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Unlocking Potential: The Impact of ABA
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a powerful, scientifically validated approach dedicated to understanding and transforming behavior in a positive way. Using the principles of behaviorism, ABA observes and analyzes behaviors to help make meaningful changes. It works especially well for individuals with developmental disorders like autism, using strategies like reinforcement to encourage positive behaviors and lessen challenges. The main goal is to boost communication, social skills, and daily living abilities through personalized programs that cater to each person’s unique needs. With dedicated support and consistent tracking, ABA helps individuals live more fulfilling and independent lives.
Center-Based and Home-Based ABA Services
ABA Clinic
WellCare Pediatric Therapy Specialists offers personalized, intensive services to children ages 2 - 12 in our ABA clinic providing behavioral evaluation and ABA Therapy (Applied Behavior Analysis) for children with autism spectrum disorders.
Our clinic setting is designed to ensure the safety and happiness of your child. We offer bright, open group spaces with plenty of natural light, indoor play areas, and access to outdoor play areas, including a park and playground right outside our door. We welcome outside service providers to work with clients within our facility, ensuring your child can receive all their services in one location, enhancing collaboration between all team members. WellCare Pediatric Therapy Specialists provide ABA services at our two clinics, located at 1930 Frequent Flyer Point and 2105 Academy Circle. Our clinics are open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, by appointment only.
Individualized Behavior Intervention Plans
One-on-one services are provided within spacious private therapy rooms with daily direct service and supervision provided by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA).
Children attend our program daily for 17.5 hours per week (part-time) or 35 hours per week (full-time) at our clinic. Each child receives a great amount of attention, support and high-quality individualized services, including access to a multi-disciplinary team of ABA, Occupational, Physical and Speech therapists. Our team-focused approach includes BCBAs who also work directly with children and provide parent training and in-home support.
Each child within our program receives a fully individualized Behavior Intervention Plan containing developmentally appropriate skill acquisition goals meant to target the core deficits of autism. Services are provided across all environments (clinic, home, and community) and progress is tracked daily allowing for on-going modifications to accelerate success.Home & Community ABA Therapy
We encourage learning skills in various natural environments rather than at a table. Our program includes daily integration within the community with daily walks and playground time as well as weekly outings to restaurants and shopping where we may then focus on behavioral and functional skills within the natural environment. Our group activities also allow our clients to receive one-on-one support to facilitate learning and social interactions with peers.
Our unique location backs to the Garden Ranch park and playground and is within walking distance to key community locations. We believe in the importance of integrating our clients into the community as much as possible to generalize learned skills to real world settings.
Plans are comprehensive to help each child reach their maximum potential to function independently and actively participate at home, in school and in the community.
Everyone Who Enters Our Care is Family
As a locally owned family-focused company, WellCare Pediatric Therapy Specialists takes a very personal approach to developing individualized ABA treatment plans.
We work to get to know our children as unique individuals and work alongside families to educate, encourage and nurture their children's full potential.
We believe having a consistent daily routine is important for our children's success and helps prepare them for transitioning into an educational setting. Research has shown that intensive ABA treatment is the most effective, especially for younger learners, and we are able to make great strides with language, toilet training, and various other skills that require more time and intensity than the child might otherwise receive in home, school, or with more limited services.
Meet Our Coordinators
Nicole MS, BCBA
BCBA Clinic and In Home Coordinator BIO
Nicole began her education in behavior analysis as an undergraduate at the University of Kansas where she graduated in 2013 with a degree in Applied Behavior Sciences with an emphasis in early childhood education & intervention. While at the University of Kansas, Nicole worked as Research Assistant in the Applied Behavior Analysis Department and as an Assistant Lead Teacher in a preschool program. She earned her certification as a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) in 2013. Nicole graduated from the Sage Colleges in 2016 with Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with a focus on autism and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst that same year. She has been providing behavioral services to clients with autism and their families since 2011 and has served in a leadership role as a Clinical Director of a large ABA clinic for the past two years. Nicole enjoys working directly with clients as well as training professionals and parents in ABA principles. 
Kristen MS, OTR/L
Clinical Manager Bio
Kristen is originally from Long Island, New York and moved to Colorado Springs in 2020. Kristen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the State University of New York College at Buffalo, an Associate in Applied Science degree (Occupational Therapy Assistant) from Suffolk County Community College, and a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the New England Institute of Technology. Kristen began her career working with adults in skilled nursing facilities. Her passion has always been working with children and she was able to start doing so upon moving to Colorado. Kristen loves working as a pediatric OT because she gets to combine creativity and science to help kiddos discover their strengths and develop their abilities, which is very rewarding to her. Kristen enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and 2 dogs, traveling, being at the beach, learning, and cooking. |
Jaime MA, BCBA
BCBA Clinic Coordinator BIO
Jaime graduated from National University in 2016 with a degree in Psychology. She earned her Master’s in Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology in 2019 and has completed her intensive practicum requirements at WellCare. Jaime has worked in the field of ABA for over 3 years. She earned her RBT credential in 2016 and her certification as a Qualified Autism Service Professional (QASP) in 2019. Jaime relocated from Florida to join the WellCare family in 2017. 
Stephanie MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapy Team Coordinator Bio
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Alison MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathology Team Coordinator Bio
Alison received her B.S. degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Oregon in 2017 and her M.S. degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Vermont in 2020. Alison describes herself as passionate and adaptable. She spends her time in home improvement/renovation projects, gardening, and caring for her dogs Raleigh and Moose. Alison’s clinical strengths include supporting tweens and teens with complex communication needs, programming and developing language to aid in functional communication, and play-based and trauma-assumed care. Her specific passions include speech-generating devices, multi-modal communication, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, voice disorders, and gender-affirming voice care. |
Sarah PT, DPT, Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy Team Coordinator Bio
Sarah graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2018 with a Bachelors in Developmental Psychological Sciences. She was involved in research studies on how infants and parents interactions contribute to development of emotion regulation. She graduated from Mount St. Joseph University with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2021. Her volunteer and work activities involve helping children experience adaptive recreation, including running and rock climbing. She spends her free-time rock climbing, hiking, and backpacking. She loves travelling and spends most weekends enjoying the great outdoors. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is ABA?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is based on the science of behaviorism with over 50 years of empirical knowledge behind it. Behavior Analysts use scientifically valid methods to increase behaviors or to teach new behaviors, to maintain behaviors, to generalize behaviors to other environments, as well as to reduce problem behaviors or any behaviors that interfere with learning. It is a true science and Behavior Analysts adhere to its principles of data collection to monitor progress.
Why ABA?
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is the only scientifically valid treatment for autism and has been endorsed by most state and federal agencies. Within ABA there are also various treatment approaches and methodologies. ABA is the science of learning and motivation and it is widely applicable to a variety of fields.
What is a board certified behavior ANALYST?
Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) are masters level clinicians who have completed approved graduate programs in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), met supervised fieldwork hour requirements, and passed a certifying exam through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). This is not an entry level qualification and most Behavioral Analysts have been working in the field for a number of years. BCBAs are required to keep up to date in the latest research by participating in continuing education coursework to maintain their certification, and are bound to adhere to strict ethical guidelines. Please see the BACB website for more information about these requirements and to verify the qualifications of service providers.
Isn't ABA unnatural/robotic/bribery?
People with autism can acquire new skills by being taught that engaging in a certain response will bring about some type of reward. Because social interactions or social praise are not always rewarding to people with autism, some unnatural rewards may be used at first to increase the motivation to engage in the desired behavior until more natural situational rewards can have an opportunity to take their place.
ABA has also suffered from the stereotype that it produces ‘robotic’ results. Unfortunately this can be true when services are provided by inexperienced practitioners who teach skills in a very inflexible and rote manner or who fail to work on generalization training. Because inflexibility and the inability to generalize skills across environments are characteristic of autism, it is especially important that all skills be taught in natural contexts as quickly as possible.
Many families who reject the more unnatural aspects of ABA teaching, may become turned off to ABA entirely and seek out non-research based treatment approaches which focus on relationship building and play. However, these same aspects of relationship building and play can also be used in ABA. In fact, these alternative therapies are only successful if they use the principles of behaviorism to begin with (harnessing motivation, tracking progress, etc.). Behaviorism is based in motivation–and you cannot teach anything without some degree of engagement or perceived value.
ABA has also suffered from the stereotype that it produces ‘robotic’ results. Unfortunately this can be true when services are provided by inexperienced practitioners who teach skills in a very inflexible and rote manner or who fail to work on generalization training. Because inflexibility and the inability to generalize skills across environments are characteristic of autism, it is especially important that all skills be taught in natural contexts as quickly as possible.
Many families who reject the more unnatural aspects of ABA teaching, may become turned off to ABA entirely and seek out non-research based treatment approaches which focus on relationship building and play. However, these same aspects of relationship building and play can also be used in ABA. In fact, these alternative therapies are only successful if they use the principles of behaviorism to begin with (harnessing motivation, tracking progress, etc.). Behaviorism is based in motivation–and you cannot teach anything without some degree of engagement or perceived value.
How is Wellcare pediatric therapists different than other companies?
WellCare Pediatric Therapy Specialists firmly believes that in order to achieve the best results for clients everyone working with the client must be on the same page. This includes educators, service providers, and family members. WellCare has an open-door policy for families and welcomes outside service providers for collaboration, thus allowing for us to easily bridge the gap between all members of the team. We also routinely go into clients’ schools to collaborate with educators and provide on-going training to parents and other family members. Our goal is to offer support and ensure consistency across all environments.
We share a philosophy in the benefits of naturalistic teaching. We believe skills taught in the natural environment and in natural situations produce the greatest results. Our approach revolves around using the client’s interests to create motivation for learning. We also adhere to teaching the most important skills first, skills that revolve around the core deficits of autism like communication (expressing wants, answering questions, labeling objects in the environment), social skills (watching and learning from others, engaging with others, sharing experiences with others, following social norms), and play (using objects appropriately as intended, being able to remain engaged in activities, playing with peers).
WellCare is also unique in that our BCBAs are always on-site and accessible and our ABA Therapists are well supervised. WellCare holds high standards for our Therapists. We only hire Certified Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) with at least a Bachelors degree who have 1 or more years of experience providing ABA services to children with autism. The majority of our RBT’s are also enrolled in Masters degree programs in ABA and are dedicated to this field as their career. Because of our supportive and dedicated team, we have little staff turn-over and our RBTs are always featured on our bio page.
We share a philosophy in the benefits of naturalistic teaching. We believe skills taught in the natural environment and in natural situations produce the greatest results. Our approach revolves around using the client’s interests to create motivation for learning. We also adhere to teaching the most important skills first, skills that revolve around the core deficits of autism like communication (expressing wants, answering questions, labeling objects in the environment), social skills (watching and learning from others, engaging with others, sharing experiences with others, following social norms), and play (using objects appropriately as intended, being able to remain engaged in activities, playing with peers).
WellCare is also unique in that our BCBAs are always on-site and accessible and our ABA Therapists are well supervised. WellCare holds high standards for our Therapists. We only hire Certified Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) with at least a Bachelors degree who have 1 or more years of experience providing ABA services to children with autism. The majority of our RBT’s are also enrolled in Masters degree programs in ABA and are dedicated to this field as their career. Because of our supportive and dedicated team, we have little staff turn-over and our RBTs are always featured on our bio page.
What does aba therapy look like?
ABA Therapy is the umbrella containing various different approaches (discrete trial teaching, pivotal response training, verbal behavior, natural environment teaching, etc.) When considering any treatment it is most important for families to ensure their treatment is a valid ABA approach. There are many types of autism treatment programs available that are not scientifically valid, make false claims to their effectiveness, and ultimately waste valuable treatment time. The best ABA treatments incorporate all these various different approaches based on each individual client and their learning histories.
Therapy revolves around the skill acquisition goals indicated in the plan. These are the behaviors that we would like to increase, and behavior reduction goals are the maladaptive behaviors that we wish to decrease. The skill acquisition goals are meant to replace or provide communicative alternatives to the problem behavior and serve as a foundation for learning various other necessary skills.
Therapy revolves around the skill acquisition goals indicated in the plan. These are the behaviors that we would like to increase, and behavior reduction goals are the maladaptive behaviors that we wish to decrease. The skill acquisition goals are meant to replace or provide communicative alternatives to the problem behavior and serve as a foundation for learning various other necessary skills.
What is your process and what will take place?
We are happy to discuss services and answer any questions you may have about what we do and our treatment approach. We do require interviews with parents and clients to determine if our program would be a good fit for your family. It is important to note that we are only admitting clients to our program who are a likely to be a good fit with us and our current clients and who are in need of on-going services (not only services for the summer, etc). It is important that our learning environment remain conducive to the success of all clients. Therefore, we may refer families to other providers who can offer more appropriate services.
Upon admission to our program, we begin an intake process which includes completion of intake paperwork, a parent interview & behavioral observation of the client, an assessment, and a formal behavior intervention plan along with proposed treatment goals. Direct therapy then begins revolving around the treatment plan with daily data collection. The behavior plan is very much a changing document and is modified frequently. We implement structure right away with new clients at the same time as we begin developing rapport. We have an open-door policy for parents and they are always welcome to come in at any time to observe or participate in sessions.
Upon admission to our program, we begin an intake process which includes completion of intake paperwork, a parent interview & behavioral observation of the client, an assessment, and a formal behavior intervention plan along with proposed treatment goals. Direct therapy then begins revolving around the treatment plan with daily data collection. The behavior plan is very much a changing document and is modified frequently. We implement structure right away with new clients at the same time as we begin developing rapport. We have an open-door policy for parents and they are always welcome to come in at any time to observe or participate in sessions.
Do you have a wait list?
Because WellCare’s model is focused on intensive center-based ABA services, we are limited by the space within our clinic setting. Each child in our program is assigned their own private therapy room within our clinic which means we may only open up spaces to new clients as current clients transition out of the clinic. We encourage families to contact us about our openings, as we may have unexpected openings available at any time.
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