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Living with an autistic child can leave an entire family walking
on eggshells. Ten-year-old Alex Kline’s struggle with a form of
autism called Asperger’s syndrome has consumed his entire family.
His parents Tara Kennedy-Kline and Chris Kline decided to get
help. A behavior consultant spent a week in their home to help
them regain control. “There are fewer tears around the house
now,” Tara Kennedy-Kline writes, “but, even more important, there
are more smiles.”
Autism Partnership was formed in 1994 to meet the tremendous need
for effective services to families with autistic children.
Based upon our founders’ extensive and unique experiences in
providing behavioral treatment to children, adolescents and
adults we have developed a comprehensive program that provides a
variety of services.
Our directors were intimately involved in the treatment program
developed at the UCLA Young Autism Project during the period of
1975-1987. Our current work incorporates the knowledge gained
from the University research clinic and combines it with our more
recent experience delivering services in community based
settings. As knowledge about effective behavioral treatments
continues to advance, we have also made innovations to increase
accessibility to greater numbers of children in a variety of
settings. We have extended the application of this specialized
teaching methodology to children who are older. While it is clear
that the optimal time to begin intervention is at the preschool
age, there are many older children who have greatly benefited
from intensive behavioral treatment.
Reports indicate that over 80% of student’s with ASD are victims
of bullies. Among the short-term effect of victimization
are anxiety, fear, and an escalation of acting-out
behaviors. The long-term repercussions can be devastating:
isolation, depression and suicide. Traditional approaches
to address the problem do not go far enough. We know there
is something that can be done to protect our
children.
Making connections and building relationships is critical for
life satisfaction. We have started a teen group to help
create a place for teens on the autism spectrum to meet and learn
valuable skills. This group for teens, ages 14-16,
focuses on developing the skills needed for successful and
fulfilling social relationships. Skill areas include increased
self-awareness, understanding social behavior and current social
norms, expanding age-typical interests through exposure to a
range of age-typical and appropriate interests, collaborative and
cooperative interactions, increased flexibility and tolerance of
others, navigating social media and planning age-typical
activities. Join now!! The more teens enrolled, the
better for everyone!
If you are interested please contact our New Referral
Coordinator, Michele Jessner, by filling out theRequest for
Services form.
Families and individuals facing issues related to Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD) can benefit tremendously from counseling
support. However, finding professionals experienced
in both counseling and the issues specific to ASD can be
difficult. In response to this need, Autism Partnership is
expanding our availability for counseling services.
When A Work in Progress was first published in
1999 it was our attempt to disseminate important curriculum
information to those helping individuals with
autism. We have continued to learn and refine our
techniques and curriculum over the years. In order to help
communicate the perspective of Autism Partnership we are
providing two updated programs for download that best demonstrate
our evolution in treatment. If you find the programs helpful we
ask you to consider making a donation to the Autism Partnership
Family Foundation. Even small donations to the foundation
can help us further our efforts to support families.
Volume 6 in the Work in Progress Companion Series focuses on the tools needed to help children with autism combat bullying.Sadly, bullying has reached epidemic proportions in our schools, causing students both physical and psychological harm.Students with ASD are particularly at risk because of their behavior issues and their vulnerability.It is not surprising that more than 60% of children with ASD have been bullied at some point of their life.Traditional ways of combating bullying are not only ineffective, but often make the problem worse.This volume provides practical suggestions that help prevent the devastation of bullying.
Payment for Publications should be made Payable to the Autism Partnership Family Foundation.
In 1999 we published, A Work in Progress, a manual containing strategies and programs that we had developed over that past 20 years. It is now 2012 and we have (finally!) made some more progress. Our approach and programming efforts have continued to evolve over the last 13 years. We have continued to try to blend a natural, child-friendly approach to teaching while remaining determinedly systematic. We have developed new approaches to solving challenging behavior problems as well as teaching communication, social and recreational skills. A Work in Progress received positive reviews from parents and professionals alike. However, we would often hear, “If we could just see the programs in action, that would be even more helpful!” We have taken the feedback and developed A Work in Progress Companion Series which combines written booklets on various teaching strategies along with actual demonstrations of our work with students on DVD. We have selected a few of our favorite programs which illustrate the use of behavior methods to teach a variety of skills to students of all ages.
We hope that parents and teachers will find this series a helpful companion and extension to A Work in Progress. We are also excited to announce that all of our proceeds from A Work in Progress Companion Series will go directly to the Autism Partnership Family Foundation! This Foundation was developed for three purposes: to provide services to families with limited resources; to fund research that will investigate new strategies and programs that truly make a difference in the lives of children and families; and to disseminate information about evidence-based treatment and provide resources for training parents and professionals
By Autism Partnership: Mitchell Taubman, Ph.D., Ron Leaf, Ph.D., and John McEachin, Ph.D.
With contributing chapters by: Marlene Driscoll, M.A. MFT, B.J. Freeman, Ph.D., Alyne Kuyumjian, M.S., Justin Leaf, M.A., Karen McKinnon, M.A., Tracee Parker, Ph.D., Julia Peacock, M.S., Jon Rafuse, M.A., Julide Saltuklaroglu and Andrea Waks, J.D.D.
“One of the most comprehensive and easy-to-use guides available for teaching social skills to children and youth with autism spectrum disorders. A valuable resource for teachers, clinicians, and families!” – Tristram Smith, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center
“This is a terrific addition to the information available on how to teach social skills. The authors have outlined ways to teach social skills in social awareness, social communication, social interaction, social learning, and social relatedness.” – Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., Director of Research and Training, The McCarton School
Crafting Connections is a welcomed addition to many professionals’ libraries. It provides empirically based techniques for teaching social skills to a wide age range of individuals on the autism spectrum. Crafting Connections directly deals with many of the social pitfalls individuals with ASDs face on a daily basis. E. VanBergeijk (&) Vocational Independence Program, New York Institute of Technology, 300 Carleton Avenue, Room 112 Independence Hall, Central Islip, NY 11722, USA
e-mail: evanberg@nyit.edu
Written by a team of renowned professionals, this guide highlights skill development in clear and behavioral frameworks, and provides parents and teachers with a wealth of information regarding goals and strategies. Sub-skills, prerequisites, and methods of instruction are outlined for each area in a methodical, easy-to-read manner.
The book is practical in that it addresses real world issues such as teasing and bullying, conversational development, and social comprehension. Most individuals with ASD have substantial social challenges. Many receive good and thorough intervention in various areas of the curriculum, but few receive excellent instruction in social skills. This book will increase the quality of social skill instruction offered to learners on the spectrum.
A comprehensive guide for any parent or professional working with Autistic children, A Work In Progress is an absolute must-have. Parents of newly diagnosed children and professionals looking for a concrete curriculum will find this book to be an invaluable resource. The two-part manual presents ABA-based behavioral intervention strategies along with a detailed curriculum that contains 54 clear, step-by-step exercises.
The first half of the book, entitled Behavioral Strategies For Teaching Improving Behavior of Autistic Children, gives parents practical, how-to information on setting up an ABA program and dealing with difficult behaviors. Topics covered include: teaching formats; stages of therapy; evaluation; reinforcement; working with older children; disruptive behaviors; behavior problems; self-stimulatory behaviors; sleep problems; toilet training; eating problems; as well as play and social skills. The second part of the book is a detailed curriculum titled Autism Partnership Curriculum for Discrete Trial Teaching with Autistic Children.
By Autism Partnership: Ron Leaf, Ph.D., Mitchell Taubman, Ph.D. and John McEachin, Ph.D.
With contributing chapters by: Marlena Driscoll, M.A., LMFT, Alicia Ellis, M.Ed., M.S., Craig Kennedy, Ph.D, Toby Mountjoy, Tracee Parker, Ph.D., Leticia Palos-Rafuse, M.S., Jon Rafuse, M.A., Rick Schroeder, Jennifer Sryzens, M.S., Andrea Waks, J.D.D., and Tammy White, M.Ed.
A must read for all school administrators, special education staff and parents who have children with autism. . . . Required reading for all educators! – Joanne D. Foland, Ed.D, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services, Los Alamitos Unified School District
Gives detailed research-based strategies and key components in a clear, concise and easily replicable manner. . . . Follow the guidelines in this book to create and deliver high-quality student-centered programs, and track student progress to demonstrate accountability. From the critical components of imbedding ABA to the keys to a highly effective reinforcement program, this book contains the answers education professionals have been seeking. . . . An outstanding work! – Mary Schillinger, Assistant Superintendent Education, Las Virgenes Unified School District
The editors of this book offer practical advice to special education directors and superintendents while providing extensive training to teachers, direct and supplementary service personnel and parents. It is an essential manual that demonstrates how to determine and optimize the best school placement for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) while ensuring quality and continuity of service. It’s Time for School! is sure to become the standard guidebook for setting up school-based ABA programs.
Topics include:
How to Establish an ABA Classroom
Developing Staff Skills, Workshops, and Classroom Checklists
By Autism Partnership: Ron Leaf, Ph.D., John McEachin, Ph.D. and Mitchell Taubman, Ph.D.
With contributing chapters by: Danielle Baker, M.S., Jennifer Styzens, M.S., B.J. Freeman, Ph.D., Doris Soluaga Murtha, M.A., Andrea Waks, J.D.D., Toby Mountjoy, Sandy Slater, Ph.D., David Rostetter, Ph.D., Tracee Parker, Ph.D. and Andy Bondy, Ph.D.
“Leaf, McEachin, Taubman and their colleagues provide the interested lay reader with a guidebook on how to think about some of the ‘too-good-to-be-true’ treatments for autism, and the questions one needs to ask to identify which techniques have a sound grounding in empirical research and which are based on hunches, hypotheses, or not yet validated clinical experience.” – Sandra L. Harris, Executive Director, Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
A renowned team of professionals sift the sense from the nonsense in assessing the approaches to the treatment of autism. In a field exploding with alternative treatments, choosing the best course of action for the child with autism can be a daunting task. The authors offer compelling practical evidence of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as the most reliable approach to education, and provide a much needed antidote to other treatments lacking empirical data. The aim is to empower parents and professionals to ensure that their children receive quality educational programming. In supporting the notion that every individual must be approached according to their needs, goals and progress, this is a book written with knowledge and compassion for children, parents and professionals who deal with autism on a daily basis.
Topics include:
ABA as a Scientific Method
Alternative Treatments for ASD: What is the Science?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) uses an understanding of why
behavior occurs to address a wide range of social issues,
including helping individuals to learn. Like other applied
sciences, ABA can be applied to a range of populations and
settings (e.g., business and industry, education, gerontology,
healthcare) and to a range of social concerns (e.g., anxieties,
depression, phobia, addiction, behaviors associated with autism).
What distinguishes ABA from other disciplines?
Applied Behavior Analysis focuses on behavior (not theoretical
constructs). It uses laws of behavior that have been
experimentally demonstrated, and it uses clearly defined
procedures to specify how to change behavior. The primary focus
of ABA is on behavior that is important to individuals, in terms
of enabling them to lead more fulfilling lives.
ABA employs teaching where the objectives of intervention are to
teach your child those skills that will facilitate his
development and help him achieve the greatest degree of
independence and the highest quality of life possible.
Although many different techniques comprise ABA the primary
instructional method is called Discrete Trial Teaching
(DTT). DTT involves breaking a skill into smaller parts,
teaching one sub-skill at a time until mastery, allowing repeated
practice in a concentrated period of time, providing prompting
and fading as necessary and using reinforcement procedures.
Is all ABA the same?
This is a complicated issue because not all ABA is alike. There
is tremendous variation from those approaches that are extremely
rigid and have set rules, regardless of the child, those
approaches that are lackadaisical and without any structure.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) can take a variety of different
forms dependent on the group that is providing this
service. In addition to the skill level of the provider,
there are technical and stylistic differences in implementation.
Approaches range from those that are dogmatic and rigid, to
unstructured. Autism Partnership’s over thirty-five years of
clinical and research experience shows the best option is a
careful balance of flexibility while still retaining the essence
of a systematic, empirical approach to teaching. It is also
important to incorporate ABA techniques that are individually
tailored for each child.
Early behavioral practitioners were often perceived to be too
rigid and punitive. And sadly, even today, there are behaviorists
who continue to use highly artificial and unnatural teaching
strategies. This has led to a wave of clinicians who
distanced themselves from traditional methods. They’ve even
created new terminology to make the therapy more appealing to
parents and teachers.
Why is Autism Partnership different?
What makes Autism Partnership different from other agencies is
that we focus on building strong learning foundations. If
children have disruptive and interfering behaviors it is
extremely difficult for them to learn. Therefore we must
concentrate our efforts on teaching them essential skills so that
we can truly build upon their abilities to learn. Teaching
children “how to learn” is essential. Tragically, building
a strong foundation is often neglected.
However, without a strong behavioral foundation it is extremely
difficult to teach critical skills such as communication, social
and play skills. Of course, it takes hard work on everyone’s
part. Skilled professionals conducting effective intervention,
schools providing appropriate education and well-trained
teachers, and parents providing love and support to become
experts in their own right, are all important players in the
partnership. Our intervention approach applies sound teaching
principles of learning to help children succeed. Improvement is
simply not enough. Our children, their brothers, sisters and
parents deserve the highest quality of life.
Autism Partnership’s ABA process
Develop strong and natural reinforcers so that learning can
easily transfer to the real world. When children are
motivated by activities, social interaction, and the desire to
learn, one does not have to rely upon artificial reinforcers.
Helping children so that they learn not only in 1:1
situations but in small and large groups
Helping children learn in natural settings, full of the types
distractions that occur in schools and in the community.
With a strong foundation of learning how to learn, it simply is
not necessary to use the typical accommodations for removing
distractions and utilizing artificial cues
Focusing on the whole child: not only is communication and
academics important but teaching children the skills so that they
can develop meaningful and long lasting relationships. This
includes developing relationship and play skills.
Teaching children the skills so that they can become truly
independent. Learning how to monitor their own behaviors is
essential for maximizing quality of life
Recognizing the need to provide counseling services for
children, siblings and parents
Providing therapy in natural forms so that children develop
natural language
Working with toddlers, adolescents and adults of all
functioning levels
Training parents, teachers, and family members the necessary
skills so that they can facilitate success
Autism Partnership Foundation was established to provide services
to children whose parents do not have the means to obtain
treatment and to advance research on behavioral treatment of
Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Mission
We hold the belief that every child deserves to thrive. Our
clinical and research experience of over 35 years has
demonstrated that with the effective treatment, children with
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have amazing potential to foster
meaningful relationships and live happy, productive lives. For
these reasons, we’ve established the Autism Partnership Family
Foundation. Our mission is to provide beneficial services to
children whose parents may not be able to afford clinically
effective treatment and to advance behavioral treatment research
for ASD.
What We Do:
The Autism Partnership Foundation’s parent company, Autism
Partnership, offers services to help children and adolescents
with ASD develop proper communication skills and meaningful
relationships by eliminating disruptive behaviors.
The Autism Partnership Foundation helps children and adolescents
with ASD by:
Conducting Research: Published in May, 2011 in
the journal, Education and Treatment of
Children, Autism Partnership, a community based
agency that provides Applied Behavior Analysis in schools and
homes, examined the treatment outcomes of 64 students with ASD
who received an average of 22 hours weekly of treatment for an
average of 3 1/2 years and across four countries. The
results demonstrated that 45 out of 64 children’s IQs increased
an average of 22.5 points. Such a significant increase
demonstrates not only the effectiveness of intervention but is
predictive of future success in school. Moreover, these
children were able to successfully participate in general
education classrooms.The Autism Partnership Family Foundation
helps children and adolescents with ASD by:
Providing ABA Therapy: Our highly trained and
experienced clinicians provide intensive behavioral treatment to
children with autism, specifically Applied Behavioral Analysis
(ABA). ABA therapy is the only treatment for autism found to be
scientifically proven and effective by clinical research, but
also proves costly and is not covered by insurance. The Autism
Partnership Foundation provides this valuable treatment to
children whose families need financial help.
We are thrilled to have made such an impact on children and
families’ lives. It is not a miracle nor are changes
rapid. It is a journey, with ups and downs and ongoing
challenges. It requires everyone who touches the child’s life
to work in partnerships. It requires staying committed to
the treatment and not being drawn to the multiple treatments
that sound promising and receive tremendous publicity. It
is so very gratifying to be part of life changing treatment
which will enhance the quality of children and families’
lives. — Ronald Leaf
Your tax-deductible contribution provides vital funding for
development of new programs and ensuring that children in need
will receive the treatment they deserve.
The Bilson family is like many other families: three kids, a cat,
and a small, lovely home with lots of family photos and carved
wooden wall signs with sayings like “Live, Laugh, Love.” But step
inside their house after 4 p.m. most weekdays and you’ll want to
cover your ears because of the noise — the screaming, to be
exact. These are not the shouts of sibling rivalry or parental
annoyance. This is the high-pitched, ear-shattering sound of a
13-year-old girl. More accurately, it is the sound of a
frustrated, irritated, very loud teenager with autism.
