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BCI Celebrates Springfield Location’s One-Year Anniversary with Open House on February 15th

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BCI Celebrates Springfield Location’s One-Year Anniversary with Open House on February 15th

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SPRINGFIELD AND WORCESTER, MA… Behavioral Concepts (BCI), a company of behavioral clinicians specializing in the care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Massachusetts, will celebrate the one-year anniversary of their Springfield Center at 90 Carando Drive with an Open House on Saturday, February 15, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Families and the business community will have an opportunity to meet the Director, tour the Springfield center and learn more about BCI’s clinical services.

BCI’s Open House also kicks off a new Saturday Social Skills program in Springfield. The Social Skills program helps children diagnosed with autism develop the social skills they need to navigate relationships with their family, friends, and communities. BCI provides instruction, guidance, and support for each child’s unique social, behavioral, sensory and communication needs. The social skills groups provide a supportive and encouraging environment where children can learn how to relate to others and how to understand how emotions are communicated. All of BCI’s center-based services provide children one-to-one support in a group setting.

Open House attendees may experience a typical day of social skills by visiting the simulated skills areas during the Open House.

Light refreshments will be served and the general public is welcome to attend.

Early Intervention and ABA Services in Springfield

BCI provides insurance funded ABA services including center-based and home & community services, as well as Early Intervention services in partnership with the Department of Public Health. BCI currently serves more than 100 families throughout Greater Springfield. BCI’s insurance funded services are for children over age three. Center-based services include an Intensive Day Program for preschool-age children, as well as an After-School Program and a Saturday Social Skills group for school-age children. Their Early Intervention services are designed to assist infants and toddlers (birth to age three) in making significant strides in their development. These services are targeted, evidence-based, tailored to their needs, and usually provided in the home.

BCI opened the doors of their new 7,200 square foot center at 90 Carando Drive in January 2019. For over a year prior, BCI had been providing home-based Early Intervention services to families in the Springfield area.

The center is led by Bianca Sims, M.S., BCBA, LABA, Regional Director of Greater Springfield. BCI’s Springfield location now has 12 Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and 47 Behavior Technicians on staff and they continue to expand their team.

About BCI

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Worcester, BCI has grown to become the go-to provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families throughout Massachusetts. We identify and facilitate effective personalized instruction that allows children to discover more, learn more, and be more – increasing their independence and enhancing their quality of life at home, in school, and in the community. BCI is a Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved provider of specialty ABA services for early intervention. BCI also provides center, home-based, and afterschool services through private and public health insurance. Further information on BCI is available at https://bciaba.com.

BCI is part of the LEARN Behavioral family of companies, a national organization dedicated to helping all children succeed in school and life. Learn more at https://www.learnbehavioral.com/.

Staff Stories – Jamie S.

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As a Behavior Technician at BCI, our job is to provide children with effective 1:1 therapy based on their individual behavior plan. These plans are designed by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst based on each client’s individual goals which typically involve replacing certain undesirable behaviors with more desirable behaviors. This may include increasing functional behaviors around adult daily living and increasing functional communication and language skills.

Communication is a major part of how we function day by day. Social interactions through gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions are forms of social development. These forms of social development may be challenging for nonverbal children, which may hinder their communication skills and ultimately affect their interactions with others such as family members, teachers, and peers.

This brings me to explain the complexity of working with my very first client. My clients is medically complex with both a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and as well as the genetic disorder known as Noonan Syndrome which causes issues with his physical development and developmental delays. Communication and eye contact became a barrier for my buddy and are the cause of his undesirable behaviors.

Luckily, his parents are an extremely supportive and patient team. I feel I have grown to be a part of their family unit. With the help of a communication device, I’ve worked with him for about a year, side by side, day by day, making progress as we work towards his goals with American Sign Language (ASL). In just a short period of time, I now understand the importance of interaction between parents and child.

During a recent session, my client pointed to his tablet and was granted his preferred item. As we moved forward with the following demand, I paused the tablet and he independently signed “more” and pointed to the tablet. It’s difficult to articulate what I felt in this moment. It was a sense of joy to witness the use of sign and connection as my client pointed for the desired item. I was left speechless, teary eyed and filled with an abundance of pride for my kiddo. With such praise, he continued to make the connection of the sign throughout the session. He is now able to sign more and utilize his communication device for all he needs and wants with eye contact.

This was the beginning of many successful milestones for my buddy and I know he will continue to break barriers. This job opportunity has been impactful and rewarding. What we do daily matters greatly in their successes. It’s meaningful to their families. With the collective efforts of his family, the BCBA, and my direct care, it has been nothing but gratifying. I love what I do, and it has become so much more than a monetary job for me.

– Jamie S., Behavior Technician

Erica Kusz Appointed to Behavioral Concept’s Leadership Team in Worcester

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Erica Kusz

HOLDEN — Erica Kusz of Holden has been appointed to Behavioral Concepts’ leadership team in Worcester as assistant clinical director.

BCI, a company of behavioral clinicians specializing in the care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Massachusetts, is meeting the need for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) providers in the Worcester area by providing specialty Early Intervention ABA services for children age 3 and younger, as well as center and home-based insurance-funded ABA services for children over age 3.

In her new role, Kusz is one of three assistant clinical directors who oversee BCI’s Center and home-based insurance services and the team of behavior analysts in the Worcester region. Kusz will also be responsible for restructuring the curriculum and supervising BCI’s four program coordinators. She reports to Jessica Stott, regional director of Greater Worcester.

Read More: https://www.thelandmark.com/news/20191229/kusz-appointed-to-behavioral-concepts-leadership-team

Autism and the Holidays: Handling the Big Family Dinner

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The holiday countdown has begun. Invitations have been extended and preparations are in full swing.

For many families, it’s custom to gather together for a special holiday meal. For children with autism, a holiday meal — from sitting at a table to the texture and taste of various foods — can be quite overwhelming. How can you help your child prepare?

Here are some guidelines to help children and families with ASD prepare for that special meal:

What’s on the agenda? Before you do anything else, determine what the day will hold. If you are not hosting the holiday meal, inquire with your host as to what is on the menu and whether it will be a sit-down or buffet-style meal. Then, set up a visual schedule for your child. This is appropriate for both younger and older children, and is used to preview the events of the day so that your child will know what is going to occur. The visual schedule can have pictures, text, or both. Pictures are generally used with both younger and older children. However, if your child is older, able to read, and doesn’t require a picture to inform them about the day, he or she may feel more comfortable with a schedule with only words as they may find the pictures unnecessary. Consider using photos you already have to create a visual schedule, or you may be able to find food and related images on the Internet.

A social narrative would also be appropriate. A social narrative includes pictures and text that tells a story about the day. The story can be read to your child, or your child can listen and follow along or read the story aloud with you, in a preview of the upcoming events. What’s the environment going to be? Who is going to be there? About one-to-two weeks in advance, start reviewing your visual schedule or social narrative with your child each day, including on the day of the event.

Read more in the December Edition of Bay State Parent: https://www.baystateparent.com/news/20191206/autism-and-holidays-handling-big-family-dinner

BCI Appoints New Regional Director in Springfield

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SPRINGFIELD AND WORCESTER, MA… Behavioral Concepts (BCI), a company of behavioral clinicians specializing in the care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Massachusetts, has announced a new Regional Director for Greater Springfield.

Bianca Sims, M.S., BCBA, LABA has been promoted to Regional Director of Greater Springfield and will supervise, train and provide oversight of all onsite and offsite programs.

BCI’s Springfield location has 11 Behavior Analysts and 47 Behavior Technicians on staff and they are currently expanding their team.

Sims, who is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst (LABA) in the state of Massachusetts, joined BCI in 2018 as one of the first Behavior Analysts providing Early Intervention and ABA services for the agency’s Springfield area. She was then promoted to Assistant Director of Professional Development, to oversee the coordination and development of training, including new hire training.

Sims holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Educational Studies from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. She received a Master of Science in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis from University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, CT. Previous to BCI, Sims was a Behavior Analyst for Area Cooperative Education Services (ACES) based in North Haven, CT.

In addition to BCI, Sims is an ABA Supervisor through Bay Path University, supervising continuing education cohorts including BCI’s. She is a member of Massachusetts Association for Applied Behavior Analysis (MassABA) and Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).

Sims is a resident of Agawam, MA.

Early Intervention and ABA Services in Springfield

At BCI’s 90 Carando Drive, Springfield center, BCI provides Early Intervention services to families throughout greater Springfield. Their Early Intervention services are designed to assist infants and toddlers (birth to age three) in making significant strides in their development. These services are targeted, evidence-based, tailored to their needs, and usually provided in the home.

BCI also offers center-based, insurance-funded ABA services for children over age three. Center-based services include an Intensive Day Program for preschool-age children, as well as an After-School Program and a Saturday Social Skills group for school-age children.

About BCI

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Worcester, BCI has grown to become the go-to provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families throughout Massachusetts. We identify and facilitate effective personalized instruction that allows children to discover more, learn more, and be more – increasing their independence and enhancing their quality of life at home, in school, and in the community. BCI is a Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved provider of specialty ABA services for early intervention. BCI also provides center, home-based, and afterschool services through private and public health insurance. The organization was founded in 2002 by Dr. Jeffrey R. Robinson. Further information on BCI is available at https://bciaba.com.

 

BCI is part of the LEARN Behavioral family of companies, a national organization dedicated to helping all children succeed in school and life. Learn more at https://www.learnbehavioral.com/.

 

Behavioral Concepts Expands Services to Fall River, MA

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FALL RIVER AND WORCESTER, MA… Headquartered in Worcester, MA, Behavioral Concepts (BCI), a company of behavioral clinicians specializing in the care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Massachusetts, has expanded their services to Fall River, MA.

BCI now provides specialty Early Intervention Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services in Fall River to families with children. Early Intervention services are designed to assist infants and toddlers (birth to age three) in making significant strides in their development, and are evidence-based, tailored to their needs, and usually provided in the home or day care center. 

BCI is a partner agency that receives Early Intervention referrals from the Department of Public Health for children under age three with a diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder. BCI was approached by the Department of Public Health and has contracted with them to serve the Fall River area.                                                                     

Sally Burke, M.S. Ed., BCBA, Director of Early Intervention, oversees all Early services at BCI. The organization’s South Coast region, which encompasses 53 towns, now includes Fall River and New Bedford, and is led by Tracy Miele, M.A., BCBA, LABA.      

To learn more about BCI’s Early Intervention services, visit https://bciaba.com/how-we-can-help/specialty-early-intervention-services/

About BCI

Behavioral Concepts (BCI) provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children with autism and their families in central Massachusetts. We identify and facilitate effective personalized instruction that allows children to discover more, learn more, and be more – increasing their independence and enhancing their quality of life at home, in school, and in the community. BCI is a Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved provider of specialty ABA services for early intervention. BCI also provides center, home-based, and afterschool services through private and public health insurance. The organization was founded in 2002 by Dr. Jeffrey R. Robinson. 

BCI is part of the LEARN Behavioral family of companies, a national organization dedicated to helping all children succeed in school and life. Learn more at https://www.learnbehavioral.com/.

BCI Sponsors and Presents at 40th Annual BABAT Conference in Worcester

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WORCESTER, MA… Behavioral Concepts (BCI), a company of behavioral clinicians specializing in the care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Massachusetts, sponsored and presented at Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy (BABAT) 2019 Annual Conference & 40th Anniversary Celebration held at the DCU Center in Worcester in October.

BABAT is an affiliated chapter of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA). Their conference is the largest professional conference in the Northeast. As the largest provider of insurance-funded Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Early Intervention services in Massachusetts, BCI was proud to be the Presenting Sponsor.

In addition to sponsoring the event, the BCI team presented research titled “Treating Automatically Maintained Vocal Stereotypy: Benefits Beyond Decreases in Stereotypy” as part of a symposium on the assessment and treatment of stereotypical behavior. BCI’s Behavior Analyst Sheri Morse contributed to this collaborative research project between the New England Center for Children (NECC) and BCI. Meagan Cannon also contributed to and presented the research on behalf of BCI.

Dr. Candice Colón-Kwedor, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA, BCI’s Director of Professional Development and Research and BABAT board member, supervised this research and chaired the symposium.

“It is wonderful to work for a company that fosters applied research to ensure that we are contributing to and disseminating best practice methods for the children we serve. BCI is also heavily invested in strengthening the quality of our professional community as evidenced by sponsoring an esteemed professional organization like BABAT,” said Dr. Colón-Kwedor.

“As the largest provider of insurance-funded ABA and Early Intervention services in Massachusetts, BCI was pleased to present this important research and support BABAT as the Presenting Sponsor at this esteemed event,” said Brian Doyle, Ed. D., BCBA-D, Regional Vice President.

ABA – One of the Fastest Growing Fields

ABA is concentrated in Central Massachusetts and one of the fastest growing fields. To meet the demand for behavioral services for children with ASD and their families throughout Massachusetts, BCI addressed an industry-wide workforce shortage in board-certified clinicians by partnering with Bay Path University to provide an on-site graduate and continuing education program for BCI staff members at the company’s Worcester location. BCI has forged similar, successful education opportunities for their workforce through their partnerships with Assumption College and Quinsigamond Community College.

BCI is looking to partner with other colleges in Central and Western MA, to offer their staff additional continuing education opportunities.

About BABAT

BABAT is an affiliated chapter of the Association for Behavior Analysis International and of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts. Formed in 1979, BABAT is perhaps best known for the annual conferences it has hosted at UMass (Amherst) every year for over 30 years. BABAT also serves as a resource for behavior analysts and those interested in behavior analysis in MA and the larger New England region. To learn more about BABAT, visit https://babat.org.

About BCI

Behavioral Concepts (BCI) provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children with autism and their families in Massachusetts. We identify and facilitate effective personalized instruction that allows children to discover more, learn more, and be more – increasing their independence and enhancing their quality of life at home, in school, and in the community. BCI is a Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved provider of specialty ABA services for early intervention. BCI also provides center, home-based, and afterschool services through private and public health insurance. The organization was founded in 2002 by Dr. Jeffrey R. Robinson. Further information on BCI is available at https://bciaba.com/.

BCI is part of the LEARN Behavioral family of companies, a national organization dedicated to helping all children succeed in school and life. Learn more at https://www.learnbehavioral.com/.

Behavioral Concepts Promotes Courtney Sherlock to Assistant Director of Specialty Early Intervention Services for the South Coast Region

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WORCESTER, MA AND NORTH PROVIDENCE, RI … Behavioral Concepts (BCI), a company of behavioral clinicians specializing in the care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Massachusetts, has recently promoted Courtney Sherlock, M.S., BCBA, LABA to Assistant Director of Specialty Early Intervention Services for the South Coast Region.

BCI is meeting the need for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) providers in the South Coast area by providing specialty Early Intervention ABA services for children ages three and under in the greater Fall River and New Bedford area.

In her new role, Sherlock will conduct Early Intervention intakes and assessments for client families with an autism diagnosis. She will also oversee case assignment of the region’s Behavior Analysts.

Sherlock, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst (LABA) in the state of Massachusetts, provided specialty Early Intervention ABA services to children and families at BCI for five years before her promotion to Assistant Director. Her experience prior to BCI includes serving as a Lead Behavior Technician at Marlborough Public Schools in Marlborough, MA and as Direct Care Staff at the May Institute in Brockton, MA.

Sherlock holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Bridgewater State University and a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northeastern University in Boston.

Each year, she volunteers for the 5K Run and Walk for Autism Acceptance at HMEA’s Autism Resource Central.

Sherlock is a resident of North Providence, RI.          

Early Intervention Services

BCI’s Early Intervention services are designed to assist infants and toddlers (birth to age three) in making significant strides in their development, and are evidence-based, tailored to their needs, and usually provided in the home or day care center. BCI is a partner agency that receives Early Intervention referrals from the Department of Public Health for children under age three with a diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder. BCI accepts most major insurance plans operating throughout Massachusetts as well as Mass Health.

 About BCI

Behavioral Concepts (BCI) provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children with autism and their families in central Massachusetts. We identify and facilitate effective personalized instruction that allows children to discover more, learn more, and be more – increasing their independence and enhancing their quality of life at home, in school, and in the community. BCI is a Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved provider of specialty ABA services for early intervention. BCI also provides center, home-based, and afterschool services through private and public health insurance. The organization was founded in 2002 by Dr. Jeffrey R. Robinson. Further information on BCI is available at https://bciaba.com.

 

BCI is part of the LEARN Behavioral family of companies, a national organization dedicated to helping all children succeed in school and life. Learn more at http://learnitsystems.com