Autism Services

The Autism Waiver service includes Parent Support and Training (Peer to Peer). This service provides support, coaching, and training to family members to increase their ability to provide a safe and supportive environment in the home and community for the child aged 0-5.  We offer assistance with the following:

• Gaining knowledge and skills about autism
• Identifying and using healthy coping strategies to decrease caregiver strain
• Improving relationships with family, peers and community members
• Increasing social supports
• Developing the family’s specific problem-solving skills, coping mechanisms, and strategies for the child’s symptom and behavior management.
• Providing information on supportive resources in the community.

The Autism State Plan service includes Applied Behavioral Analysis (also known as ABA) therapy under an Autism Specialist and support staff.  ABA is a type of therapy that can improve social, communication and learning skills through positive reinforcement.  Working with the Autism Specialist means focusing on improving behavioral challenges related to the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with the following:

• Teaching skills to help the family and paid support staff or other professionals with meeting the needs of the child with ASD.
• Assessing the child and family’s strengths and needs
• Developing the Individual Behavior Plan/Plan of Care (IBP/POC)
• Coordinating services
• Providing training and technical assistance
• Monitoring the child’s progress within the program.

Support staff assist in acquiring, retaining, improving, and generalizing skills needed to successfully function in their home and community under supervision of Autism Specialist.