ABA Therapy
We know that ABA Therapy has a bad reputation from years of being used as a method to suppress natural and harmless autistic traits. At APL, we root our care in carving a better path forward and are proud to be part of the ABA reform movement.
At its core, applied behavior analysis is the science of behaviorism (i.e., the science of how all living organisms learn) applied to socially significant behavior. It’s a science of proven concepts that explain how we learn. As a result, our care is reflective of our core values and doesn’t seek to cure or treat autism. We do not train for compliance, we train for problem solving, social awareness and conflict resolution. We want to see our students thriving, making gains, and accessing new environments, skills and opportunities.
When you walk the halls of APL, you'll witness stimming, flexible seating and movement, and a variety of communication styles while our students are attending their school day, and we love that about our community.
Overview of Services
Our Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services are specifically tailored to each student to focus on building skills that will have a meaningful impact on their ability to meet their personal goals, participate with their peers as independently and effectively as possible, and include students’ voices throughout the process.
During the school day, the Roots Clinic simultaneously embeds learning and skill development opportunities to promote better attending, communication and self-advocacy, emotional and behavioral regulation, social relationship building, and independence with navigating the learning environment.
Because our goal is to embed every possible learning opportunity into the school day, we place a high priority on coordination of care, including parent education and collaboration with other providers on the student’s team both inside and outside our walls.
The Roots Clinic at APL is licensed by the Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health Resources as a Licensed Behavioral Health Agency to deliver ABA services.