Mission: The Kalamazoo Autism Center aims to improve the lives of individuals with autism and their families by providing evidence-based, individualized treatment and therapy to advance meaningful community engagement.
Western Michigan University’s Kalamazoo Autism Center collaborates with the Department of Psychology to provide therapeutic services to children and young adults, ages 2-21. We are located at 4200 S Westnedge Ave in Kalamazoo, Michigan and accept Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Blue Care Network, Aetna, Medicaid, Priority Insurance, and private pay.
We provide Applied Behavior Analytic (ABA) services in the following areas:
- Pre-academic (learning-to-learn) skills
- Communication skills
- Group skills
- Play skills
- Daily living skills
- Social skills
- Vocational skills
- Parent training
- Severe behavior services
- And more!
The KAC is housed within the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University, so a vast majority of our Behavior Technicians (BTs; those who work 1:1 with your child) are also attending school to learn about behavior analysis or a related field (e.g., Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, etc.). Many of our BTs are at the KAC to further develop their skills in preparation for a career in healthcare and public service. We consider ourselves lucky, as this close connection with WMU ensures that Behavior Technicians come to the center with prior knowledge of behavior analysis and how it can be used to support individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. Because this position is similar to their chosen career path, KAC BTs are very invested in the progress of their clients and learning best practice for ensuring quality clinical treatment.
In addition, the KAC serves as a practicum site for students in the Behavior Analysis graduate program at WMU. These students spend part of their time providing 1:1 treatment to our clients, but are also studying with one of the KAC’s Clinical Supervisors (Board Certified Behavior Analysts; BCBAs) so that they can serve in this same role once they have graduated. Not only does this provide an additional level of daily support to our Behavior Technicians, but it also serves to increase the number of BCBAs available to serve a currently underserved population. The KAC sees itself as an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to addressing the ongoing needs of our population, both within the state and nationwide.
KAC is open from 8am – 6pm, Monday through Friday. We serve clients between the hours of 9am – 6pm.
Yes! At the KAC, we believe that all of our children are unique, as is their need for supports. We understand and respect that families wish to access other treatment options (e.g., Speech, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, etc.) and we encourage you to seek appropriate and evidence-based treatments. We also do not believe that ABA is “One Size Fits All” so we will never make hour recommendations prior to conducting a formal assessment and we will work with you to find the right balance for your family.
Formal referrals are not necessary. However, prerequisite steps vary by funding source (private insurance, Medicaid, etc.). In order to help families, we’ve provided a brief overview of diagnostic requirements on our website and are happy to assist if you need further information. Please feel free to give us a call.
Our staff are trained in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. Therefore, we provide only ABA services and do not provide other services, such as speech and occupational therapy at this time.
Costs will vary. We accept private pay, Medicaid, and commercial insurance. Please call if you require any assistance with navigating the insurance and/or diagnostic process.
Currently insurance funds individuals through age 18 and Medicaid can fund through age 21. Blue Cross and Blue Shield have recently removed age restrictions on applied behavior analysis for individuals with autism.
We ask that parents provide some of your child’s most preferred items, such as toys, snacks, and movies.
This is described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
Ask for a medical evaluation. Evaluators are trained in identifying the core symptoms of autism, and can provide a diagnosis if your child meets the criteria. Having a clearer diagnosis will help identify what treatments are effective, and what treatments are funded by your insurance or Medicaid. Click here to read more about early signs, and how and where to get an evaluation for autism in Michigan.
After a diagnosis has been completed, an assessment must be completed to determine your child’s level of need for ABA services. This assessment can be completed at the Kalamazoo Autism Center. We have a variety of assessment tools that we may use, depending on your child’s skill level. Based on the results of the assessment, we will make a recommendation for the number of hours of ABA a client should receive and send that recommendation to Medicaid or your insurance company. They will then make the final determination of the number of hours that they will fund.
Early intervention services are typically for children between the ages of 2 and 6 years old, and services typically range between 20 and 40 hours a week. Research has shown that early and more intensive intervention results in the best outcomes, so we highly recommend enrolling your child in as many hours of ABA as you are approved, as early as possible.
Typical early intervention services are delivered in a one-on-one format. Your child will be assigned a Clinical Supervisor, who is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. The Clinical Supervisor will be responsible for the development your child’s programming and tracking their progress. Behavior Technicians will work one-on-one with your child under the supervision of the Clinical Supervisor, implementing their programming and taking data as they go.
In early intervention, pre-academic and communication skills are the major focus. An early intervention program may also focus on skills like self-help skills, play skills, social skills, and group skills.
After a child is school age, the amount of services is often reduced to about 10-20 hours per week (but not always). When a child becomes school-aged, treatment may still focus on many of the early intervention skills, depending on the child’s needs. At this time, we will also focus more intensively on self-help and other independence skills.
As the child gets older, we may also start to focus on skills in the community and vocational skills.
Social and group skills are other important areas of focus for individuals with autism. Social skills training may occur in a one-on-one or a group setting. Often, skills are trained in a one-on-one setting, and then opportunities to practice those skills are delivered in a group setting.
Another service that we offer is toilet training. Using the principles of ABA, we are often successful in training individuals with autism to use the bathroom independently.
A key component to any good ABA program is parent involvement. We encourage parents to be involved with all therapy and programming decisions. We will meet with parents on a regular basis to discuss your child’s progress and discuss future goals and placement. In addition, parent goals will be developed and our staff will provide you with training on our protocols and procedures.
The goal of any good ABA program is to provide clients with enough skills so that fewer and fewer supports are necessary. As this happens, we will help plan and facilitate our clients’ transitions to other settings, as is appropriate for each individual client.
Intensive day treatment is for individuals who engage in behaviors that make it difficult for them and their families to participate in functional activities. Individuals that are referred to our severe behavior services clinic usually have a long history of severe problem behavior that interfere with their home and school activities. The severe behavior services clinic consists of a team of board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) that specialize in the assessment and treatment of problem behavior. The main focus of our severe behavior services is to decrease the behaviors that are interfering with an individual’s daily life and teach alternative replacement behaviors. Individuals referred to these services either get intensive services where they are required to attend 10 to 20 hours a week or get less intensive services where they are required to attend 4 to 8 hours a week. Despite these recommendations, the level of treatment is individualized for every client to fit their level of need.
The severe behavior consultation service provided by Kalamazoo Autism Center – Severe behavior Services (KAC – SBS) team is for ABA providers in Michigan who are seeking consultative services for their clients who engage in severe problem behavior, such as physical aggression, elopement, self-injury, and other challenging behaviors. These services are intended for individuals who already participate in ABA therapy but require more intensive, targeted support for their behavioral needs. The consultative team consists of board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) who specialize in the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, and we are supervised by doctoral-level BCBAs with specialized expertise in this area. We collaborate closely with your team to conduct a formal functional behavior assessment (FBA) using a hybrid model that includes telehealth and in-person sessions, depending on the needs of the agency and consumer. This process may include a formal functional analysis (FA), when appropriate, feasible, and mutually agreeable. If a formal FA is not suitable, our team will design alternative, high-quality analyses to identify the function of problem behavior. Throughout the assessment, we work alongside your team to collect and analyze behavioral data, providing ongoing support in interpreting the results. After identifying the function of behavior, we assist in developing and briefly testing potential treatments to determine their effectiveness. The initial consultation typically requires approximately 15-20 hours spread over 3-4 weeks, although this may vary depending on the severity and intensity of the problem behavior, level of support the child requires, and the responsiveness of your team. At the end of our consultation, we provide a detailed written report summarizing the assessment findings and our treatment recommendations. If further consultation is desired during the treatment phase, optional follow-up sessions are available for an additional fee.
Referrals are accepted from ABA providers, community mental health providers, or parents, but our consultative services are specifically for consumers already receiving behavior analytic services under the supervision of a BCBA. If you would like to refer an individual to the KAC – SBS team or have questions about the appropriateness of our service for an individual, please contact us using the link below.
We offer severe behavior consultation services to schools to assist with the assessment and treatment of severe challenging behavior. We can provide Independent Education Evaluations (IEEs) that include a formal functional behavior assessment (including a functional analysis when appropriate and necessary). If a formal functional analysis is not appropriate, our team will design alternative, high-quality analyses to identify the function of problem behavior. We provide a summary report of our evaluation and recommendations for intervention based on the results of our analyses. We can attend a summary meeting with school personnel and the parent to describe our assessment, results, and recommendations. If requested, we are also happy to assist school personnel (e.g., teachers) in constructing a full behavior support plan based on our recommendations from the assessment. Finally, if desired we are also happy to help implement the plan, providing coaching and support to the teacher and classroom staff on implementation, consultation on when and how the intervention supports can be faded over time, and at times, we can also provide behavior technicians in the classroom if requested (depending on how far the school is from our center and the feasibility of staff availability).
The KAC – SBS school team consists of board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) who specialize in the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior. Supervision and oversight from doctoral-level BCBAs with specialized expertise in this area is included with our team services. We typically use a hybrid model that includes telehealth and in-person sessions, depending on the needs of the school, guardian, and consumer.
Referrals are accepted from ABA providers, community mental health providers, or parents, but our consultative services are specifically intended for schools, so referrals are primarily expected from school personnel. If you would like to refer an individual to the KAC – SBS school consultation team or have questions about the appropriateness of our service for an individual, please contact us using the link below. Someone will be in touch with you to discuss our services further.
The KAC is now hiring part-time Behavior Technicians!
Responsibilities
Behavior Technicians are responsible for providing behavior analytic interventions to individuals with autism spectrum disorders or other populations with developmental disabilities or behavior problems.
Minimum Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent
- At least 10 hours a week of availability
- Able to pass background check
- Reliable transportation (we’re very close to a bus stop!)
Desired Qualifications
- Some coursework in behavior analytic concepts and principles
- Certification as a Registered Behavior Technician
- Some experience providing behavior analytic intervention to individuals with autism spectrum disorders or other populations with developmental disabilities or behavior problems.
Fill out an application online or contact us at psy-kac@wmich.edu for more information!
Books
- Let Me Hear Your Voice by Catherine Maurice
- The Verbal Behavior Approach by Mary Lynch Barbera
- The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child by Alan Kazdin
- Effective Programs for Treating Autism Spectrum Disorder: Applied Behavior Analysis Models by Betty and Randy Williams