FAQ

How much therapy should my child get?

Therapy recommendations will be made by your doctor and BCBA based upon your child’s individual goals and development. For a young child diagnosed with ASD, best practices recommend receiving 25 to 40 hours per week of intense, comprehensive ABA. Many children receive related services such as Speech, Occupational Therapy, Feeding Therapy, and Physical Therapy. In addition, your child may attend preschool. Pieces Early Learning recommends children receive 15-25 hours per week of in-home ABA in addition to your child's other related services. As your child gets older, 10-12 hours may be appropriate depending on their skill level. Hours generally decrease as the client progresses in independence and generalizes behavioral changes to other critical settings. 25 to 40 hours of therapy may sound like a lot for a young child, but studies have suggested that the brain’s plasticity is the highest between age 1 and 10 and that the more therapy a child can get at that age, the better.

How do I pay for Aba services?

Pieces Early Learning accepts private pay, Medicaid, and commercial insurance plans.

Currently Pieces is in network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caresource, Cigna, Medical Mutual, and United Healthcare.

Who is a BCBA and why do I need one?

A Board Certified Behavior Analyst is a trained behavior analyst who holds a masters degree in behavior therapy and has passed the national BCBA board certification examination. A BCBA conducts behavioral assessments and provides behavior analytic interpretations of the results. Additionally, a BCBA designs and supervises your child's treatment plan. The BCBA teaches others including parents to carry out ethical and effective behavior analytic interventions based on published research and designs and delivers instruction in behavior analysis.
During home and community based therapy sessions, BCBAs supervise the work of behavior therapists to assure that effective interventions are being performed, appropriate methodologies are being used, and progress is being made. By having a BCBA, you are assuring that your ABA program is professionally designed and managed.

What will it be like having people in my home?

Our staff is here to support YOUR CHILD and YOUR FAMILY. Children often behave differently at home and that is why it is so important to have ABA sessions at home. This way we can help your child work on issues that affect your family the most, as well as self-help skills that may not be possible to work on in a school setting. We only require a small space to work with your child. We will typically use toys and objects that you already have and that your child are familiar with. No need to buy anything new. We will supply specific materials when a program requires them. We are not judging your housekeeping skills, décor, or clothing style. We want you to feel relaxed and comfortable every step of the way with the Pieces Early Learning team.

Is a parent required to be part of an in-home ABA session

We require an adult to be home during therapy sessions. This could be a parent, grandparent, or other responsible adult (over 18) such as a babysitter. With the exception of scheduled family training sessions, the adult should feel free to do whatever they would normally do at home during this time. Families are always welcome to observe sessions and we know that siblings often will pop in an out of the room. Sometimes kids have a hard time focusing on new skills when their parents are around so we may ask to work in a separate room at times.

Who will be working with my child?

Daily services are provided by an RBT:
The Registered Behavior Technician® (RBT®) is a paraprofessional certification in behavior analysis. RBTs assist in delivering behavior analysis services and practice under the direction and close supervision of an RBT Supervisor and/or an RBT Requirements Coordinator, who are responsible for all work RBTs perform. At Pieces Early Learning each RBT has or is working toward a college or masters level degree in a psychology or education related field. This helps to ensure that all staff are motivated towards professional development and continual improvement.

Weekly supervision, assessments, program development, and caregiver training are provided by a BCBA:
The Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) is a graduate-level certification in behavior analysis. Professionals certified at the BCBA level are independent practitioners who provide behavior-analytic services. At Pieces Early Learning, our BCBAs are dually certified in education and behavior analysis.

Does my child have to have a formal autism diagnosis to get treatment?

Children are not required to have a diagnosis for treatment but do need a formal diagnosis of Autism in order to receive coverage from insurance providers.

What are the benefits of in-home ABA for my Family?

One of the biggest benefits is that by having a trained professional provide therapy to a child at home, is parents and other family members can actively participate during the sessions. In-home ABA therapy fosters open communication between the parents and the therapist. Therapists can work on social skills with the child and their family members; while observing parent behavior and give data-based feedback to them on how they are progressing when working with their child. Primary care takers are required to participate in parent education sessions monthly, but more frequent participation is encouraged! Additional family members and caregivers are always welcome to participate as research as shown that consistent implementation of ABA techniques across environments leads to better generalization of skills and long-term success for the child.

How many hours of ABA will my child receive?

The numbers of hours recommended will depend on your child's individual needs.

At Pieces Early Learning sessions are 2.5-3 hours each. On average, preschool age clients receive 3 hours of ABA 4 or 5 days per week and school age clients receive 2.5 hours 2 or 3 days per week.

Frequently Asked Questions

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