Frequently Asked Questions

No. We will utilize the first few sessions to build rapport with your child and assess their current skill level.

While our client population consists primarily of children with a diagnosis of autism, we provide services for clients with other developmental delays.

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)

Each program is driven by each child’s individual needs with a focus on skills needed to function independently and interactively in their daily lives. Goals are selected based on the results from your child’s individualized assessment. Goals may come from the following areas: verbal behavior, play skills, social skills, early academic skills, and self-help skills.

A behavior analyst will design your child’s program. All program supervisors are board certified through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and hold a Master’s level degree with extensive experience treating child with autism and other development delays.

 

A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) will provide the direct therapy. Your child will have a minimum of 2 RBTs that will work with your child on a weekly basis. RBTs are supervised regularly by your child’s program supervisor to ensure quality and consistency of programming.

We conduct all therapy sessions at Mitchell’s Place.

The length of your child’s therapy session is dependent upon which ABA program your child attends at Mitchell’s Place. Our Teach Me program conducts therapy sessions from 8:00am-3:00pm Monday – Friday. Our Outpatient ABA program conducts therapy in 2-3 hours session, with 2-4 sessions per week (Monday – Thursday).

ABA sessions include a variety of evidence-based teaching methodologies. Typically, you will see Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT), Natural Environment Teaching (NET), Incidental Teaching, and Generalization training. In order to be successful, the therapist must continuously develop a positive rapport with your child and Mitchell’s Place. A process of pairing with reinforcement will take place during a portion of each therapy session at Mitchell’s Place. DTT may occur at the table and utilize positive reinforcement using items/objects that are motivation for the child (e.g., praise, tickles, hugs, high-fives, opportunities to play, and sometimes edible snacks). There will be a mix of tasks that the therapist is targeting in order to assure engagement, learning, and true mastery of skills being taught. Generalization is a very important component of treatment for children with Autism spectrum disorder. A portion of your child’s session will be spent in the natural environment, away from the table, doing incidental teaching of skills to promote maintenance and generalization of skills taught during DTT.

A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a graduate-level certification in behavior analysis that practices behavior analytic services independently. BCBAs oversee program development, implementation and progress monitoring. Additionally, BCBAs supervise the work of BCaBAs and RBTs.

 

A Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) is an undergraduate-level certification in behavior analysis. BCaBAs may assist a BCBA in program development, implementation and progress monitoring. BCaBAs must be supervised by a BCBA, but can supervise RBTs.

 

A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) is a paraprofessional who practices under the close supervision of a BCBA or BCaBA. A RBT is primarily responsible for the direct implementation of behavior analytic services.

Yes, each child has a team designated to developing and implementing their individualized program. These professionals include Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologist, Special Education Teachers, and Behavior Analysts.

Early Learning Program

SPECTRUM SPOT:

Yes: our program is centered on serving the Autism community.  The teachers and staff receive extensive training in evidence-based interventions and strategies for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder.

The base cost of tuition for children enrolled in a spectrum spot in our Early Learning Program will vary depending on assessment and support needs.  Please contact us for more information.  The base tuition includes classroom time and behavior therapy services for skill acquisition.  Additional services including speech therapy and occupational therapy are available and will be applied to insurance and billed separately.  

Insurance can only be applied to speech therapy and occupational therapy.

Yes, our Early Learning Program is from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Early services are available starting at 7:00 a.m. and extended day services from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  

We pride ourselves on a low student to teacher ratio. Our classrooms have a 3:1 student-teacher ratio, with 5 children on the autism spectrum and 5-6 children who are neurotypical in each classroom. The behavior therapy team is led by a BCaBA and two Registered Behavior Technicians.

The classrooms implement an ABA approach to learning and behavior management.  The classrooms implement a research-based curriculum called Mother Goose Time which aligns with the Alabama State Preschool Standards and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  The students will also have an IEP developed to target specific learning objectives. Students receive pull-out or push-in services with the behavior therapy team for skill acquisition on a weekly basis and receive an initial and annual assessment using the VB-MAPP, ABLLS, or other developmental assessments.  The students receive weekly group therapy session for social skills using the SCERTS Model, and fine-motor group using the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. If applicable, one-on-one speech therapy and occupational therapy are scheduled during the school day.

We serve children ranging in age from 2 to 6 years.

Each classroom is led by a lead teacher holding their Master’s degree, or a lead teacher pursuing their master’s in early childhood special education, and two assistants with an undergraduate degree in a related field.  

TYPICAL SPOT:

The base tuition is now just the specialized classroom setting.

Our classrooms have a 3:1 student-teacher ratio, with 5 children on the spectrum and 5-6 children who are neurotypical in each classroom.

The center is licensed under Department of Human Resources (DHR) and is accredited by the AdvancED.

A research-based curriculum called Mother Goose Time.  Additionally, we utilized The SCERTS model for social skills and Handwriting Without Tears for handwriting skills.

Each classroom is led by al lead teacher holding their Master’s degree, or a lead teacher pursuing their master’s in early childhood special education, and two assistants with an undergraduate degree in a related field.  

Yes, our ELP is from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Early services are available starting at 7:00 a.m. and extended day services are available from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Outpatient Services

Outpatient Services is comprised of Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

We are in-network and contracted with several common health insurance companies, which will cover some of the cost depending on your specific benefits.

Yes, contact our Intake Coordinator at 205-957-0294 to review your health insurance policy and what services it covers. Behavior Therapy session for skill acquisition may be eligible for insurance coverage.

Therapy sessions are 30 minutes.

Occupational therapy is a holistic health profession that helps people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities, also known as “occupations”. These occupations can be both the intervention and the outcome of therapy; hence the name “occupational therapy”.

No. We can conduct our own evaluations in the first session or two. However, if your child has had an evaluation in the last year in that discipline, we will use that evaluation to establish a new plan of care.