Florida Autism Center - North Port

After an assessment is completed, if it is deemed clinically appropriate to provide services in the school, we will work with you, your insurance provider, and the school district to determine if this is possible.

Most insurance companies require a formal diagnosis to access ABA therapy. While the evaluations provided by a school district can help our team with treatment planning, they do not typically include a formal diagnosis. Instead, schools’ complete evaluations to help determine eligibility for special education and determine a category of disability.

Absolutely! Parent involvement, engagement, and learning is key to success. We welcome you to attend sessions and support your child’s growth in this way.

We do not commonly accept volunteers at the center but welcome you to visit and observe sessions.

It can be! Behavioral therapy can refer to a broader range of interventions that aren’t necessarily all applied behavior analysis. For example, behavioral therapy might refer to cognitive behavioral therapy, behavior modification, or more eclectic approaches to care. If you are not sure, you can always ask!

Most of our centers also provide in-home therapy. Speak with your local clinical leader about options.

While we can intervene on some basic feeding needs (e.g., food selectivity or utensil use), if your child’s primary needs are related to feeding, a referral to a multidisciplinary team that focuses on feeding is likely best. In Florida, we have an intensive feeding program that can support higher intensity feeding needs in a specialized therapeutic setting.

Early intervention is typically delivered between the ages of 2 and 5 years of age.  Although not always the case, it is often intensive and comprehensive, focused on changing the developmental trajectory of a child.

We do not take grants or scholarships, but if you have access to something specific, speak with your BlueSprig representative to determine if there is an opportunity for you to use it.

Children can receive testing in a variety of locations, including your pediatrician, local psychologist, and even university settings. The first step is to speak with your primary care provider to ask questions and receive a referral for a thorough diagnostic evaluation.

If you live in an area where we do not provide adult services, we recommend reaching out to Autism Speaks to request information about how you might access adult services.

In certain areas, we have specialty centers tailored for adults. To learn more about the locations and availability, reach out to our team.

Part of the assessment process includes a clinical recommendation for the most appropriate location, based on the child’s goals and where we anticipate they will learn best. This may be center-only, home-only, community-only, or a combination of these settings.

A technician will come to your home to work with your child. You, or a designated caregiver, remain at home and are welcome to participate in therapy as it is conducted. Sessions can look very similar in the home as they do in centers except that there are unlikely to be group activities, scheduled time with peers, or access to learning materials typically found in a center setting.

At the end of each session, you will typically receive a quick overview of your child’s day. You can also access Central Reach to see more information about the goals your child worked on and their daily progress.

ABA has a broad range of applications and can be used in higher education, to support mental and physical health, and with different populations, like geriatrics.

ABA stands for applied behavior analysis and is the study of human behavior. ABA is a science that has a broad array of applications but is best known for its application with autistic individuals. ABA provides an approach for understanding the many variables that influence socially significant behavior, such as communication and social interactions.

There is no cure for autism, but ABA therapy helps to effectively address the symptoms associated with the diagnosis. Goals are focused on improving you and your child’s quality of life, with a specific focus on teaching new social and communication skills while reducing behaviors that may be challenging.

We accept most major insurance plans, including most regional payers. In certain areas, we also work with school districts. Examples of plans we accept include:

• BCBS
• Aetna
• TRICARE
• Cigna
• Humana
• United Healthcare
• Medicaid

To learn more about the coverage your plan offers, reach out to our team of experts.

ABA therapy is not educational in nature; however, the goals addressed often include foundational skills that make it easier for an individual to learn in a school setting. In young children, ABA therapy may help prepare them for entering a school program. As a child ages, they are likely to participate in various therapies, educational activities, and events. For older children and teens, ABA could be an after-school therapy. Every client’s situation is unique, and your plan will be tailored based on your child’s needs and your interests.