Assessment
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Effective behavior change procedures begin with a quality assessment, or a snapshot of skills and variables that contribute to maladaptive behavior.

There are a number of evidence-based tools in the field of behavior analysis, and our staff are trained and experienced. Selecting the right assessment for your child is imperative to achieve meaningful results.

North Arrow ABA is equipped to conduct assessment using the following tools:

  • Verbal Behavior Milestones and Placement Program (VB-MAPP)

  • Promoting Emergence of Advanced Knowledge (PEAK)

  • Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS-R)

  • Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS)

  • Essential For Living (EFL)

  • Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and Functional Analysis (FA)

  • Practical Functional Assessment (PFA)

Treatment
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North Arrow aims to provide treatment services in the least intrusive manner, addressing the issues presented by families with urgency. 

We measure our outcomes by evaluating progress toward family-set objectives, and begin discharge planning from the onset of assessment and treatment. And, we’ll work with you to fit your schedule, with potential availability from 8AM—8PM, seven days a week.

Skill Acquisition 

One of the primary goals of ABA treatment is the acquisition of socially important skills.  These can be skills that are delayed as compared to typically developing peers, or those that are necessary to replace maladaptive behavior.  North Arrow ABA develops programming individualized to each client by drawing from assessed skill deficits, curriculum guides, and parent-led goals.  

Reduction of Problem Behavior

Problem behavior exhibited by children affected by ASD and other developmental disabilities is often the biggest barrier to learning.  North Arrow ABA acknowledges that these types of behavior always serve a function, and it’s our job to find out what that is.

 

In-Home Treatment

 

  • In-home assessment and treatment will yield more information as to the variables that may reinforce and maintain problem behavior. 

  • It allows for more immediate visibility and interaction between the provider and the family, promoting greater involvement from stakeholders. 

  • Tangible reinforcers that children are surrounded by on a day-to-day basis are able to be utilized in-home. 

  • More immediate generalization may occur when behavior is addressed in the settings where deficits and problems are noticed and present.  

  • Family guidance and training may be more conveniently provided when the home is also the treatment setting. 

  • The home is the most likely to be the least restrictive treatment setting possible.

  • Research suggests that some of ABA’s most effective interventions can have long term benefits when implemented in-home and by parents as the interventionists (Derby et al, 1997). 

 

Center-Based Treatment

 

  • Center-based services provide a greater level of control over the environment, and may allow for more expedient behavior change. 

  • Research suggests the rate of learning may be increased, leading to better outcomes when services are provided in-center (Roberts et al, 2011).  

  • Staff presence in-center allows for greater support in the event of crisis-level behavior.  

  • Children may have the opportunity to interact and generalize social skills with unfamiliar practitioners as well as with peers with ASD who also receive services at the center (Dixon et al, 2017)

  • The North Arrow ABA treatment space is conveniently located in Traverse City, Michigan in a converted elementary school, with space to explore both indoors and out.  

Maintenance
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Once treatment is a success, maintenance of skills must be addressed.

We work with families after treatment to ensure everything your child learned during treatment stays in place. This can involve regularly scheduled meetings, a review of data collected by the parent, or check ins to ensure the problems have not reappeared.

Professional Consultation
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We provide consultation services and trainings for organizations and clinical staff in need of professional development.

Continuing education credits are available for BCBAs and BCaBAs through North Arrow ABA, an Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) provider through the Behavior Analysis Certification Board.

Family Training Workshop

 

North Arrow ABA is pleased to offer the 4-hour Family Training Workshop to providers of Applied Behavior Analysis services in Michigan. This workshop evaluates the components of best-practice Family Training using the principles of behavior, with the goal of building skills of supervisory staff in creating treatment fidelity and adherence with their clients’ families.

Information collected from MDHHS, JABA, and other flagship journals are synthesized to present the most up-to-date analysis of this crucial service and its delivery. Behavioral Skills Training is utilized on-site to provide opportunities for modeling, feedback, and practice within the 3-hour workshop. Additional components of the workshop include:

  • 2 hours of didactic training, including literature reviews of the functional assessment of family adherence

  • Practical guidance from 10 years experience in delivering family training from lead consultant, Jonathan Timm, MA, BCBA, LBA

  •  Pre-test and post-test data to analyze acquisition of didactic material

  • 2 hours of practical learning opportunities

  • Three individual breakout BST role-play opportunities with guided instructions and feedback opportunities

  • Shaping of practitioner skills to be utilized in-vivo following workshop

  • Mastery-based advancement through BST learning opportunities

  • Citations and references for additional professional development

  • ACE provider, CEUs upon request

 

Crisis Management Training

 

Jonathan Timm, MA, BCBA, LBA, North Arrow ABA’s lead consultant has been a certified Professional Crisis Management instructor since 2014. He has taught crisis management techniques including crisis prevention, non-physical de-escalation, crisis intervention, and post-crisis strategies for multiple organizations. The Professional Crisis Management (PCM) system is model designed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts, and has been developed in best practice since 1981.

North Arrow ABA is proud to offer crisis management training in multiple levels (non-physical and physical management), providing PCM certification for trainees. Professional Crisis Management Training can be beneficial for schools, hospitals, autism centers and other organizations across Michigan. Contact us today for more information. Also, see www.pcma.com for more information about the Professional Crisis Management Association.

 

Translation Services

 

North Arrow ABA will take reasonable steps to ensure that persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) have meaningful access and an equal opportunity to participate in our services, activities, programs and other benefits. The policy of North Arrow ABA is to ensure meaningful communication with LEP clients and their authorized representatives involving their medical conditions and treatment. We may use local organizations providing interpretation or translation services, or technology and telephonic interpretation services.

 
 

Why choose North Arrow?
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01

Family Focused

We are community and family focused, taking into account the individual needs of parents and caregivers within their community. 

02

Flexible

We meet families, caregivers, and educators of children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder where and when we are needed, with services from 8AM—8PM, seven days a week.

03

Empowering

Our interventions involve the entire family unit in your child’s treatment model from day one. We teach families to become their own child’s interventionists, addressing problem behavior with the least amount of effort necessary.