Behavioral Intervention Group (BIG) is a CABAS® accredited learning center that provides skills, teaching environments and learning opportunities to improve the quality of life for children with autism and other developmental disorders. Founded in 2007, BIG is located in Baton Rouge, La., and is the only CABAS® accredited site in the Gulf South United States. BIG specializes in providing individualized Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children in their programs.  BIG offers two core programs, both of which provide full-day ABA instruction. Both of these programs include frequent parent training sessions, parent workshops and progress reports. In addition to the core programs, BIG offers several part-time supplementary program options.  

 

Comprehensive ABA Program

The Comprehensive ABA Program is designed for children who have been diagnosed with autism. This program provides 30-40 hours of ABA therapy each week to toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and elementary-aged children. In order to provide the most optimal learning environment for each child, he/she is placed in a learning environment with other children of a similar age and Verbal Behavior (VB) level and one-to-one student to therapist ratio. This structure allows the child access to a therapy team that is highly qualified in the implementation of the programs, teaching methods and tactics used in their classroom. This structure also allows a child who achieves the pre-determined transition criteria for his/her classroom to advance to the next the classroom of the new VB level. The programs, instructional methods/tactics and learning environments are tailored to each child’s needs and continually change as the child progresses. Communication, play, group learning, social, academic learning, and as well as any necessary life skills, among others, may be incorporated into the children’s individualized curriculums.

 

Developmental Pre-K/Kindergarten Program

In BIG’s other core program, the Developmental Pre-K/Kindergarten program, ABA therapy is provided to children ages 3-5 who do not necessarily have an autism diagnosis, but are unable to function independently in a typical classroom setting due to their engagement in problem behaviors. These preschool and kindergarten-aged students may have been diagnosed with a behavioral disorder (e.g., Oppositional Defiant Disorder [ODD] or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD]), a communication disorder or language delay, or may have no diagnosis but engage in non-compliant or aggressive behaviors.  With an individualized curriculum and access to typical peer models, the children in this program are provided with the language, social, academic and behavioral skills they need in order to be successful once they are transitioned back into their typical classroom setting.

 

Supplementary Services

In addition to the two core programs, BIG also offers supplementary services to enhance children’s skills and behaviors in social settings, classroom settings and at home. BIG offers social skills groups, one-to-one academic tutoring sessions and parent coaching services. BIG also offers school-based services for consultation with teachers and/or administrators, as well as focused ABA services and professional development workshops.

 

In order to be system-wide, the CABAS® approach is not only applied to children’s ABA programs, but is also applied to the organization as a whole. Therapists are taught to be scientists, decision-makers and leaders as they work through the CABAS® modules. BIG therapists receive intensive training, and their skills are assessed on an ongoing basis to ensure that standards are maintained. We believe that this system-wide approach is critical in order for each child to find his or her path to grow on.

 

BIG’s CABAS® approach is system-wide, meaning that the CABAS® methodology is not only applied to ABA programs, but it is also applied to the entire organization. As an important component of CABAS® principles, BIG’s therapists and teachers are trained intensively to view their work as “the science of changing lives.” Therapists interact with their students with the supervision of behavior analysts and the precision of scientists, charting their progress with a smile and a careful attention to detail. Furthermore, BIG’s therapists are continually assessed to ensure that CABAS® standards are being met and exceeded. BIG believes that this system-wide approach is critical for each child to find his or her path to grow on.

For more information about BIG, visit www.big-br.com or call 225-757-8002.