Center-Based Services

Full/Part Time Center Based ABA Therapy for Autism

At Waypoint, we strive for excellence in the services we provide to your family and that is why we utilize Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) approach for behavioral therapy. ABA is an evidence-based science with three decades of research and development, which means that you can count on the techniques practiced by our therapists to be effective and reliable to minimize unwanted behaviors and increase desired behaviors. ABA is endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General and promoted by the Center for Disease Control as a highly effective form of treatment for developmental and behavioral delays

Do I Need This Service?

Do I Need This Service? You should consider Center Based ABA therapy if your child has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD), or another behavioral or developmental delay. You should also consider ABA for your family if your child:

  • Has behavior problems at home or at school that interfere with learning or normal family life.
  • Has frequent outbursts or uncontrollable tantrums.
  • Is aggressive to others or themselves.
  • Has a significant delay in language, toileting, or other self-help skills.
  • Has delays in social skills or peer interactions

Our Therapy Solutions

Waypoint offers comprehensive ABA therapy services for ages 18 months to 18 years in our technologically advanced center that is purposefully designed as a structured, classroom style environment in which ABA principles for learning new skills can be consistently applied for effective behavior change.

Our Philosophy

We believe that center based learning should be one part of a multi-step process for children with ASD. Central to our philosophy of center based care is that we plan for center based skills to be a spring board for success in other environments. Early learning and growth happen best in a center environment where structure and consistency can be provided to allow children to gain pre-requisite skills that can be used for greater future success and transition into a more naturalistic settings.

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PASSPORT Preschool Readiness Classroom

One of the most significant factors that delays the transition of children with ASD to a typical school environment is a deficit in group learning and social skills. Children with ASD need opportunities to practice these skills in an environment that looks like a typical preschool program with the support of professionals who can teach them group and social skills in a way that will stick. Our PLS Classroom is a bridge between 1:1 therapy and a typical group learning setting and can be the key to success for elementary school and beyond.

Do I Need This Service?

You should consider enrolling in our PASSPORT Preschool Readiness Classroom if your child has if your child has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD), or another behavioral or developmental delay and you have future plans to enroll your child in preschool or another academic setting.  It is not necessary for your child to have a diagnosis to enroll in PASSPORT. You should also consider PASSPORT for your family if:

  • Your child is between the ages of 2 ½-5 and has behavioral or social delays
  • Your child is currently enrolled in an academic setting and is struggling with behavior or social skills
  • Your child seems “behind” when compared to other children in behavioral or social skills
  • Has been identified by doctor, teacher, or care provider as delayed or lagging behind peers
  • Does not respond to interaction with others and or exhibits rigid interactions and play skills

Our Therapy Solutions

Our PASSPORT classroom meets two days per week for three hours each day and provides a structured setting that integrates social, behavioral, and group skills into a typical academic based preschool classroom. Learners in the PASSPORT classroom will be provided with individualized support to gain skills that will help them to succeed in group learning and social settings. Emphasis on pre-requisite skills such as gaining attention appropriately, attending to group instruction, turn-taking, waiting, pretend play, and working independently on an academic task is at the core of a pro-social based curriculum.

Our Philosophy

We believe that success in the future depends on planning for the right pre-requisite skills in the present. All children will grow up to participate in group and social settings and need a setting where they can gain and practice those skills.

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Preschool, Elementary and Teen Social Skills Group

Children who struggle with social interactions are more likely to experience peer rejection and struggle academically. To encourage early and continued social skills, we offer a combination of social skills training, and informal social skills practice for younger kids and teenagers, giving them a safe and guided place to practice needed social interaction.

Do I Need This Service?

You should consider social skills groups and training if your child has been diagnosed with autism, ADHD, or other behavioral or developmental disorder that presents deficits to social interaction. You should also consider this service if:

  • Your child has trouble making friends or interacting with peers.
  • Your child struggles to interact with family members or siblings.
  • Does not respond to interaction with others and or exhibits rigid interactions and play skills

Our Therapy Solutions

Our social skills groups are divided by age and ability and allow children to interact with peers in a guided training and practice session to learn social skills. Each 16 week session allows for both learning and practice of social skills. During learning, a Waypoint professional will guide small groups of children to learn age appropriate social skills, and practice those skills with confidence in typical social settings such as games, sports, and play.  Social skills training is based on the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) an evidence-based social skills intervention that includes training for both parents and children, as well as opportunities for playgroups and social outings outside the center setting. 

Our Philosophy

We also believe that all children have social capabilities and desires to interact positively with other people. Some children need more guidance and training than others, but all deserve to have the ability to interact nurtured for lifelong success.

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Parent Training and Support

Family Support and Parent Training are two of the most crucial, yet often overlooked, areas of intervention. Waypoint offers support for families in parent training and support group meetings. We are also able to offer sibling training and grandparent training.

Do I Need This Service?

If you are enrolled in any of our behavioral therapy programs, parent training will be a mandatory part of your comprehensive treatment plan. Parent training and monthly support groups are also provided for parents who are not currently clients, or any parents who need the support of other parents as they navigate their child’s diagnosis. You should also consider this service if:

  • You need training to understand and navigate your child’s behavior.
  • You don’t feel equipped to handle your child’s behavior or you feel you have “tried everything.”
  • You would benefit from the support of other parents who are in your same position

Our Therapy Solutions

Regular parent training sessions will be built into any comprehensive behavioral program, but additional parent training sessions or sessions for non-clients are also available. In each parent training session, a Waypoint professional will guide parents to identify areas that can be improved and work to develop a plan that can be incorporated easily into the home. Parents should expect to be given concrete, actionable skills that they can use to improve behavior.

Additionally, we offer monthly support groups for any parents who are living with autism, ADHD, or other behavioral or developmental diagnosis. These informal meetings allow parents to get to know each other and build a support network, as well as offer a place to share challenges and triumphs. Meetings offer a combination of casual conversation, and advice and training from experts in a wide variety of disciplines.

Our Philosophy

We believe that parents are the most influential and important teacher in a child’s life. For that reason, we consider parent training to be a vital part of any behavioral intervention program, and we strive to empower parents to feel confident and capable in parenting and leading their children.

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