Why Consider Hybrid Center Based Services?
Parents often initially request in-home ABA sessions. They share that there are logistical and travel concerns that require some problem solving. However, most parents quickly see that the benefits of starting an ABA program in the clinic or adding time at the clinic are significant and the logistical obstacles in running a brand new and effective program in the home may initially far out-weigh other obstacles. Parents see that their child's Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) and Behavior Analyst can control the environment and provide effective reinforcement that leads to rapid skill acquisition and want their children to be in the best possible learning environment.
We also provide fine motor/manipulative and gross motor activities, curriculum items, assessment tools, thousands of reinforcing toys and sensory reinforcers based on his/her motivation. This usually is not possible to maintain in a home setting unless you live at Toys R Us or have a large amount of money to spend throughout the year on a constantly evolving collection of therapeutic toys! When kids come to our clinic they often love it and don't want to leave! We are able to provide a framework of structured and varied activities so kids don't get bored with toys and can maximize the potential of each interaction. At our Rancho Bernardo location, we are located right on Webb Park where we can take your child out for movement breaks and gross motor play that allows them to recharge and refocus for more effective treatment.
We also are able to match up our staff with your child's needs and personality to create a tight knit group treatment team. At our clinic we are usually available to accommodate and cover sessions quickly in the event of absence or illness, decreasing the cancellation of sessions due to staff illness or time off. This means more consistent treatment for your child.
When a child has had a history of problem behavior in the home there are often signals in the home that cue your child that problem behavior may result in getting them what they want. Starting at the clinic is like giving your child a fresh start! Everyone at the clinic is highly trained in natural environment behavior analytic principles including ESDM, JASPER, and PRT as well as other specific modalities of ABA that ensure effective practice. Although problem behavior will still occur in the clinic we are very diligent in making sure that there are not signals in the clinic that will result in availability as a result of problem behavior.
When a child is starting out in an ABA program, it can be helpful to have his/her Licensed or Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) supervisor available for as much of the session as possible. Home sessions, by their nature involve less of this time. At our clinic we have our supervisors on-site; that means that they can jump in and provide feedback to the masters level RBTs when things need to change on a moment's notice. Or the BCBA can see quickly that an intervention is not working, and make changes quickly. In addition, it allows your child's BCBA to work 1:1 with your child and be available for additional parent training. These points are important as they often allow your child's program to move along faster- and initial mastery of targets occurs more rapidly. We understand how precious every moment is to your family.
Once your child is acquiring skills it may be necessary to generalize the skills learned to other environments and people. This could be the time that well planned transition into mostly or just in - home session rather than the initial hybrid model. We do not consider skills mastered until a child can demonstrate them in the natural environment. However, before that happens we want to ensure that you are well-equipped with the right tools in your toolkit. In order to maintain the consistency, and apply the behavioral contingencies your child has experienced in the clinic, completion of parent training is very important. This will ensure the same consistency that was being provided in the clinic will be implemented at home.
Another reason that maintaining some in home sessions is important is when teaching functional self-help and personal independence type skills is a priority in your child's program. The best place to teach these skills is often in the natural environment of your home.
We do not suggest only clinic based services, but a hybrid format to balance the benefits of both treatment delivery formats and help launch your child successfully as smoothly and quickly as possible. We will offer suggestions on how to control valuable items in the home and to ensure that free access is not available. We will help you determine what reinforcers are and how to help your child stay motivated for them. Successfully arranging the environment requires careful planning and organization.
Collaboration is integral part of our philosophy. We value your input as parents as well as that of other allied healthcare providers you are working with such as Speech, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Psychiatry, Psychology services, and of course your child's primary care physician. We work as a team to make recommendations on behalf of your child that help facilitate the best possible progress and integration.