Frequently Asked Questions
Tell me more about GOALS For Autism, Inc.- GOALS for Autism was founded in 2009 by Adryon Ketcham with the vision of increasing the quality of life for families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders
and other special needs. GOALS For Autism focuses not just on the child or adult with special needs, but the whole family.
What is ABA?- ABA is well-researched and one of the most customary treatment options for children with autism and related disorders. We will design your program specific
to your child, and your child’s progress will be frequently analyzed and adjusted by our staff.
Additionally, our ABA services include prompting positive behavior, teaching appropriate replacement skills for non-preferred behavior, and managing consequences
(both positive and negative) to behaviors. All of which are inclusive in using the following methodologies for many of our customized (to your child) ABA programs:
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Discrete Trial Training (DTT), Pivotal Response Training (PRT), and Social Skills Training.
What is the process for getting service?- If you are interested in services please contact
intake@goalsforautism.com
What funding sources do you accept?- United Behavioral Health/Optum
Magellan
Blue Shield of CA (and all other national Blue Shield Affiliates)
Anthem Blue Cross
Value Options
Health Net
Kaiser
Cigna
Aetna
Regional Center of the East Bay
Autism Treatment Assistance Project (ATAP)
Don’t see your funding source or insurance company listed?
Contact us, we will be happy to work with you!
What kind of Methodologies does GOALS For Autism, Inc. use?- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
Pivotal Response Training (PRT)
Social Skills Training
What is ABA like?- We hear this question a lot, so we took to the “streets” and asked two families what is ABA like for you? Here are their answers:
“Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and its various brethren Verbal Behavior
(VB), Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) have been life altering, in fact, I
would say they have given us a life. Our son is 13 years old. He was
diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay at 20 mos old and later put on the
Autism Spectrum when he was 5. Personally, we are huge believers that
Autism is a complex neurological, biological disability that requires a
holistic approach based on a careful integrated combination of speech
therapy, occupational therapy (for fine motor development, fine motor
processing and planning), sensory integration therapy, physical therapy (for
gross motor development and gross motor processing and planning), academic,
behavioral and social interventions all integrated through an applied
behavioral analysis (ABA)-based approach.
ABA is a method of breaking down, taking data and analyzing information to
empirically understand what is working and what is not working and how to
incentivize the individual to participate. Everyone needs an incentive -
you go to work to get paid, you get good grades for succeeding in school.
Those are all examples of reinforcers. Through ABA, we have been able to
understand what drives our son to learn, to speak, to potty train, to read,
to communicate, to go to a new restaurant, to travel, and to get an
education.
When our son was 5, my husband and I looked at each other and we knew we
were in sync as to how to parent our neurotypical child; but we were clearly
lost when it came to our Autistic child. What could we reasonable expect
from him and what were the rules? Things were getting out of hand with his
behaviors at the time. Despite the misplaced negatives we'd heard about
Applied Behavioral Analysis - it makes kids robotic, do you want an
Automaton? -- or comments that our son was "too here to be Autistic" or
"he's too present", we finally went in search of an ABA agency. Our first
was far from our best, but even then, it was the first time we could see
progress in our son due to his ABA program. Not all agencies are created
equal - parents should find good, intuitive and well trained groups that
they like and are a good fit for their family. For us, after 4 schools, our
son was not potty trained at age 6, no one was able to help control his
screams or meltdowns, and he had years of night terrors. With the ABA
agencies, we found help. Within 6 months of a team that really worked, our
son was fully potty trained and had gone from three word utterances to
increasing to full sentences. Within a year, he was reading.
ABA gives us the ability to take data and analyze everything. We even tried
the Gluten Free / Casein Free diet for a year. We took data on the
reintroduction and discovered, hey, even though we had thought or hoped we
had noticed a difference, there really wasn't a difference - saving us
hundreds of dollars in an expensive speciality diet that was seemingly only
a punishment for our son and not of any benefit for him. ABA works and has
made a tremendous difference to our son's life and to our lives.”
From another parent…
When an ABA program starts in your home you are most likely nervous and skeptical.
And it is off-putting to have a stranger in your home. Your child may be resistant
to have to do "work". As parents our first instinct is to make sure our child is
not being rude to the behaviorist as a guest in our home. As tempting as it is to
interfere, you shouldn't. The behaviorists are professionals and they know how to
work hard at re-directing your child. Don't hesitate to run errands as you usually
would. The behaviorists can give you excellent insight into tackling adverse behavior
in public settings.
