IN HOME SERVICES Click here for Advance Kids Northern Region
Program Designs
Advance Kids provides both early intensive behavioral treatment (our EPYC program) and functional adaptive living skills programs (our PFI program) for children diagnosed within the Autism Spectrum. These programs are designed to incorporate parents as a critical part of the team, focusing on increasing the generalization of skills to everyday life.
Early Programming for Young Children (EPYC) has been designed for children between the ages of 18 months to five years. The EPYC program addresses all areas of early development, and is appropriate for preschool age Children, whether they attend school part-time or are not yet enrolled. Assessments and program design may include the following:
• Functional Communication
• Imitation
• Visual Performance
• Pre-Academic Skills
• Play and Social Skills
• Self-help Skills
• Gross and Fine Motor Skills
• Routines and Transitions
• Generalization of Skills into Daily Living Activities
• Community Safety and Awareness
• Behavior Intervention Plans
Program for Independence (PFI) services Children approximately six to 12 years of age, utilizing tutors as necessary to increase skills while working toward a trainer-to-trainer approach with parents. The PFI program focuses on functional adaptive living skills or skills needed to function as independently as possible in the real world. Assessments and program design may include the following:
• Functional Communication
• Self-help Skills
• Play and Leisure Skills
• Social Skills
• Community Safety and Awareness
• Functional Routines and Transitions
• Generalization of Skills into Daily Living Activities
• Behavior Intervention Plans
ADVANCE KIDS - NORTHERN REGION
Advance Kids started providing services to children diagnosed with Autism in the Chico and Oroville areas in 2005. Services are provided in the home and community for children ages 18 months to 18 years using four program designs.
Program Designs
Advance Kids in Chico provides four types of program models including an early intensive behavioral treatment (EPYC program) and functional adaptive living skills programs (PFI program) for children diagnosed within the Autism Spectrum. In addition, social skill training is provided in two additional programs; Advance Play (6-12 years) and Advance Teens (13-18). These programs are designed to incorporate parents as a critical part of the team, focusing on developing social and play skills for individuals who are otherwise succeeding in school and community integration.
Early Programming for Young Children (EPYC) has been designed for children between the ages of 18 months to five years. The EPYC program addresses all areas of early development, and is appropriate for preschool age Children, whether they attend school part-time or are not yet enrolled. Assessments and program design may include the following:
• Functional Communication
• Imitation
• Visual Performance
• Pre-Academic Skills
• Play and Social Skills
• Self-help Skills
• Gross and Fine Motor Skills
• Routines and Transitions
• Generalization of Skills into Daily Living Activities
• Community Safety and Awareness
• Behavior Intervention Plans
Program for Independence (PFI) services Children approximately 6 to 12 years of age, utilizing tutors as necessary to increase skills while emphasizing a trainer-to-trainer approach with parents. The PFI program focuses on functional adaptive living skills or skills needed to function as independently as possible in the real world. Assessments and program design may include the following:
• Functional Communication
• Self-help Skills
• Play and Leisure Skills
• Social Skills
• Community Safety and Awareness
• Functional Routines and Transitions
• Generalization of Skills into Daily Living Activities
• Behavior Intervention Plans
Advance Play services Children 6 to 12 years of age, and provides specialized home and community based social skills training for children diagnosed within the Autism Spectrum, including “high functioning autism” or Asperger’s Syndrome. Tutors take on the role of a life coach to teach necessary social skills as they relate to appropriate interaction and participation in community, recreation or leisure activities.
Programs may include the following areas of interest:
• Functional Communication
• Participation in activities and daily tasks
• Interaction with the public
• Accessing services in the community
• Leisure Skills
• Understanding social and activity rules that apply during independent activities
• Participating in community recreation activities or sports
• Participation in family chores or routines
• Social Skills
• Perspective taking and an understanding of personal space
• Understanding of general social rules
• Appropriate interactions with strangers in the community
• Community Integration and Safety Skills
• Teaching skills to remain safe while in public places
• Seeking assistance from appropriate sources
• Adjusting behavior to fit the social setting
• Independent Living Skills
• Increase independence in daily hygiene
• Increase independence in simple meal preparation
Advance Teens services Children 13 to 18 years of age, and provides life coaches who support teens diagnosed with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. Similar to our Advance Play program, staff serves the role of a social coach to teach necessary skills as they relate to appropriate interaction and participation in community. Teens are encouraged to participate in new activities, interact with peers in the community and follow general hygiene routines including chores and grooming. Parents are provided with training on maintaining and teaching skills to their teen.
Programs may include the following areas of interest:
• Functional Communication
• Participation in activities and daily tasks
• Interaction with the public
• Accessing services in the community
• Leisure Skills
• Understanding social and activity rules that apply during independent activities
• Participating in community recreation activities or sports
• Participation in family chores or routines
• Social Skills
• Perspective taking and an understanding of personal space
• Understanding of general social rules
• Appropriate interactions with strangers in the community
• Community Integration and Safety Skills
• Teaching skills to remain safe while in public places
• Seeking assistance from appropriate sources
• Adjusting behavior to fit the social setting
• Independent Living Skills
• Increase independence in daily hygiene
• Increase independence in simple meal preparation
Programming for Independence (PFI-A)
A PFI-A intervention program provides adolescents, 13-18 years of age, diagnosed within the autistic spectrum with an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program that addresses their needs in the area of self help skills (e.g., grooming, chores, preparing a simple meal, etc.), functional communication, leisure and recreation activities, behavior reduction as it relates to a lack of independence and communication, daily routines, community integration and parent assistance. It is not the intent of the PFI-A program to prepare adolescents for attendance at school. Rather it is the intent to maximize the adolescent’s potential to participate as a member of his or her family and member of a community by teaching functional adaptive skills. Each individual will be assessed to determine their level of need and individualized recommendations will be shared with the planning team.
Goals and objectives are based on the results of the assessment and may include the following domains:
1. Communication
• Getting wants and needs met in the home and community through appropriate methods (e.g., vocal communication, PECS, ASL, etc.)
• Following directions related to daily activities and routines
• Decrease behavior excesses as they relate to deficits in communication
2. Leisure and Recreation
• Variety of age appropriate leisure and play skills
• Community oriented activities (e.g., movies, museums, etc.)
• Cooperative play with siblings and peers
• Family game and leisure time
3. Self-Help
• Dressing (e.g., choosing own clothing, putting on specific articles of clothing, etc.)
• Hygiene (e.g., bathe self in shower, brush teeth, etc.)
• Eating (e.g., prepare snack in microwave, eat with utensils, etc.)
• Toileting
• Chores
• Purchasing (e.g., tracking purchases, performing steps of purchasing tasks, etc.)
4. Functional Routines and Transitions
• Prepping for school
• Coming home from school routines
• Snack routines
• Bedtime routines
• Preparing for community outings
• Mealtime routines
5. Generalization
• Use of all acquired skills in a variety of environments across people, time and stimuli
6. Community and Safety
• Participating in recreational activities in the community
• Maintaining appropriate and safe behavior in the community
• Stranger awareness
• Interact with community members (e.g., store clerk, waitress/waiter, etc.)
Programs remain in place from 6 months to 3 years and may include trainer to trainer models where Parents and Behavior Consultants work together to create strategies to increase their child’s skills and decrease behavior excesses that interfere with daily life.
Advance Kids – Northern Region can be contacted at 530-899-0590 or visited at 2607 Forest Avenue Suite 110, Chico, California 95928.