With autism prevalence rising nationally, Centria Autism is providing more Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for children on the autism spectrum in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area than ever before.
Centria Autism is focused on providing mental health behavioral services to the underserved Dallas/Fort Worth community, by providing one-on-one ABA therapy to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the comfort of their own homes.
The Centria Autism Advantage in Dallas, Texas
If parents have not yet received a diagnosis but have concerns, sometimes knowing what the first step is to take can be its own battle. After an autism diagnosis, navigating through the insurance system to find financial coverage for services can be extremely frustrating.
Centria Autism has an entire team of specialists dedicated to handling these concerns and others at no charge to parents or guardians. Our team of specialists has in-depth knowledge of the step-by-step process from behavioral concerns to diagnosis, from ASD assessment to insurance authorization and into high-quality ABA therapy. We are here to support individuals navigate through the complex and often confusing process. We’ll work hand-in-hand with individuals and insurance companies to validate coverage and initiate benefit.
Centria Autism Navigates Insurance Process
Once service is scheduled, our families are essential to our approach to therapy—they are part of a team of behavioral support that includes a Behavior Technician (BT), Client Service Manager (CSM), and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
A BT undergoes initial training and remains under the regular supervision of a behavioral health clinician while working one-on-one with each child to encourage positive behaviors and discourage negative behaviors while improving a variety of skills all through positively reinforced therapy. The child’s progress is then tracked and measured within a treatment plan individualized for each child’s needs, such as increased language and/or improved communication, attention, focus, social skills, memory, and academics.
Centria Autism Provides Care Coordination
A CSM provides the whole team’s care coordination services—such as managing insurance coverage claims, scheduling conflicts, and logistics for all service hours performed—which ensures each child’s clinical team is free from all administrative duties to focus solely on the treatment goals of the child.
CSMs are responsible for managing the delivery of in-home and center-based ABA Therapy in Dallas, Texas for children and young adults on the autism spectrum and are fully engaged in the coordinator between the client’s family needs.
A BCBA has both a hands-on role assessing and adjusting a child’s behavior plan based on progress as well as holding a supervisory role to BTs. BCBAs also conduct behavioral testing of the child and surveys of their parents every 6 months during treatment plans.
What’s ABA Therapy Mean to Your Child with Autism?
ABA Therapy for autism is an evidence-based therapy in which behavior modifications are consistently applied and rewarded to make a meaningful change in overall behavior.
During ABA Therapy with Centria’s BTs, skills are broken down into small, easy-to-learn steps. Positive feedback is provided and reinforced by the technician to motivate the child while data is continuously collected to measure the child’s progress and modify their personalized treatment plan. ABA Therapy is the single most effective treatment for children with ASD and the only treatment shown to lead to substantial, lasting improvements in the lives of children with autism. Over 1,000 peer-reviewed, scientific autism articles describe ABA Therapy successes, leading to the National Institute of Health and the Association for Science in Autism Treatment to endorse the method, along with the U.S. Surgeon General.
Whether you are new to the world of autism or have a long-standing familiarity, the rising prevalence of ASD means you could meet more children with autism this year than you did last year. The latest estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined in late 2018 there was a 15-percent increase in prevalence among young children diagnosed with ASD, bringing the national average to 1 in 59 children, from 1 in 68 just two years prior. This translates into about 65,000 to 70,000 children this year having the diagnosis.
Life-changing Therapy Takes Commitment
When a child with autism is diagnosed, often doctors or BCBAs in the Dallas or Fort Worth area who assess a child’s strengths and weaknesses will create a comprehensive treatment plan customized specifically for that child. It is recommended that the child’s individualized plans be implemented over 25-40 hours per week with their one-on-one behavior technician. ABA therapy can help all those diagnosed with autism to be more functioning, productive members of their communities—learning vital communication and interpersonal skills as they grow, live, and work.
ABA therapy looks different for every child—but on average, children who receive early and intensive intervention (25 hours per week or more) have the most success. Listen to one family’s experience with in-home therapy from Centria Autism.
Noah’s parents believe the maximum amount of hours of ABA per week lead to the greatest potential for their child to succeed.
Texas Legislature Appropriates Funds for ABA
Recognizing the need for more intensive ABA therapy for Texas’s children with ASD, the Texas House of Representatives passed a supplemental appropriations bill (SB 500) earlier this spring to fund services for the remainder of the Fiscal Year 2019.
The bill appropriates $2.1 billion in general revenue and $2.3 billion in federal funds to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) in supplemental funding for Medicaid client services.
Out of the money appropriated to HHSC for Medicaid client services, the bill would require the agency to transfer $5.5 million to be transferred to Community Mental Health Crisis Services and the Health and Human Services Commission would have to “reserve out of its appropriations an amount sufficient to reimburse providers for covering intensive behavioral intervention as a Medicaid benefit for individuals under 20 years old with autism.”
If you believe your child may have autism, Centria Autism is here to provide guidance and support every step of the way. Please contact our team of specialists at 855-423-4629 or request more information here.