For Dr. Chelsea Taylor, LPC, NCC, the path to becoming a leader in early childhood mental health began at Faulkner University.
Taylor, a Montgomery native, earned her Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology and her Master of Science in Counseling from Faulkner, later completing a Master of Philosophy and a Doctor of Philosophy in Developmental Psychology at Walden University. Her doctoral dissertation, Parent’s Perceptions of Hardships Associated With Transitioning Their Child With Disabilities From Early Intervention to the Local Education Agency, was published in January 2024.
She returned to campus for the 2025 Marketplace Faith Friday Forums where she was honored as the Distinguished Alumna for the Alabama Christian College of Arts and Science’s Social and Behavioral Sciences department.
Taylor’s career has been dedicated to working with children and adolescents who have developmental disabilities and mental health diagnoses. She began as a special instructor and service coordinator with the Alabama Early Intervention System, where she discovered her passion for working with young children.
After becoming a licensed professional counselor, Taylor worked in private practice under the supervision of a psychologist, providing psychological assessments and treatment for children ages 2 to 18. During this time, she refined her skills in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder and developed strategies to help parents better support their children at home.
Taylor then served as an Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant for the Alabama Department of Mental Health. In this role, she provided mental health consultation and trauma-based interventions in Alabama’s First Class Pre-K, Early Intervention programs, and pediatric offices. She was also a member of Children’s of Alabama’s PATHS (Pediatric Access to Telemental health Services) team, consulting with pediatricians statewide about patients ages birth to 8. In the spring of 2024, she launched a pilot program in a pediatric practice to offer behavioral consultation, possible diagnoses, and treatment recommendations.
Today, Taylor serves as the State Autism Coordinator for the Alabama Department of Mental Health where she oversees and directs autism services in the state of Alabama. She stepped into this new role August 2025 and is looking forward to being able to promote change that will benefit the families and children in Alabama.
Taylor credits her time at Faulkner for shaping both her professional skills and her faith.
“Faulkner provided the space where I was able to not only explore possible career interests, but also grow in an environment where Christ is the foundation,” she said. “The professors at Faulkner are prime examples of how to conduct yourself in any environment while still holding onto the principles of Christ’s teachings. It has allowed me to be in the world but not of the world.”
For Taylor, her accomplishments are a direct result of that foundation.
“All of these accomplishments would not have been possible if not for Christ,” she said.