A successful ABA therapy sessions includes many elements, including a warm up portion at the beginning, time dedicated to activities focused on making progress on goals in a child’s treatment plan, and a cool down portion for a smooth transition at the conclusion of a session. Our sessions typically last 3 to 3.5 hours, occasionally reaching 4 hours. Learners can do two sessions back to back in-home or at Kuska; however, in this case we would have two different individuals providing direct therapy, one for each session.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is based on radical behaviorism, which is a science that seeks to understand the behavior of people and how their environment(s) affects these behaviors. It is deemed “radical” because unlike methodological behaviorism where what is observable by others is the only behavior of concern; in ABA, we also recognize the value of understanding the effects of the inner thoughts and feelings of a person as well as the behaviors they engage in that can be observed. Thus, ABA utilizes scientific methods and approved and proven teaching strategies to teach learners a variety of new skills that will directly benefit their ability to navigate their world and reach their full potential. We do this by ensuring a positive learning environment, by working on goals that are prioritized by you and by the client, using data to inform our decisions, and by capitalizing on what motivates every learner.

ABA is meant to be tailored to the individual so while a younger learner’s sessions will implement lots of play and activities, an older learner or adult will have sessions that may implement learning about one’s values and how to engage in behaviors to be in line with those values (known as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) or they may work exclusively on daily living skills and coping skills, etc.

No! ABA encompasses all of human behavior and has been applied to a variety of other settings and populations– not just children and not just children or persons with autism. While Kuska Autism Services currently has a primary focus working with early intervention children, we also are currently serving adolescents and adults. If you are an adult seeking services, please give us a call to further discuss your needs and our ability to address those needs.

RBT stands for “Registered Behavior Technician.” These providers are the ones who will be working most closely with each client on a daily or weekly basis, running the treatment plan written and dictated by the BCBA. BCBA stands for “Board Certified Behavior Analyst.” These clinicians are the supervisors overseeing RBTs, ensuring that the treatment plan is being carried out accordingly, analyzing the data and progress of every client, and adjusting teaching methods as needed.

BCBAs will also provide parent training, can attend IEP meetings with the parent present, collaborate with each child’s treatment team, and provide training to RBTs as needed on an ongoing basis. A master’s degree and a comprehensive examination for licensing is required to be a BCBA, while a minimum 40 hour training and comprehensive exam is required to become an RBT along with ongoing supervision and ongoing training for both positions.  Plan to see your RBT daily or consistently throughout the week (depending on the ABA schedule recommended) while your BCBA will come to your home or to supervise the RBT in-clinic once per week to every other week. 

The short answer: it’s up to you! We require that a caregiver at least 18 years or older be on the premises at all times during ABA sessions in-home. You are welcome to observe, relax in the other room, or even participate in a session when it is appropriate to do so.

Assessments usually take about 8-10 hours each and are broken into three parts. The first part is the initial assessment completed with your child. This part is run by a BCBA and sometimes an assisting RBT and should take about 2-4 hours, depending on your child’s abilities. The child will receive short breaks to alleviate the stress of going through the assessment and the BCBA will use items inside the home or clinic as well as their own materials (e.g., flashcards, toys, and tests) to assess the child’s skills. The second part of the assessment is the parent interview, where the BCBA will ask the parent a number of questions pertaining to areas of concern, medications, behaviors, other treatments and diagnoses, etc.

These two parts usually happen within the same appointment, sometimes one happening before the other, sometimes vice versa. The final part of the assessment is the analysis of the results from the assessment(s) administered and the creation of the treatment plan. The BCBA will compile all of the information received to write out a detailed treatment plan (about 20+ pages long) with their recommended dosage of hours per week, recommended goals, details of the assessments, discharge criteria, and an outline of the overall profile of the client. This part of the assessment process will take up the rest of the assessment time (about 4 hours). Parents will receive a copy and, once finalized, a copy will be sent to your insurance to request coverage. Wait times to begin sessions after the initial assessment is completed will vary depending on each insurance. This process of assessment will be repeated every six months to report and remain accountable to payors, to request continued services as needed, and to continue to track progress

No, ABA is made to be a temporary service. Our whole goal is to set each child or client and family up for independence! Once our clients have met their goals, have met their specific discharge criteria, and caregivers have the skills they need to feel confident moving forward, clients are able to graduate from ABA. On average, clients tend to stay in ABA anywhere from 2- 5 years (with variability). This time depends entirely on the specific needs of every client. Note, if your child does graduate from ABA, they are eligible to start services again if new concerns present themselves.

We regularly evaluate your child’s progress and if something isn’t working, we will adjust to get on a path that does work. As with any medically necessary treatment, while we can’t guarantee anything, ABA is a powerful science with a strong track record for success. We also will work closely with you as parents to help ensure you are receiving the highest quality of treatment to give your child every chance for success possible. It is further important to note that “full potential” looks different for each child; individual treatment and focus is part of what makes ABA therapy special. Our goal is to help them live as independently as possible and increase social, verbal and emotional stability.