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Behavior Services
Now accepting NV Medicaid!
Behavioral & Developmental Assessments
Functional Behavior Assessment
All behavior supports begin with an assessment to help individualize services. For children with behaviors of concern, a functional behavior assessment (FBA) will be completed. An FBA allows us to determine the purpose of the behavior, rank their priorities and goals, identify any skill deficits, and examine environmental variables, prior to making any recommendations regarding interventions and treatment planning. A comprehensive FBA includes reviews of the child's records, standardized measures, rating scales, interviews, and more. Detailed observations in the setting where the behavior usually occurs (e.g., home, school, community) are also vital to this process. As such, FBA's often take several weeks to complete (4-6 weeks on average, but can depend on school breaks and availability). They require collecting information from multiple sources to get an accurate idea of the circumstances surrounding the challenging behavior(s).
FBA results are summarized in a formal report with recommendations for next steps. One recommendation may include the development of a behavior support plan (BSP). A BSP is an individualized plan, customized to suit each child's skills, needs, interests, preferences and family system, and is further described below.
Additional Assessments
There are several assessments available depending on your child's age, diagnosis, setting, and referral concern. This list is not exhaustive, but a sample of the tools available to individualize our assessment process for your child and family.
- Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Vineland-3)
- Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS-3)
- Children's Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire (CPFQ)
- Developmental Profile (DP-4)*
- Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE)*
- Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS)
- Preference Assessments
*These assessments are not behavior-analytic in nature and are not covered by the BACB credential.
Behavior Support and Consultation
Behavior Support Plans
Like FBAs, Behavior Support Plans (BSPs) include several components, specific to the person they are written for. These plans serve as a road map for those implementing the plan (e.g., caregivers, teachers, coaches) to follow. Key features include precise behavior definitions, prevention strategies, desired replacement behaviors, skills to teach, how to respond when challenging behavior occurs, and more. Evidence-based interventions are selected based on the purpose of the behavior (evidenced by the FBA), setting, and practicality of the intervention. These plans can include visual supports (e.g., activity schedules, first-then board, choice cards), self-management tools, teaching functional communication, and individualized systems for data collection, among others.
We consider the preferences and capabilities of the family and other team members as we create drafts of the plan before review, final approval, and implementation. We can then provide training, feedback, and support to the people in the child's life who will be using the behavior support plan each day, empowering them with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate challenging behaviors successfully. Since data is at the center of all decision-making, frequent ongoing progress monitoring, data analysis, and graphing will be performed and summarized formally.
Once we develop an initial service plan with individualized goals, we can begin direct services (frequency/structure based on needs) which are comprised of one on one sessions with a licensed BCBA (no RBTs) in the natural environment. Under the guise of play, we will work on acquiring the skills that we need for success. Let's face it, most kids don't want to sit down at a table and do "work." The benefit to is the flexibility to design sessions and programs that work for your family. Services can occur at the park, library, grocery store, school drop off line, and more.
Consultation
Consultation is also available on an ongoing or temporary basis, depending on your needs. These services will look different for each individual and can include individualized discussion, strategies for setting up the environment to promote success, universal supports, attending IEP meetings or parent-teacher conferences, and the like.
Telehealth &
Parent Training
Many of our services can be provided through Telehealth (HIPAA compliant ZOOM platform) depending on the needs and location of your family. Depending on the age of the child and their ability to attend to a Zoom meeting, direct sessions may be appropriate. Regardless of age, we can provide caregiver training to support families with behavioral and academic challenges. Please note that Telehealth is not suitable in all cases.