Understanding The Process | ABA Therapy

Applied Behavior Analysis, also known as ABA Therapy, is an evidence-based therapy that uses principles of behavior and motivation to make socially significant and meaningful changes in overall behavior of the individual. 

With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affecting social, emotional, and communication skills, ABA Therapy is beneficial because of the use of positive reinforcement associated with the learning milestones a child will acquire. Positive reinforcement is used to reinforce your child's skills that are taught by breaking the ultimate behavior  down into small, easier-to-learn steps. 

Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) is therapy based on the principles of ABA Therapy, and is provided to clients between 1.5 to 5 years of age. Life Skills Autism Academy has built our entire program around EIBI. 

At Life Skills Autism Academy, our mission is to help children with autism write their own success stories. Our commitment to success for our families is fundamentally built into our process of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, but starts before services have even begun for your family. There are 5 typical steps in order for your child to receive ABA Therapy, and we can help you navigate this process and support you along the way

Step 1: Screening

A screening, like the M-Chat, can help identify the likelihood that your child may have autism and is commonly used by Pediatricians. The M-Chat, short for The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, is a screener tool used to help determine if behaviors your child is showing could indicate that your child has autism. 

Tools like the M-Chat are not a formal diagnosis and should be used in conjunction with a formal diagnosis appointment. At Life Skills Autism Academy, we will work with you to help locate and schedule a diagnostic evaluation and keep in contact with you every step of the way. 

Step 2: Diagnosis

While working with a pediatrician or licensed psychologist to provide a formal diagnosis, your child will complete a diagnostic test to determine if there is an official diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

Autism is a Spectrum Disorder, which means that it affects each child differently. Every child has a unique set of characteristics, and each child's ability to communicate, process, socialize, and manage behavior will vary. This is why consulting a professional to determine the proper diagnosis is required to enroll in our ABA Therapy programs. 

Step 3: Insurance Navigation

 Each state payer and  insurance company may have their own age limits and requirements for approved services. Therefore, we will work with the insurance provider to verify if coverage is provided. We also will help submit all necessary paperwork to obtain an authorization from the provider to receive ABA therapy as a covered benefit. 

If your insurance does not fully cover the cost of therapy services, we have trained professionals to help guide you and create a payment plan to assist with the difference. Once the proper paperwork is obtained, we will work side-by-side with you to have an assessment scheduled as quickly as possible. 

Step 4: Assessment

 ABA Therapy is a ‘dose-dependent' therapy and is calculated by running a series of tests to determine the therapy level recommendation. To determine the appropriate amount of therapy hours, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will meet with your and your child in one of our centers to complete an assessment to determine the therapy regimen recommendation. This is often referred to as the ‘treatment dosage'.

Step 5: Treatment Planning

Once your insurance provider approves the assessment and therapy hours, our BCBA will discuss an individualized, child-centric treatment plan. This plan is uniquely centered around the needs of your child and your family's goals for treatment. Sessions are on average scheduled for 8 hours and will be held at one of our center locations with a Behavior Technician (BT) fulfilling the sessions with your child.