Great Strides Autism Early Intervention Preschool
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Better communicate their wants and needs
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Enjoy social relationships with peers
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Learn how to participate in group learning environments
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Learn age-appropriate self-help skills such as potty training, eating a variety of foods, etc!
A Day in the Life of a Great Strides EIBI Preschooler
The Great Strides Preschool day is filled with lots of activities to engage children in learning in unique ways. While ABA therapy is a structured data driven science, we find all the fun ways to learn new skills each and every day! Each child’s daily schedule is tailored towards their individual learning needs.
1:1 Therapy
Some children need more one on one time with their therapist to learn the skills necessary to learn productively with and around peers
Group Learning
Some children are ready to learn in small groups with the support of their therapist so their activities can be more geared towards peer interactions such as centers
Daily Schedules
All our activities are specially designed for the learners in each classroom to maximize learning opportunities throughout the day.
What Does EIBI Mean?
Our Early Intervention Preschool Program is a highly effective program that utilizes an Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention program. Here is what that means.
- Early refers to the young age that children typically start in this type of a program. Children as young as 2 years old can benefit from our program. This type of a program usually lasts for 2-4 years to teach as many skills as possible to improve a child’s chances of being successful in group environments such as classroom settings in a school.
- Intensive means that your child will be in 1:1 therapy the entire time they are with us, so they are getting 25-35 hours per week of 1:1 ABA therapy, which is the most common recommendation from diagnosticians when a child is diagnosed with Autism.
- Behavioral refers to the behavioral science of learning. Behavior Analysts have extensive training in how to curate the best environment and opportunities to learn a wide variety of skills such as communication skills, social skills, self-care skills, group learning skills and many more!
- Intervention means that this is a scientific treatment approach that uses data-based decisions to make sure your child has the best learning outcomes possible. Behavior Analysts are constantly reviewing your child’s learning patterns to make in the moment changes when necessary to increase learning.
What Makes Our Program Different
Class Size and Instructor Ratios
There are many preschool options that include both educational and therapy services for children as young as 2 years old. These services are typically provided in a student to teacher ratio around a minimum of 4 students for every 1 adult. At Great Strides early intervention preschool, our classrooms have a maximum of 5 kids in a classroom at a time and all kids receive 1:1 therapy support throughout the day, so there is one therapist for every one child. (picture of 4 kids and 4 staff working in a classroom)
Training and Support for the 1:1 Instructors
All 1:1 clinicians are at a minimum a Registered Behavior Technician. These clinicians receive extensive training when they join our team and have regular supervision sessions and oversight from our Board Certified Behavior Analysts. In addition, they continually receive training and support to make sure they are providing the best learning environment for your child. (picture of BCBA and RBT with a client and another of a BCBA and RBT meeting)
Needs Addressed
Most preschool settings will work on a few individualized goals per child in areas such as social-emotional development and pre-academic skills. Sometimes these are not the biggest needs for the child. At Great Strides we listen to what will best benefit the child in all areas of their life from the classroom to the home and in the community! We often teach skills such as potty training, expanding the foods they are willing to eat, while also teaching better communication skills and social skills.
Rather than placing the greatest emphasis on teaching traditional pre-academic skills like letters, numbers, shapes, and colors, the focus of EIBI intervention is on teaching a child how to learn and actively participate in group and classroom activities. This is the best way to help them be more active learners across their lifespan in a variety of environments.
Who Qualifies for Insurance Coverage
Insurance
Because our preschool program is all one-on-one therapy, it is typically a covered service by your insurance company! This means that we can bill your insurance for the services we provide and you are only responsible for the copays, coinsurances and deductibles as specified in your plan.
Now, not all children qualify for insurance coverage for ABA therapy. At this time only children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Down Syndrome are eligible for ABA therapy coverage in the state of Florida. A complete Autism evaluation is required to qualify for ABA therapy coverage. This evaluation typically includes a parent interview, an ADOS evaluation and sometimes a few other tests as well.
Scholarships
In addition to insurance coverage children with ASD and Down Syndrome qualify for a scholarship program in the state of Florida beginning at age 3 years! This scholarship can award a family thousands of dollars a year to help cover the cost of therapy services, including copays, coinsurances, etc! Great Strides is proud to accept the Florida Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities. Learn more about this wonderful resource.
Comprehensive Therapy Services
Our Preschool Program works closely with our other therapy services to offer a comprehensive care model to ensure the best outcomes.
