On Thursday, November 16, Dr. Carley Starling, Clinical Director of the Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic in Grand Island, was awarded the Education Rights Counsel’s Ambassador for Youth Rights Award. This accolade is presented to an individual or family that advances children’s educational rights throughout the state of Nebraska.
For more than 20 years Dr. Starling has been advocating for the rights of children and families as a foster parent, sign language interpreter, board certified applied behavior analyst and now as a psychologist. Prior to coming to Nebraska, Dr. Starling spent 15 years in Colorado where she assisted with the development of successful autism clinics not only in Colorado, but also in Hawaii and Kansas. Additionally, she worked with soldiers in a partial hospitalization program and at the Colorado Mental Health Hospital, overseeing a unit of patients who were classified as “too dangerous to treat.” Dr. Starling has volunteered her time in numerous ways through her church, the international association of fire fighters, and has sat on a non-profit health and human rights board. She is passionate about not only changing the lives of individuals and families but making institutional changes for the betterment of everyone.
Her dedication to advocating for children and ensuring their access to a free and suitable public education plays a pivotal role in driving systemic changes for families in greater Nebraska.
Congratulations Dr. Starling! Thank you for all you do!