EARLY INTERVENTION CENTER

CAC Early Intervention Center: Supporting Every Child’s Potential

Open to public enrollment, CAC Early Intervention Center for children with developmental delays, specifically designed for children birth to 12 years old. Our center is dedicated to providing a nurturing and supportive environment where children with autism and other neurodevelopmental delays can learn and grow.

Birth-7 Years Old

At CAC's Early Intervention Center, we focus on early intervention, which has been shown to be the most effective way to bridge gaps in learning as soon as possible. Our program is designed to help children develop increased communication, social, functional play and leisure, self-help, and cognitive/academic skills, as well as address any behavioral challenges that they may exhibit. Services provided: Classroom based therapy model and individual ABA therapy.

7-12 Years Old

Our curriculum includes an in-home caregiver consultation model and individual center-based therapy designed to remediate gaps in learning new skills and generalizing skills across different people and settings including when in the community. Our goal is to increase the overall quality of life, of not only the child but the family as a whole. We are here to help your child reach their fullest potential.

Mommy & Me Program

This infant stimulation class is available to mothers and their babies diagnosed with Downs Syndrome and other genetic diagnoses. Mother and child attend a group class that is geared towards teaching the parent how to increase muscle tone, receptive and expressive language, functional play skills and joint attending.

More Programs

Stay tuned for more specialized programs to be announced in 2024-2025.

TREATMENT Philosophy

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapy is a widely accepted and clinically proven evidence-based treatment for children with developmental delays including autism.

The therapy is based on the science of learning and behavior. The methods used in ABA assist with teaching new skills to

Increase Language & Communication Skills

Improve attention, focus, memory, and academics

Cultivate Functional Play and Leisure Skills

Reduce Problem Behavior by Identifying and Modifying Environmental Factors

The ABA Therapy involves the

following steps

Assessment

A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) assesses the child’s current level of functioning (e.g., strengths, weaknesses, and challenging behavior). Close collaboration with parents will occur to ensure that socially relevant skills related to areas of daily living in their homelife are also addressed. This assessment can be completed face to face or online.

Setting Goals

Based on the assessment, the BCBA sets specific, measurable, achievable, socially relevant, and time-bound goals for the child.

Creating a Plan

An Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP) is developed that includes baseline data, individualized goals to be taught within a specified scope and sequence, and a behavior plan for reducing interfering behavior if needed.

Implementation

Under the guidance of the BCBA, the teacher and team of behavior interventionists, implement the plan, which includes teaching new skills across developmental domains. These domains include: receptive and expressive language, social skills, self-care, play and leisure, motor skills, pre-academic learning to learn skills, and academic skills. By using a blend of methods including but not limited to Discrete Trial Training (DTT), Pivotal Response Training (PRT), shaping, prompting and positive reinforcement the CAC team of professionals break down steps of a learning chain into smaller steps to reach the final outcome of mastery and independence.

Data Collection

Using a collaborative model, the BCBA and teaching team track the child’s progress by collecting daily data to measure the effectiveness of the treatment.

Adjusting the Plan

Based on the data collected, the BCBA and classroom teacher collaborate to adjust the treatment plan as needed to ensure progress is achieved in a timely manner.

Parents as Partners

The BCBA regularly meets with family members and teaching staff to review information about progress. Parents and family members receive ongoing training so they can support learning and skill practice in naturally occurring situations during their typical day.

Application Procedures

It's important to note that the application process may vary depending on the needs of the specific applicant, so it's always a good idea to reach out and ask for specific information about procedures. Please start the application process as soon as possible. Getting access to early intervention is key if you are noticing that your child's developmental milestones are not occurring at the rate of same-aged peers. The earlier the access to treatment for children with signs or a diagnosis of autism, communication disorders, mixed receptive and expressive delays, and more broadly speaking neurodiverse children, the better.

Complete the CAC EIC Application Form

Your child must be between the ages of birth to 12 years old, to be eligible for admission consideration. Older students may be considered for in-home support.

Eligibility Process

Applicants who are eligible for screening / assessment, will be contacted by the EIC Director to initiate a fee-based assessment. The two-hour assessment includes an extensive parent interview, and direct assessment which will be via zoom or face to face depending on the location and needs of the family. During the screening, you may be asked to provide information about your child's developmental history, medical records, or any previous evaluations or diagnoses

Analysis and Treatment Planning

Within 2-weeks of the assessment, the Director will analyze the results and use the information to develop an Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP) that addresses your child's specific needs and goals. The ITP is the roadmap to address behavioral excesses and skill deficits for the year. As goals are mastered, new goals will be baselined and added to curricula

Team Meeting

A team meeting with the family will be scheduled to review the Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP). During the meeting a decision on the admission into the EIC will be provided

**Please note that completing the screening/assessment does not guarantee entrance into the CAC EIC. However, every family completing the screening/assessment will be provided an individualized treatment plan with goals and assessment of skill level.

***Families who are not accepted can still receive support from the CAC EIC supporting in-home tutoring with a clinician monitoring progress towards treatment plan goals and ongoing training of tutor. The Individual Treatment Plan (ITP) will be provided to the family.

****Entry into the EIC is not an entry into CAC's Pk-12 school program.