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If you live in New Jersey and you have a child who has recently been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, you might be wondering where to start to find the appropriate autism services for your child.
Who Provides ABA Therapy Services?
ABA therapy is performed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts, or BCBAs, who specialize in treating autism spectrum disorders. They work with a team of ABA therapists and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), who are also trained and certified. As a team, they create a treatment plan for each child with autism and provided therapy to children by using behavioral techniques to help them understand how to behave appropriately in different situations. Therapists also use teaching methods such as positive reinforcement to encourage desirable behaviors.
These BCBAs and ABA therapists usually work at schools, clinics, hospitals, or other institutions where they provide individualized treatment plans for each child. They also teach parents how to help their children learn new skills, such as speaking, walking, eating, dressing, etc. In general, ABA therapy has been shown to help individuals with autism learn better social skills, increase positive behaviors, and encourage more daily living skills.
How to Know If You’ve Found A Good ABA Therapy Center?
There are several things to look for when choosing a good ABA therapy program.
The Facility
First, you should check out the facility itself. Is it clean and well-maintained? Are the staff friendly and professional? Does the facility offer all the necessary equipment?
Therapist Qualifications
Second, ask about the qualifications of the therapists who work at the facility. Do they hold certifications from reputable organizations such as the National Board of Certified Behavior Analysts? Do the ABA therapists at the center have the proper certifications?
History & Experience
Third, find out how long the facility has been around. While it’s not a bad thing to work with a newer facility, it’s important to be aware of this fact. Ask about their successful cases and their experience so far. Do they have a good quality of care that can be shown from past cases?
Ask Other Parents
Finally, consider asking other parents what they think of the facility. They may provide valuable insight into whether the facility is worth visiting. Since they’ve been in your position before, they should be more than happy to provide their thoughts and share their own experiences!
How Can I Find An ABA Therapy Center Near Me?
Physician Referrals
Starting with your pediatrician is the easiest way to get a referral to autism service providers and specialists serving families who have children with autism spectrum disorders.
Your family pediatrician may refer you to a developmental pediatrician who specializes in autism spectrum disorders. The developmental pediatrician is a great resource, and might even be your best resource for a comprehensive list of specialists who can provide services for your child. Many times, developmental pediatricians work in a hospital setting or with a team of specialists. These specialists work in various areas such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, neurology, psychology, and other fields that are commonly utilized for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
If your pediatrician or developmental pediatrician does not provide good referrals to specialists that will help your family to find autism service providers for your child, there are other resources out there to guide you in your search.
Referral Directories
One of the largest national organizations to consult for information is Autism Speaks. This organization’s website is filled with a vast amount of information from “What is Autism?” to fundraising and partnerships. One of the most useful tools in the midst of all of this valuable information is the search tool for aba services. By accessing the directory and inputting your location, you can easily access a list of aba service providers for autism. This applies to any state, including New Jersey.
At the state level, each state has a department of health registry. This registry tracks current statistics and trends in autism and uses the data to aid in research to help guide families toward early intervention services for autism services. The registry is also used not only to connect families with statewide resources that are available for aba services for autism, educational services, health services, and community resources, but it lists local and county-based health programs as well.
A quick internet search will yield some valuable resources in autism services and ABA services. Some of these resources include a comprehensive list of services in addition to autism services like the Autism New Jersey site which includes links to health, education, human services, workforce development, medical assistance, early intervention, eligibility for developmental disability, and federal assistance with Medicare, Medicaid, and social security.
In 2016, the number of children diagnosed with autism was one out of 54 children (age 8). Since the year 2000, the rate of autism diagnoses has nearly tripled.
The number of supporting organizations for families who have a child or family member with an autism spectrum disorder is also continually growing. Parents of children with ASDs twenty-five years ago had limited access to medical, behavioral, educational, and insurance resources. Now we have options and federally funded programs. Autism advocacy and the field of autism services and applied behavior analysis has come a very long way.
School And Teacher Referrals
One great place to find therapists who offer autism therapy for children is through local schools. Many parents will ask teachers at school about finding someone who specializes in working with kids with autism. ABA therapists often work with schools directly, so your teacher might already be familiar with a nearby agency. If you don’t know where to start looking, contact your child’s teacher and ask them what they recommend.
Does Insurance Cover ABA Therapy?
In general, insurance does cover ABA therapy for children diagnosed with Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, every insurance policy is different, so it’s important to check with your specific provider. Your insurance may have certain requirements in order to meet coverage. The cost of ABA therapy can vary depending on your insurance coverage, your provider, and many other factors.
What is the Best Type of Insurance for ABA Services for Autism?
The best type of insurance to pay for ABA treatment for autism is a preferred provider organization(PPO). In general, a PPO will have more options available for autism-specific therapies that your child will need.
In addition to ABA therapy, there is the possibility that a child with autism spectrum disorder will benefit from speech and occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychiatry, neurology, and other specialties. Some of these are available in the school setting and are covered by the school district. Some therapies aren’t covered at all and could be an out-of-pocket expense. It is always a good idea to call ahead and find out what is covered and what is not covered before starting a course of therapy. Planning ahead and finding the right insurance that covers the specialties that your child with autism will need is good.
Getting ABA Sessions Started!
Of all the services that your child with autism will receive, the most predominant one will be ABA services for autism. ABA services are the most widely accepted form of therapy for autism spectrum disorders. Circle Care Services serves families all over New Jersey.
Circle Care serves families in NJ and Massachusetts
What Circle Care Offers:
- One-to-one applied behavior analysis therapy in your home, in our NJ center or in your daycare.
- All-encompassing compassionate care.
- Customized parent training that supports your long-term and short-term goals.
We take accurate data and monitor your child’s progress carefully along the way to make sure that your child is making positive gains in social, communication, and behavioral skills.
At Circle Care Services we use positive reinforcement to teach your child and keep your child motivated to learn. We do all of this in your child’s own natural environment while keeping therapy sessions playful and fun. We hope to become a part of your family circle here in New Jersey.
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