Enrichment Program

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The Knapp Center Enrichment Program is an extension of our Infant and Toddler Day Treatment Program. This program is designed for children with autism ages 5-7 years old. Children in this program have demonstrated significant progress in treatment, and developmental skills, and are thus, projected to be discharged into mainstream education at a public or private school within the next 1-2 years. This program is designed to resemble a typical classroom. The children in this program receive 1:1 support and the methodology of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is utilized. A typical day includes 46% of the time in individual Discrete Trial Instruction and 54% of the time in group instruction or social activities.


PROGRAM GOAL:

The goal of the Knapp Center Enrichment Program is to prepare children with high functioning autism for learning in a typical educational environment. The children participate in ABA therapy within a mock classroom. Objectives for each child include improving language, cognitive, social, adaptive and behavioral functioning to age-appropriate levels so that success in a typical educational environment is more likely to occur.


POPULATION SERVED:

Children with autism spectrum disorder, ages 5-7 years. These children all demonstrate average to above average cognitive potential.


PROGRAM STAFFING:

Each child in the program is served 1:1 by a registered behavior technician (RBT). Educational background of RBTs include bachelor degrees in psychology, education or a related field. Each child in the program is also assigned a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who supervises the RBT and the treatment of the child. BCBAs provide direct care and supervision weekly to each child 1-2 times per week. There is an intervention specialist in the classroom, who is also an intern for BCBA. This person provides additional support. Finally, there is a Coordinator of the program (a BCBA) and executive director of the Knapp Center who provides oversight of the program.


OTHER INFORMATION:

This program was also awarded a $5,000 grant from Autism Speaks in January 2017 for initiating and implementing an evidenced-based reading protocol for children with autism.