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Eating dinner together as a family, playing with a sibling, achieving success at school—these are just a few examples of meaningful life experiences that ABA Services can help individuals with autism and those around them work toward.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) stands at the core of all programming at Vista Autism Services. ABA is a science-based methodology that has evolved through years of research to help individuals with autism develop skills and behaviors that are socially significant and meaningful to them in their overall functioning in life.
Vista’s dedicated ABA Services program offers behavioral therapy for individuals ages 12 months to 21 years with a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. It can serve as a stand-alone service or provide additional hours of support outside of other behavioral health programming, such as Vista’s Early Intervention program, The Vista School®, or other community service.
We embed ABA techniques into natural routines and activities throughout the day—at home, school or in the community—to increase the individual’s overall independence and quality of life for them and their family. Areas of focus may include:
Vista’s ABA Services program is an Intensive Behavioral Health Service licensed by the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS). As an IBHS-ABA service provider, Vista adheres to strict regulatory guidelines for clinician credentials and supervision, ensuring highly qualified staff and top-quality care. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst or Behavior Consultant will perform an initial assessment to develop an individualized treatment plan (ITP) and then guide and track progress. The plan includes goals prioritized to individual needs as well as caregiver goals that are worked on throughout a 12-month authorization year. Our clinicians use a variety of evidence-based academic and life skills curricula to teach new skills and replacement behaviors.
ABA therapy proves most effective when interventions can be applied consistently across settings and all members of the individual’s care team are active participants in the treatment plan. We train families, school personnel, and other important care figures to make sure skills generalize across all environments. Individualized one-on-one training for caregivers aims to give them the tools necessary to effectively support the individual with autism to the point where ABA Services can be faded.
Vista’s ABA Services program operates in select areas of the following counties throughout South Central Pennsylvania. Please contact us for more details about current availability in your region.
Initiating services begins with a written order from an IBHS licensed prescriber, such as a pediatrician or psychiatrist. The written order is a psychiatric evaluation completed within the past year that provides recommendations for the number of service hours per month an individual should receive and locations where support is needed. Vista can provide helpful guidance as you begin, including recommending evaluators to work with, providing input on the recommended hours, and ensuring the written order meets all the necessary requirements. Once Vista receives the written order and determines if we can support the request, a 30-day assessment period will begin followed by the development and approval of an Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP). Once the ITP and written order are approved from insurance and MCO providers for medical necessity, the services can begin.
Additional ABA-based programs for children and young adults