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Press Releases

Black History Month: LEARN Continues to Push Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan Forward

February 2, 2021 by admin

Creating a more diverse workplace, raising awareness about unconscious biases, providing advancement opportunities for everyone—these initiatives have long been part of LEARN’s DNA. But in 2020, with heightened awareness around social disparities in our country, the company’s employees, supported by leadership, decided to formalize and flesh out these goals with the launch of LEARN’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Plan. While DEI committees formed and started working in the summer of 2020, LEARN chose February to announce the plan publicly in honor of Black History Month and the United Nation’s World Day of Social Justice on February 20.

“We’re in a unique moment in this country,” says Justin Funches, the president of LEARN Autism Services and chair of the DEI Leadership Committee. “As a black man and as a leader in an organization with incredible diversity, I recognize the great opportunity and responsibility our initiative presents. And I know that better outcomes—for both our clients and our teams—come when we include more voices and better understand each other’s experiences.”

As a first item of business, LEARN’s DEI committee drafted an official statement and established five priorities:

The Sum of All Parts:
LEARN knows we’re not all the same. Recognizing differences and tailoring our approach is at the core of what we do. That’s why we’re committed to fostering a culture that embraces what makes us each unique—be it race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability/ability, and socioeconomic background. LEARN aims to acknowledge the lived experiences and diversity of perspectives among our staff and the children and families we serve. We pledge to create a community centered around trust, respect, tolerance, and empathy. Together, we’re better.

Our priorities on this journey include:

    1. Positioning LEARN as a diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization.

    2. Creating policies and practices that are culturally sensitive to differences in our staff and clients.

    3. Equipping teams with the tools they need to navigate the myriad inequities in our society.

    4. Actively embracing the diversity of the communities we serve.

    5. Building leadership teams that are diverse and provide opportunities for typically underrepresented populations.

LEARN also created internal communications—a monthly digital newsletter and web portal—for employees to share news related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. With systems and priorities in place, the real work began. Teams of staff from across the country solicited feedback, brainstormed ideas, and asked the hard questions.

One activity involved a series of forums that brought together Black behavior technicians from across the country to “speak with candor as they shared their stories and experiences of being Black in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA),” says Brandon Whitfield, Clinical Director of AST’s Learning Center in Beach Cities, California. “Their stories were heartfelt, gut-wrenching, and awe-inspiring.” The next steps, says Whitfield, who serves on a DEI committee and co-hosted the forum, are to analyze the data collected and use it to shape future leadership practices and inform new programs and policies.

One such program was announced to employees last month—a partnership with National University to fully support tuition Black or African American staff members to complete National’s ABA master’s program. In addition to tuition support, LEARN will designate a mentor to help each recipient with coursework, career planning, and the behavior analyst certification process. Once certified, recipients can oversee applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy to children with autism.

“Right now, the percent of Black behavior analysts working in the ABA field does not reflect the percentage of African Americans in the population of the United States,” says Whitfield, who spearheaded the partnership with National University. “Our new program is a step to change that.”

As LEARN’s DEI committees continue to push forward their goals, employees say they’re thrilled to join the effort and see the organization back these critical initiatives. “As a woman of color, I’ve always been acutely aware and passionate about the ways in which barriers affect education access in minority and low-income communities,” shares Margarita Mesa, Director of Program Quality and Operations for LEARN It System’s Academic Services and a member of a DEI committee. “I’m confident that this committee of intelligent, forward-thinking colleagues will offer creative strategies and purposeful ideas to make strides in this ever-important arena, and I look forward to the thoughtful dialogue as we collectively work to better understand and support the diverse communities in which we work.”

Stay tuned for LEARN’s series of blog posts and podcasts to raise awareness about ABA as a social justice issue and to highlight Black professionals working to make a difference in the lives of children with autism.

Filed Under: Blog, News Room, Press Releases

LEARN Behavioral announces Telehealth ABA services now available in Massachusetts through BCI.

June 24, 2020 by admin

Children diagnosed with ASD may continue to receive critical ABA therapy remotely during COVID-19 pandemic.

FITCHBURG, WORCESTER AND SPRINGFIELD, MA… LEARN Behavioral, the leading network of providers serving children with autism and other special needs, announces the availability of telehealth Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their families in Massachusetts through their regional provider Behavioral Concepts Innovation (BCI).

To continue providing critical ABA services to client families during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, BCI has innovated their service delivery model and capabilities to provide telehealth ABA services, or “teleABA” as coined by LEARN.

TeleABA provides another option for families who prefer virtual therapy services over in-person therapy, or who have household family members who are at higher risk for severe illness. It is ABA therapy overseen by a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) that parallels in-person treatment.

“The COVID-19 response requiring nationwide social distancing and other safety guidelines

has left many parents of children on the autism spectrum wondering how to maintain the gains their children have made in ABA therapy,” explained Hanna Rue, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Vice President of Clinical Development for LEARN.  “BCI and LEARN are helping parents throughout Massachusetts by providing the option of teleABA therapy which helps ensure that their children are able to continue their forward momentum towards established treatment goals.”

TeleABA Services

Treatment for ASD is in accordance with state and federal emergency guidance regarding medically necessary telehealth services. It is imperative that children with ASD avoid any break in ABA therapy as this may cause distress, disruption and potential behavior regression. TeleABA is the delivery of evidence-based ABA therapy with master level clinicians via HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing, which is accessible by computer, tablet or smartphone.

BCI’s teleABA services include direct treatment and parent consultation. Direct treatment is one-on-one treatment sessions with a child geared towards maintaining and generalizing communication, play skills and behavioral progress. Parent consultation provides an opportunity to discuss daily routines and challenging behaviors, identify targets, and implement a plan.

TeleABA enables families to continue to build upon and reinforce skills including, but not limited to:

– Potty training

– Bedtime/sleep routine

– Screen time

– Personal hygiene routine, including hand-washing

Through teleABA, BCI helps children and families in a number of ways. For example: discussing strategies and progress on a desired goal; developing a routine that fits in to your family’s schedule; providing individual reinforcement strategies; setting and explaining clear expectations; and offering “in the moment” parent coaching along with references to help successfully reach your child’s goal.

Parent Webinars

One innovative program being launched through teleABA is Parent Webinars. With COVID-19 changing day-to-day lives, new challenges are presenting and old ones are resurfacing. Parent Webinars, offered on a weekly basis, enable families facing similar challenges to join in virtual presentations to share solutions and helpful info.

The Parent Webinars are led by Ashley Williams, Clinical Director for ABACS and Advances in the LEARN provider network in the Greater Boston area. Each webinar is guided by a BCBA and will include clinical tips, strategies, and suggestions to help parents in these challenging times.

Dr. Rue continued, “We have received a tremendous response from our families, who are experiencing new successes due to our virtual teleABA services. It is our hope that teleABA treatment will continue to be accepted by insurers beyond COVID-19, as this will enable us to serve a greater number of children and families on the autism spectrum who need services but have limited in-person access to ABA providers.”

Currently, BCI has more than 300 BCBAs providing teleABA throughout Massachusetts and in total, LEARN has served over 2,500 families through teleABA, with nearly 1,000 trained providers across the nation who have delivered sessions. LEARN is dedicated to supporting their staff and has developed a comprehensive resource library which enables them to access tools, resources, training and support online.

For more information about BCI’s teleABA services, visit https://bciaba.com

Filed Under: Press Releases

Behavioral Concepts Names New Assistant Director of Professional Development & Research

February 26, 2020 by admin

WORCESTER, MA… Behavioral Concepts (BCI), a company of behavioral clinicians specializing in the care of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Massachusetts, has promoted Barbra Lynch, M.S., BCBA, LABA to Assistant Director of Professional Development & Research. She is a resident of Worcester, MA. 

In her new role at BCI, Lynch designs, develops, and oversees pre-service training and BCI’s regional trainers. She also holds the position of requirements coordinator for Registered Behavioral Technician candidates. She is based in the company’s Worcester office.

Lynch is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst (LABA) in the state of Massachusetts. Previous to her promotion, Lynch was a Behavior Analyst at BCI. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology from Capital University in Ohio, as well as a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northeastern University in Boston.

Lynch’s experience prior to BCI includes serving as Director of Training and Quality Assurance at a private after-school agency based in Worcester. Previous to that, Lynch served as Regional Director for an ABA service provider in Milford, MA for five years, and as a teacher and case manager at New England Center for Children in Southborough, MA for four years.                             

She is a member of the Berkshire Association of Behavior Analysis and Therapy (BABAT) and of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).

Filed Under: Press Releases

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

January 17, 2020 by Lauren Connors

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/.

Filed Under: Press Releases

BCI Appoints New Regional Director in Springfield

November 22, 2019 by Amanda Moreira

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/.

 

Filed Under: Blog, Press Releases

Behavioral Concepts Expands Services to Fall River, MA

November 4, 2019 by admin

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/.

Filed Under: Press Releases

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

October 14, 2019 by admin

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/.

Filed Under: Press Releases

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

September 28, 2019 by Amanda Moreira

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

Filed Under: Coverage, Press Releases

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