BCI

Providing Quality ABA Services Since 2003

 

Blog

BCI Holds Open House! Unveils New Services!

by

On August 13th, 2014 Behavioral Concepts Inc. hosted an open house to the Autism Community. During this event families and others associated with the Autism Community visited our facility, were informed of our services and were able to visit our newly finished center. With the opening of our center comes the unveiling of new services as well. These services are as follows: Center Based, After School and Weekend Social Skill Services.

Center Based:
BCI is excited to announce the opening of Center Based ABA Services. Center Based Services provides Applied Behavioral Analysis(ABA) techniques and methodology to children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in a clinic-like environment. The skills taught will be delivered 1:1 by a specially trained ABA Therapist under the supervision of a BCBA.

After School:
After School Services are designed to aid your child in after school activities like Homework, Social Skills, Special Interest Clubs and Sports.

Social Skills:
Behavioral Concepts Inc, provides a unique opportunity for your child to attend social skills groups with typically developing peers. It is our goal to set forth this group in such a way that it will enhance your child’s opportunity to learn and practice skills with same age peers in a group setting. The group facilitators will include a Clinical Coordinator and/or BCBA on site.
Social skills are those communication, problem-solving, decision making, self-management, and peer relations abilities that allow one to initiate and maintain positive social relationships with others. Deficits or excesses in social behavior interfere with learning, teaching, and adult/ peer relationships. Social competence is linked to peer acceptance, adult/ teacher acceptance, inclusion success, and post school success.
Children with autism have difficulty managing many of the life enhancing experiences enjoyed by their typically aged peers. Whether it’s going to the playground, eating in a restaurant, or going to a highly stimulating children’s activity center (e.g., Chuck E. Cheese) our trained staff will accompany the parent(s) to promote the generalization of skills taught in the isolation of the home. For example our staff will be with you when navigating the grocery store, getting a haircut, or visiting their physician or dentist. Our clinicians may create social stories, visuals and/ or reinforcement procedures to help your child to understand the expectations and the sequence of events that occur in each novel visit.

All of our services are arranged through the following insurance companies: Aetna, Beacon, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Fallon Health, Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts and United Behavioral Health.
insurancesprof

Take a look at our new center!
https://www.facebook.com/BehavioralConceptsInc/photos/pcb.544402895687912/544402769021258/?type=1&theater

Wanted: Board Certified Behavior Analysts

by

Behavioral Concepts, Inc. (BCI) continues to seek Board Certified Behavior Analysts who want an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children affected by autism. We are an expanding organization who values the involvement of staff in the growth of the company.

Our current need is for full time and part-time (after school) BCBA’s to provide consultation and program development/staff supervision with our insurance program clients.

We believe in child centered behavior analysis and low caseloads (10-12). Our BCBA’s are responsible for assessment, program development, and analysis. They are liaisons to school staff and families of the children we support. Our BCBA’s provide direct supervision to our ABA therapists. If you are interested in being part of the solution please contact: Jeffrey R. Robinson, Ph. D., Director. Visit our new website at: www.bciaba.org

Clinical Coordinator Job Description

The clinical coordinator is responsible for development, assessment, and analysis of instructional and behavioral programs, curriculum modification, data analysis, and functional analysis of aberrant behaviors for a case load of 5-12 students. The coordinator is responsible for supervising and observing ABA therapists and case students weekly in order to effectively evaluate student progress. The clinical coordinator collaborates with a team of professionals to develop individualized education plans (IEPs) and writes quarterly progress reports. The clinical coordinator assists in staff and parent training, and acts as a liaison to public school staff.  The clinical coordinator attends monthly clinics with the ABA therapists, parents, public school faculty, and assistant director to evaluate student progress. Clinical coordinators must have five or more years experience using the principles and methodology of applied behavioral analysis to work with children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities. Clinical coordinators preferably will have a Masters degree in a related field (i.e., ABA, Special Education, etc) and Board Certification (BCBA).

Competitive Benefits & Compensation Package Includes:

  • Health Insurance / Dental / Vision
  • Disability
  • Life Insurance
  • 401 K (up to 4% match
  • Work cell phone provided
  • Professional Development stipend provided as well as additional stipends for professional activities including poster and paper presentations

Sign on Bonus of $1500

Starting salary range 50,000-65,000 commensurate with experience

BCI welcomes interns from Endicott College

by

Before she was BCI's Senior Training Coordinator, Jessica Stott did an internship with us as an undergrad.
Before she was BCI’s Senior Training Coordinator, Jessica Stott did an internship with us as an undergrad.

While BCI recently announced an internship program with Fitchburg State University, we have similar relationships with Worcester State University and Quinsagmond Community College. In fact, many of our staff members have either done their undergraduate or graduate work at those schools. Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts is another school with which we are developing a strong relationship.

Just recently, Endicott College student Glenna Macgowan completed a six-week internship at BCI. She is a sophomore from Grafton, Massachusetts majoring in Liberal Studies/Education, with a concentration in Autism and ABA.

During her six weeks, Glenna met her internship requirements by participating in new hire training, attending a senior management meeting and conducting numerous observations with ABA Therapists/Clinical Coordinators. The observations were completed within classrooms (Worcester Public Schools & BASICs program), within student’s homes and the community.

Glenna’s supervisor during her internship was BCI Senior Training Coordinator Jessica Stott. An Endicott College alum, Jessica also did an internship at BCI during her undergraduate days. In fact, her photo and testimonial are used in some of Endicott’s promotional materials about internship opportunities.

College students interested in applying for an internship at BCI during the fall semester of 2014 can send a cover letter and resume to info@bciaba.org or by snail mail to: Behavioral Concepts, Inc., 345A Greenwood Street, Worcester, MA  01607, ATTN: Dr. Jeffrey Robinson.

BCI Social Skills Sponsor’s a Tree at the 16th annual Festival of (Giving) Trees

by

BCI Social Skills program is a proud sponsor of a tree at the 16th annual Festival of (Giving) Trees. The Tree will be displayed from December 5-8th @ The LaSalle Reception Center 444 Main St Southbridge MA. Admission is $3 per tree. All money raised is donated to fight cancer and cancer research.

Over the past fifteen years, the Festival of (Giving) Trees has raised and donated over $420,000 to these beneficiaries.

To see a list of all the 2012 tree winners, special raffle winners, and senior day raffle winners from the 2012 Festival of (Giving) Trees click here on Winners List.

 

 

BCI Fellowship Program with Worcester State University

by

College interns have been part of BCI’s culture for the past several years. Many of those interns came from Worcester State University. While a typical internship lasts a semester, we wanted to create a program that provided greater benefit to the interns. The end result was a fellowship program we developed with WSU.

Currently, we have three Worcester State University students participating in the yearlong fellowship program. Here’s a checklist of what participants in the fellowship program will experience:

  • Attend week-long comprehensive training for ABA techniques, jargon and methods as well as BCI specific staff requirements. Training culminates in an exam that must be passed in order to begin child specific orientation.
  • Attend and pass 8 hour CPI (non-violent crisis prevention and intervention) training.
  • Shadow Staff for complete sessions with a variety of clients.
  • Implement skill acquisition programs.
  • Implement Behavior Management Guidelines (BMGs) and/or Behavior Support Plans (BSPs)
  • Collect and graph data on skill acquisition goals.
  • Collect data on rates of behavior.
  • Participate in weekly/bi weekly supervision with Clinical Coordinator

The Danny Foundation for Autism provides assistance to individuals with autism and their families

by

From the September 2013 Center for Autism Resources for Central Massachusetts newsletter:

The Danny Foundation has recently announced the availability of funding to provide assistance to individuals with autism and their families. Preference will be given to Massachusetts residents and organizations. The foundation will provide funds to organizations and individuals (the amount available to a single applicant in a given fiscal year is $100-$500; please do not request a grant in excess of $500): to assist families in the care of individuals with autism, including respite care; to help educate individuals regarding the diagnosis and treatment of autism; and to support professionals in furthering their education in the field of treating individuals with autism.

We are open to innovative projects that will provide increased independence for people with autism or increased family time. Your application must include the attached grant application cover sheet. Donations made to individuals will be need (financial) based. Explain your financial need. Please indicate why you qualify. We suggest you include a copy of your latest federal tax return. Please specify other current sources of assistance such as DDS, School District, Mass Health, etc. Without this information your request is incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Key Dates: Proposal postmarked by: October 15, 2013 Committee Evaluation: November 30, 2013 Notification: December 23, 2013

If you would like to apply for a Danny Foundation grant, you can download the application here.

Applications must be mailed to: Janet Abrahamson, Chairperson, 166 Mill Street Stoughton, MA 02072.

Download your Danny Foundation Grant application

Facebook Testimonial

by

While you are thinking about what to do with the kids this summer, you may want to consider BCI’s summer Social Skills program. Here’s the calendar.

To explain why the summer program is even more important once school is out, read the following testimonial from our Facebook page.

“I wanted to say that often vacations can be overwhelming when you have a child, or in my case, children, on the Spectrum. Kids who thrive on routine are suddenly thrown off, and the comfort and stability are out the window. I’m not sure if anyone else has these issues, but vacations seemed more difficult than regular days. Over vacations, my boys still ask for the bus, get their backpacks, and even go to the porch to wait. It’s tough to try to explain that the bus isn’t coming today, later…but later when? We have just completed an awesome Spring Vacation Week, thanks to the amazing efforts of the BCI staff. My boys attended Social Groups every morning led by Miss Sally Burke. It was wonderful to have a routine and to have something that the boys could look forward to and more importantly enjoy doing! Each afternoon our incredible therapists came over to have some fun in the community. Squeezing into my van with the boys and sometimes even driving their own vehicles searchng for playgrounds with the best fences so the boys wouldn’t run into harm’s way, to finding the coolest McDonald’s PlayLand when the weather wasn’t perfect. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, and again, and again, BCI is an amazing company filled with caring, patient, understanding, educated staff and they have changed my family’s life. I am so grateful.”

Sophie Ewings