Hello! We’re glad you’re here. If you’re just joining us, this is Part 3 of a 4-part guide that explores the basics of ABA therapy for parents who’ve recently received an autism diagnosis for their child. (Here are links to Part 1 and Part 2 to catch up or bookmark.)
This installment of our guide introduces you to the process we’ve developed over more than 20 years here at The Behavior Exchange. Our process starts with an initial consultation with your family and happily ends with your child mastering their behavior and skill-acquisition goals.
In general, most center-based ABA therapy providers have similar processes. What may vary is the experience and expertise in supporting you and your child’s need throughout the process. As a Behavioral Health Center of Excellence® with the highest accreditation possible, our quality of care is unsurpassed.
So let’s get on with the topic at hand. Here’s a look at our process for helping children with autism and their families have a brighter future through ABA therapy.
Expert, caring, AND fun ABA therapy!
The Behavior Exchange approach.
Step 1: We invite you to an on-site initial consultation where you meet with our ABA therapy and autism experts to discuss your child’s situation and the potential need for ABA therapy services. You’ll also receive a tour, so you can see the fun and welcoming learning environment we’ve created for families. If you’re in the DFW or Denver areas, you can schedule an initial consultation by emailing buddy@behaviorexchange.com or calling 972.312.8733.
Step 2: We conduct a skills assessment in a one-on-one session with your child to determine the areas and extent of skills training that are needed. We also use the assessment to identify any behavioral barriers that may be keeping your child from learning and reaching their full potential. Like our ABA therapy services, we tailor the assessment to meet your child’s needs.
Step 3: We develop an Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP) for your child. Using what we learn from our initial consultation with you and the assessment of your child, we tailor a highly individualized treatment plan that addresses your child’s specific behavioral deficits and excesses. If your child is school-aged, input from their school is also taken into consideration when developing their ITP.
Step 4: ABA therapy begins. A lot goes on during this time.
- During each ABA therapy session with your child, our trained and certified therapy staff collects extensive data on the progress your child makes with the skills we’ve targeted for them to learn and the challenging behaviors we’ve targeted for reduction. Your child’s BCBA will monitor your child’s progress and make adjustments to their plan as needed.
- You receive daily and monthly reporting on your child’s progress. Every day you’ll receive a therapy session report on your child’s progress for that day. We’ll also check-in with you on a monthly basis, providing you with a visual summarization of the graphed data we’ve collected and a progress review to see if your child’s treatment plan needs to be modified.
- You participate in our Parent Training where you’ll learn how to use basic ABA therapy techniques with your child at home and when you’re out in the community. Parent training is an integral part of your child’s success and a necessary component of ABA therapy that is typically covered by insurance. Both group and individual parent training is available here at The Behavior Exchange.
Step 5: We conduct an annual or semi-annual reassessment to evaluate and report your child’s progress as well as make changes to their treatment plan if needed. Most insurance companies require annual or semi-annual assessments.
Step 6: Success! ABA therapy continues until your child can apply or generalize the new skills they’ve learned to a variety of everyday situations. The goal is to fade out extra supports, so your child can be as independent and successful as possible and lead a happy, fulfilling life with family and friends.
Throughout out the entire process, we gladly act as your insurance advocate to ensure your child gets all the medically necessary ABA therapy hours they need and to help you navigate the unique aspects of ABA therapy coverage.
For more information and to get started at The Behavior Exchange, email buddy@behaviorexchange.com or call 912. 317.8733. We’re here to help.
Watch this space next week for the final part of our guide, a quick reference glossary to help you better understand the lingo of ABA therapy. If you haven’t guessed already, we like our acronyms!
