Autism / ABA Services in Arizona

Autism Services help each member maximize their potential through individualized assessment. Initial contact for Autism Services typically involves consultation with a master’s level Behavior Assessment Specialist. Through our interview and observation process, our qualified staff can offer recommendations and training during the first clinical visit. The training focuses on pivotal skills such as waiting, accepting the response, “no”, functional communication, and self-monitoring.

Ongoing services are determined with input from the Child-Family Team. Internal referrals are then made to one of our evidence-based interventions, such as the Positive Parenting Program, Pivotal Response Teaching, completing a Functional Behavior Assessment or enrolling in Comprehensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services.

Intermountain offers Behavior Assessment to children and adults exhibiting behavior challenges. These services — provided in both English and Spanish — are individualized and focus on the strengths of each member while teaching their families strategies to cope with and resolve behavior problems.

Intermountain offers Behavior Assessment and Intervention Services to children and adults exhibiting behavior challenges. These services – provided in both English and Spanish – are individualized and focus on the strengths of each member while teaching their families strategies to cope with and resolve behavior problems.

Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Behavioral Support Plans:

• A Behavior Support Plan is developed for each member and is based on the results of a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA).
• These plans are generated to teach caregivers and members safe ways to ensure the member’s needs are being met.
• The team continually monitors the progress of each member and the effectiveness of their Behavior Support Plan.

In-Home Crisis Stabilization Planning:

• The primary goal of In-Home Crisis Stabilization Planning is to prevent disruptions in, and removal from, the individual’s home.
• Intermountain’s Behavior Intervention Specialists assist families and other professionals with the implementation of treatment plans, home routines and appropriate responses to crisis events.
• These plans also introduce members to new daily living systems to promote positive habits and lifestyle choices.
• Intermountain’s staff assists with putting the Behavior Support Plan in place and seeing it to fruition.

Parent/Caregiver Education:

• Online individual and group classes, in English and Spanish, utilizing the Positive Parenting Program, (also known as Triple P or Stepping Stones).
• Individualized training adapted from a variety of evidenced-based practices, including:
  • The RUBI Autism Network
  • Common Sense Parenting
  • Pivotal Response Teaching
  • Parent/Child Interaction Therapy
  • The Kazdin Method for Parenting
  • Person-Centered Planning
• Counseling services for members and their caregivers

Success in a crisis stabilization plan requires member stability across environments and caregivers. Members gain independent stability by working side-by-side with a Behavior Assessment Specialist or Behavior Intervention Specialist. These specialists work with the member’s Child Family Team and/or Adult Recovery Team to implement the behavior plan and manage crisis situations as they arise. Once the member shows a mastery of the plan and replacement behaviors, a transition plan is initiated to shift the member back to their natural support system at home.

Intermountain and its affiliates contract with the behavioral health system providers who offer case management and who in turn, refer at-risk children and, adults to our programs. Behavior support specialists work with Title XIX (Medicaid) eligible children who have been identified as having behavioral health needs. Intermountain and its affiliates provide services throughout Arizona.

To receive services, please notify your Behavioral Health Provider letting them know that you would like a referral to Behavioral Consultation Services. Referrals should be sent to bcsstatewidereferrals@ichd.net. For Flagstaff referrals, click here.

Our Community Autism Services provide a variety of treatment options including:

• Telehealth
• Clinic visits
• In-home treatment, up to 4 hours per week
• RUBI parent training
• Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Support Plan
• Family support
• Counseling (including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)

The Little Cubs Clinic is for children 18 months – 12 years old who have been diagnosed with Autism or a similar diagnosis. Children in the Little Cubs Clinic receive 6-20 hours/week of 1:1 ABA in a clinical setting with our qualified staff. Our staff includes a team of Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) who are supervised by two Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). We primarily serve AHCCCS members and coordinate diagnostic services with our affiliate, Intermountain Health Center.

We operate with a play-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) approach, which honors the child’s motivation and preferences, and aims to make each treatment session a fun experience. We encourage parent participation in our sessions and offer separate parent education programs are aimed at. These parent education sessions are aimed at targeting pivotal skills parents can implement with their child and giving parents strategies to reduce challenging behaviors in the home.