Assessments

  • What is an Assessment comprised of

    Providers conduct a standard DA in the cultural context of the member, meaning the standard DA must be completed in a way that is relevant to the environment, situation, beliefs, values and practices of the member’s culture.

  • How does it work for a minor

    For a child, providers may conduct appointments outside the office, with or without the child present, for face-to-face consultation and information gathering with:

    • Family members
    • Doctors
    • Caregivers
    • Teachers
    • Other providers
    • Directly observing the child in various settings that the child frequents (home, school, care settings)

    For children under age 5:

    • Utilize the DC:0-3R diagnostic system for young children. For CTSS providers, utilize the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorder of Infancy and Early Childhood DC 0-5.
    • An early childhood mental status exam that assesses the child’s developmental, social and emotional functioning and style with the family and with the examiner and includes:
    • Physical appearance including dysmorphic features
    • Reaction to new setting and people and adaptation during evaluation
    • Self-regulation, including sensory regulation, unusual behaviors, activity level, attention span and frustration tolerance
    • Physical aspects, including motor function, muscle tone, coordination, tics, abnormal movements and seizure activity
    • Vocalization and speech production, including expressive and receptive language
    • Thought, including fears, nightmares, dissociative states and hallucinations
    • Affect and mood, including modes of expression, range, responsiveness, duration and intensity
    • Play, including structure, content, symbolic functioning and modulation of aggression
    • Cognitive functioning
    • Relatedness to parents, other caregivers and examiner
    • Completion of other assessment tools may be determined and periodically revised by the commissioner

  • Where can I get more infomation on this process

    More detailed information on Diagnostic Assessments can be found at the Department of Human Services Website.

ABA Therapy

  • What is ABA Therapy

    Helena Staff teach clients to fulfill their potential through applied behavior analysis (ABA). We celebrate all strides a learner makes whether that be writing their name, putting their backpack away by themselves or giving their caregiver a hug for the first time. Helena staff provide treatment through Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) services. The EIDBI benefit is a Minnesota health care program for people with autism spectrum disorder or related condition to provide medically necessary, early and intensive intervention.

     

  • We are Assent-Based for ABA

    At Helena, we take a compassionate care approach to therapy. We believe in helping our learners to learn and grow in a way that ensures they feel safe and supported. We follow learner assent, which is when a learner verbally or non-verbally agrees to participate in treatment. We believe that all behavior communicates a need and our first and foremost goal is to ensure our learner’s needs are met. Once we’ve done that, we may focus on teaching replacement alternative behaviors in a way that is fun, engaging, and easy for our learners. We prioritize ensuring each learner has a communication system that works for them to ensure they have a way to communicate their wants and needs. Self-advocacy is a skill we believe is critical for every individual, no matter how they communicate. Collaboration is key for our team as our speech-language pathologist and occupational therapist work closely alongside our BCBA to develop each learner’s programs. At Helena, our primary goal for your child is for them to be happy… but we don’t stop there.

     

  • What is Autism

    Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), formerly Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified, is a complex disorder of brain development and is characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. ASD may be prevalent in very early brain development, but the most obvious signs and symptoms tend to emerge between two and three years of age.

    No one child with an ASD diagnosis is exactly like another and symptoms can be associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination, attention, and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal (GI) complications.

    An ASD diagnosis is a mental health disorder that is identified in a manual used by mental health professionals and is call the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, 2013).

     

  • What is Applied Behavior Analysis and what will my child’s day look like

    Applied Behavior Analysis is the process of systematically applying interventions based on the principles of learning theory to improve socially significant behaviors to a meaningful degree, and demonstrate that the interventions employed are responsible for the improvement in behavior (Baer, Wolf, & Risley 1968). In other words, ABA is a scientific approach to understanding why people do what they do and helping them make meaningful changes in their behavior.

     

    We intensely train staff to do ABA with all of our learners. Staff are trained to do the following sections of therapy with learners:

    1. Pairing (the idea of pairing yourself and other items/activities with reinforcement)
    2. Manding (teaching learners to request using words, PECS, iPads, etc.)
    3. Table (an intensive teaching time done at a table following a schedule of reinforcement)
    4. NET (Natural Environment Teaching; generalizing skills into learners everyday life)
    5. Behavior management (respond appropriately in order to increase desired behaviors and decrease challenging behaviors)

    Your child will have multiple small groups and peer groups throughout the day. Goals and programs will be implemented to ensure your child is successful. Your child will attend the following groups throughout the day: Snack (this is not provided by Helena), Group/Art, Story time, peer play, Structured gym, and daily living skills.

Speech-Language Therapy

  • What is Speech-Language Therapy at Helena Autism Therapy Center

    The Speech-language therapist helps to improve your child’s verbal, non-verbal and social communication skills. Speech-Language Therapy begins with a comprehensive evaluation by the Speech-Language Pathologist. Once the evaluation is completed, the Speech-Language Pathologist develops and plan and goal for therapy. Our Speech-Language Pathologist collaborates with each child’s behavioral therapy team to promote language and communication development throughout his or her day.

  • What skills can Speech-Language Therapy help

    The Speech-Language Pathologist uses play and age-appropriate activities to focus on a variety of skills, including but not limited to:

    • Articulation
    • Augmentative and alternative communication
    • Expressive Language
    • Fluency
    • Pragmatic Language (social skills)
    • Receptive Language

    The Speech-Language Pathologist works with children to help communicate their want, needs, thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Individualized care is provided so that each child can reach his or her full potential.

 

Psychotherapy

  • What is Psychotherapy

    Psychotherapy means treatment of a person with mental illness that applies the most appropriate psychological, psychiatric, psychosocial or interpersonal method that conforms to prevailing community standards of professional practice to meet the mental health needs of the member. This may include, but is not limited to:

    • A planned and structured, face-to-face treatment of a member’s mental illn
    • Directed to accomplish measurable goals and objectives specified in the member’s individual treatment plan (ITP)

  • Where can I get more infomation on this process

    More detailed information on Diagnostic psytherments can be found at the Department of Human Services Website.

Occupational Therapy

  • What is Occupational Therapy at Helena Autism Therapy Center

    Occupational therapy helps people participate in the things they need and want to do through the use of therapeutic activities.  
    This includes:

    • Helping children participate in school or social situations
    • Complete self-care activities
    • Participate Play

  • How is Occupational Therapy managed at Helena Autism Therapy Center

    At Helena Autism Therapy Center, Occupational Therapists collaborate with families and the behavior therapy team to ensure carryover across environments. 
    Occupational Therapy interventions may include:

    • Increasing independence with self-care skills
    • Increasing participation with household activities or in the community
    • Improving fine motor skills (including handwriting, clothing fasteners, tools)
    • Promoting gross motor skills (including strength, coordination, body awareness),
    • Improving sensory processing abilities and self-regulation