A Bridge to Achievement Balance Program

Balance Program

Fostering Joy & Stability

As the name indicates, the Balance Program is designed to facilitate balance between parents and children with autism. Through regular telehealth meetings with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and 10 minutes of daily practice with their child, caregivers grow to understand how to utilize their learner’s play interests to create a space where challenging behaviors are less likely to occur.

Sharing joy with your learner is in your future! Support starts here.

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Program Overview

ABA Strategies At Home

Age Range: 3-6 (customizable to 21+)
Target Audience: Autistic children, preteens, teenagers, young adults
Minimum Commitment: 2-3 weekly telehealth meetings; daily practice
Therapeutic Approach: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy
Format: Telehealth; child/caregiver practice
Cost: Varies by insurance (we accept BCBS, MedCost, Medicaid)
Center Locations: University Center, Pineville, Winston-Salem

The cost of ABA therapy with insurance can vary widely, but many plans cover a significant portion (if not all) of the expense. The cost depends on the specifics of each individual’s insurance plan and coverage.

Three young children smiling in classroom setting

Qualifiers for Participation

Learner candidates for the Balance Program include those who:

Demonstrate need of skills at the level provided
Engage in mild, non-dangerous behaviors (e.g., refusal, tantrums, etc.)
Are at risk of developing dangerous behaviors (e.g., SIB, aggression, etc.)
Are insurance-approved

Note, learners who engage in dangerous behaviors are best suited to receiving center-based services to reduce those behaviors before implementation of the full Balance Program. However, learners who engage in dangerous behaviors may be able to participate in a modified Balance Program focused on play skills and increased joy in the home.

Caregiver candidates include those who:

Seek more play/joy at home
Want to build a stronger relationship with their child
Seek balance in daily life between child-led and adult-led activities
Can commit to 2-3 weekly meetings and twice daily 5-minute practice sessions (without BCBA present)

How It Works

Who We Serve

Most participating families in the Balance Program have children between the ages of 3 and 6, but therapeutic interventions can easily be modified to accommodate all ages. Programming is delivered via telehealth, with caregivers and learners practicing concepts together daily.

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Program Implementation

The Balance Program develops daily living skills through child-led and adult-led activities. By carefully balancing which skills are most important to the caregiver (which are often the most unappealing to the learner) with activities the learner most enjoys, this program promotes stronger relationships, encourages play, and delegates control to each party when appropriate.

Implementing the Balance Program requires systematic exposure to situations that typically trigger challenging behaviors within the learner. With BCBA coaching, the caregiver helps their child learn appropriate, alternative ways of responding. In ABA therapy, this is called building “tolerance.”

Steps Toward Balance

A dedicated BCBA supports the caregiver and learner through incremental steps to establishing balance at home. Steps include: responding to one’s name, using words, accepting disappointment, and building cooperation. Each step helps to establish trust and shared experiences, which supports the development of specific skills and aids in tolerance building. Once learners complete the steps, families will find that their learners are more cooperative during natural routines.

Weekly Schedule

Caregivers participate in up to three telehealth meetings per week with a BCBA to discuss therapeutic strategies for each step, observe interventions, and reflect on implementation.

Caregivers and learners practice strategies twice daily – without the BCBA – for five minutes each session.

Meeting 1: Observation & Reflection, 1 hour
Meeting 2: Observation, 30 minutes
Meeting 3 (if needed): Observation, 30 minutes

Independent Practice: Twice per day, 5 minutes per session
Video Diary: Caregiver can send video to BCBA for feedback (optional)

Have Questions?

Check out our FAQs or get in touch! Support starts here.