Updates regarding the reopening of our center for children with autism
Center Update
After closing our center to help mitigate the spread of the virus in our community, we are now working to resume services within this new normal of physical distancing and personal protective equipment.
We are currently restructuring our classrooms to ensure that there is more than enough space in each room for children and adults to safely interact. Each classroom is being divided up into learning stations, to reduce the sharing of materials and providing barriers between learners to limit the opportunity for close contact.
Adults will wear face shields and masks to further provide protection to children and each other. As a result, it may be difficult to work on communication skills that require the learner to see the provider's mouth (for example, learning to imitate sounds or facial movements). With this in mind, we will be adjusting each child's schedule as needed, to allow these types of skills to be provided through the use of virtual ABA via telehealth.
We will continue to utilize telehealth so long as insurers allow us to do so. In addition to allowing us to work with your child remotely, telehealth provides a safe and convenient way for families to check in and discuss their child's progress with their provider.
Children over the age of 2 will be encouraged to wear masks while at the center; however, we understand that some children will have difficulty tolerating a mask on their face. For this reason, mask wearing will not be mandatory for children. Instead, we will help them become more tolerant of masks as much as we can, to ensure that they are safe when out in the community with their families.
With all of these changes, the number of learners that can receive services at our center will drastically decrease. There will be no more than 5 children per classroom. Our new capacity, per age group, is as follows:
School-age: 3 children
Preschool: 15 children
Toddler: 3 children
Clinical hours will also be adjusted to allow staff enough time to properly disinfect toys, materials, and learning stations.
Opening Date TBD
As an essential service, we will continue to monitor the situation in our region, and anticipate resuming face-to-face services over the next few weeks.
If you are currently receiving virtual ABA via telehealth from The Behavior Place, and would like for your child to resume face-to-face services at our Center, just send us a quick email at admin@behaviorplace.com to let us know so that we reserve your spot.
If you would like to have your child assessed and enrolled in our ABA Therapy program, use the link below to download the Intake Packet. Since insurance companies can take up to 30 days to authorize ABA Therapy services, we recommend submitting your paperwork as soon as possible to get the ball rolling.
You can email the necessary documentation to admin@behaviorplace.com, or create an account within our Parent Portal and securely upload everything directly into your child's account.
Once we receive your completed intake packet, your provider will contact you to schedule a virtual assessment. From there, a treatment plan will be developed, and services may begin once your insurance plan authorizes coverage.
Best,
Tara Montemurro