Tiered Supports

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services can be used to support classroom teachers in developing group behavior intervention plans and support overall classroom management. In these instances, the BCBA will work directly with the classroom teacher to identify behavioral goals, collect data prior to implementation, develop the intervention to be utilized, and measure the effectiveness. The BCBA will provide feedback to the teacher on the implementation and will regularly assess the acceptability of the intervention.

We also provide trainings to teachers and paraprofessionals in order to strengthen overall understanding of and support for students with Autism and the basic principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. These trainings can be made available in person, online, or asynchronously as a remote course.

ABA services may be utilized as appropriate to strengthen social skills for students with identified social skills deficits. Appropriate targets may include turn-taking, communication skills, compromising with peers, utilizing appropriate coping skills when frustrated, following directions in a small group setting, etc.

Small group ABA services may be offered in conjunction with other services.

ABA services are appropriate for individual students who are exhibiting an excess of inappropriate behavior (e.g. tantrums, property destruction, calling out in class, elopement, abusive verbal behavior with peers/staff, etc.) as well as those with skill deficits that directly impact their ability to participate in group instruction (e.g. student is nonverbal without a means of communicating wants/needs, student does not attend to instruction and is frequently out of seat / off task, student is not yet toilet trained, student requires frequent additional visual or verbal prompting to follow a classroom schedule). ABA services are deemed medically necessary and reimbursable by Medicaid when they are delivered to students with an ASD diagnosis in order to lessen or improve the impact of symptoms related to Autism for that individual.

 ABA services are not intended to replace other services provided in school or other settings. A student’s Individual Treatment Plan  (ITP) must document that services coordinate with, but do not include or replace, special education and related services defined in the person's individualized education plan (IEP) or 504, when the service is available under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, United States Code, title 20, chapter 33, through a local education agency.