational programming in facilitating bridging of various systems and growing of local capacity and sustainability across the state of Indiana.