About BACF

Behavioral Associates of Central Florida, Inc. was founded in 2005 by Dr. Maria R. Ruiz after her providing over 25 years of psychological, behavioral, and consulting services to the Central Florida community. Dr. Ruiz created BACF to address the community's growing need in Central Florida for comprehensive behavioral health services through integrated psychological, mental health, family, and behavioral programs.

About the Clinical Director

Dr. Maria R. Ruiz is a  licensed psychologist and  board certified behavior analyst and has provided clinical services to the Central Florida community for nearly twenty-five years.  As a private practitioner and consultant Dr. Ruiz has worked with children and adults as well as families with a focus on  providing  integrated services for her clients.  Integrated services may require, for example, behavioral treatment for the child and coordinated couples therapy for the parents. In order to integrate services under one organizational umbrella, Dr. Ruiz created Behavioral Associates of Central Florida, Inc. which  brings together professional associates who can  provide specialized services.

Dr. Ruiz received her Doctorate in Psychology from the University of Florida (1982) and was a Post Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry, in the School of Medicine of Johns Hopkins University (1984-1985).  In addition to her private practice and consulting work Dr. Ruiz is full of  professor of Psychology at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida, where she has taught since since 1980 and served as chair of the Psychology Department for 6 years.

Dr. Ruiz combines her passion for teaching and clinical work in parent training groups, staff training programs and professional  workshops.

About Dr. Monica King

Dr. King received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. She is a licensed psychologist. Dr. King is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Florida Psychological Association. She provides comprehensive psychological and psychoeducational evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults. She conducts Exceptional Student Education (ESE) evaluations that include academic testing and recommendations for ADHD, Learning Disorders, and Gifted students. Dr. King leads group therapy for children of divorced parents. She specializes in therapy for children, adolescents, and adults for issues including:

• Couples Therapy
• Family Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Behavior Modification
• Parent Training
• Abuse/Trauma Issues
• Adjustment Issues
• Anger Management Training
• Anxiety
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Depression/Bipolar Disorder
• Separation/Divorce Issues
• Social Skills Training

About the Director of Behavioral Services

Stacy Taylor, MA, B.C.B.A. received her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rollins College and completed her Masters degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Central Florida.  For over 10 years, she has worked to provide services for children with developmental disabilities and behavioral challenges.  She has served as director for 2 behavioral early intervention programs and currently works as the Director of Behavioral Services for Behavioral Associates of Central Florida (BACF).  Mrs. Taylor has worked in a variety of settings including clinics, schools, and homes.  In addition to providing 1:1 treatment to children, she has also provided training and consultation to parents, teachers, therapists and agencies.  She has spoken at numerous conferences across Central Florida on behavioral treatment and has volunteered her time for more than 5 years to serve as a behavioral resource for families at the Down Syndrome and Autism Clinics held at the Howard Philips Center for Children and Families.  As an adjunct faculty member at Rollins College, Mrs. Taylor teaches bachelors level courses in learning and behavior and serves as an internship site to help students gain real-world treatment experience.

About the Associates

BACF's associates are Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, and Board Certified Behavior Analysts. Their years of experience enable them to provide individualized, goal-oriented programs to address your clinical requirements. BACF's staff will ensure you are seen by the person best suited to work with your specific requirements.