Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the form of Behavioral Therapy that ABSI provides for Autism. Each therapy program is tailored to the client. The ultimate goal of this therapy is that the client will be able to generalize what they’ve learned across multiple environments. ABA is a way to manage behaviors so that people can engage more positively in their environments, while managing the challenging behaviors that might create issues for them. For many ABA Therapy can be profound and life-changing.

Once your child receives a diagnosis they can access ABA services by receiving a referral from their doctor. The next step is to request a list of providers from your health plan and always check to see if Autism Behavior Services is available. When checking for ABA services, have a list of questions to ask each provider with questions such as: Are all of your behavior technicians and autism specialists certified? You can check on the public registry to ensure that the individuals treating your child are certified. Should you have further questions please reach out to ABSI via our website or call 1(855) 581-0100.

Early intervention with ABA therapy is considered to be crucial to a person’s overall growth. When people are young so much about who they are is still being formed. They haven’t yet developed challenging behaviors that have been in place for a number of years. By starting therapy as soon as possible, a person will generally be more malleable to the various therapy techniques that ABA employs. While a rise in certain behaviors may start (this is known as a spike) when ABA therapy is introduced, over time people and families see the benefit of intervening early. This process often starts with an intense therapy schedule, however, as people acquire more skills the therapy eventually scales back.

An Autism Behavior Specialist is someone who works with people on the Autism Spectrum. An individual that specializes in care of autism should be certified or licensed in ABA with a specialization in autism. The certifications a behavioral specialist should hold are one of the following: BCBA, BCaBA, QBA, or QASP S. The certified practitioner puts together a series of programs that allow the person to manage their challenging behaviors and gain new skills so that they can be as functional as possible in their communities.

Just as every need is different, so is every provider of ABA services. Some questions to ask are what is your company’s philosophy on Autism? What are some assessments you conduct to determine what my child needs? What kind of training does your staff have? Do your Autism Specialists also work with my child’s school and other service providers? Does your company use evidence based practices? There are many questions to answer when interviewing potential service providers. When you can align your needs with what a provider offers that will create an environment with the best outcomes for everyone.