NMU holds dedication ceremony for new BEAR Center

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - A Northern Michigan University center that provides therapy for kids with developmental and intellectual disabilities celebrated a milestone Thursday.

NMU’s Behavior Education Assessment and Research (BEAR) Center held a ribbon cutting to celebrate its new location.

We told you in April that the center moved from a space at NMU’s Public Safety building to a new location on Presque Isle Avenue. The clinic offers applied behavior analysis and therapy to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Director Dr. Jacob Daar says the dedication marks an important milestone.

“Today’s dedication is really about celebrating all of those efforts all the way from the foundation and the administration that helped to make it possible to the students and staff who work here the design team who helped to build the building and really about the actualization of a goal that we have to create a learning environment for students that gives them Hands-On training while they’re in school,” Daar said.

Daar says the center not only provides essential services but also important educational experiences for students.

“We are working hard to increase that workforce capacity and the availability of services,” Daar said. “So, I think that one of the biggest outcomes is that the availability and community of services are very different and thus the experience of individuals with these sorts of difficulties and disabilities have a much better chance at a higher quality of life in the U.P.”

BEAR Center Registered Behavior Technician and Graduate Research Assistant Zoe Broadus says she is thankful for the education the center provides.

“I moved 2,000 miles to be here. I’m from Seattle. I was looking very specifically for a place that would allow me the opportunity to have these experiences,” Broadus said.

Daar says he would eventually like to increase services to include adults and partner with more community organizations and schools.