Picture a place where children of all abilities can run around freely, surrounded by colorful walls, inspirational murals, books, a variety of toys and a staff trained to help them grow.
Kadiant ABA, an autism and applied behavior analysis center near Bixby Knolls (4201 N. Long Beach Blvd., Suite 101), offers all of that and more, with its new center.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a therapy based on the science of learning, according to Autism Speaks. This form of behavioral analysis helps increase language and communication skills, decrease problem behaviors and improve attention, focus and social skills with a variety of strategies.
Attain, a nationwide ABA provider, merged with Kadiant in March 2022 and is across 20 states, according to Attain President Sam Wallach. Around that time, the president visited all of the centers.
“When I saw it, it was small and again, the team was doing an incredible job using the space as best as possible, but it was small,” Wallach said about the previous center. “It didn’t feel like a place that I would love to send my child.”
Wallach said the old center was about a third of the new center’s size and “felt like a doctor’s office,” leaving little space for administration or shared rooms.
The new center now houses the following:
- Three treatment rooms
- Five therapy rooms
- One multipurpose room
- One diagnostic treatment room
- One staff break room
- Four restrooms (two for kids only and two for staff)
While size was a determining factor, Wallach said they were looking for an accommodating space for everyone — families, children and staff.
“This [center] gives us the flexibility to meet the community’s needs, meaning we can service more kiddos that need the services,” said Selene Fuentes, a seven-year director with Kadiant. “I think that every kiddo learns differently and having more space also allows us to provide different environments to what each kiddo needs.”
Wallach said the team intentionally focused on having much bigger rooms and, with that space, Kadiant can set up rooms in a classroom style, where there is peer-to-peer interaction.
“Doing this as a group, it kind of gives us an opportunity to work on communication, taking turns, following group instruction, participating in activities and overall interacting with peers around the same age,” Fuentes said.
According to Fuentes, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) conduct the initial assessment to determine if groups are appropriate, or something the child needs to lead up to. This assessment also helps determine the number of hours per week the child needs for ABA therapy, as well as the strategies that work best for the child.
Peer-to-Peer Interaction Vs. One-on-One Services
The peer-to-peer interaction, or group settings, consists of one technician and 2-8 children who work well together, which includes playing board games, practicing communication and following instructions in a group.
“We’re basically working towards having the kiddos practice the skills that they’re learning in a social environment, basically going from one-on-one skills to now having it in a social group environment,” Fuentes said.
She said the kids who can do group work begin one-on-one with their technician, transition into the group setting for one hour and then go back to the one-on-one session afterwards. The children can also have lunch together, depending on the kids’ schedules and parental requests.
The children who can only do one-on-one services work with one technician in a separate room, but that technician can change.
Types of Services Kadiant Offers
Kadiant offers a variety of programs for children, including virtual ABA therapy, in-home ABA training and center-based ABA training.
The difference between in-home and center-based training is the location, as in-home services are usually located in the caregiver’s home, and the caregiver or an adult 18+ must be present at all times during in-home training. Center-based training can allow the caregiver to drop off their kids.
Kadiant also offers hybrid, a mix between in-home and center-based training, but that is on a case-by-case basis, according to Fuentes.
The virtual ABA training is also individualized. Fuentes says if there’s a kid who is older and can sit down and have conversations with the technicians, and the BCBA determines it is appropriate, that would be an option for the parents and children.
Reactions to the New Center
Fifty-year-old mother of two, Verdell Nelson, was shocked when she walked through the center.
“It was like, ‘Wow!’ It’s so wild, like it’s way bigger, she said. “It’s [now] open for the kids to do different little activities now.”
Nelson said she plans to utilize the in-house and in-center care.
“It’s just a wonderful feeling that he’s [her son] enjoying himself,” she said, pausing as her voice trembles with emotion.
Nelson said the staff was very helpful and knowledgeable, and she would recommend this center for her own family.
“My grandbaby, my grandson, is autistic and my niece passed away so she’s looking for resources to help her with him [and] because he’s three and non-verbal. This would be the perfect spot for him to be at,” she said.
Debbie Dominguez, a behavioral technician for Kadiant for two years, said it’s really rewarding to see her and the kids’ hard work recognized.
She expressed her excitement about the new center and how it allows the children to participate in more activities.
“The other center was a bit smaller, so they didn’t really have anywhere to run,” Dominguez said. “The playroom was a lot smaller so this one is a lot bigger and they can run that energy out everywhere.”
Fuentes said morale is positive with the new center in its first week open, adding that they use the larger multi-purpose room as a playroom for the children to interact with one another and the staff is excited to have a new break room.
“We had kids wandering around wanting to visit this room or visit the other room because they had something different that this other room did,” she said.
The center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and serves ages 3+. The center runs on a case-by-case basis with the variety of services the team offers.
According to Wallach, Kadiant is funded through insurance, with about 65% of funding going through Medicaid and the rest going through commercial insurance, depending on what the children have.
While they aren’t looking for donations from the community, Wallach said the community can still show its support.
“We want the community to appreciate what we’re doing and appreciate what we’re bringing into the community,” he said. “We’re here to serve the children who need our support and really need us. We want the community to be able to support us back, just in terms of supporting what we do.”
The center has a waitlist for new families at this time; Fuentes said the center is always taking referrals and clients in. For more information, check out the Kadiant website and if families are interested, reach out to Olivia Youngman, Kadiant’s intake coordinator, via email or her phone number, 916-618-1179.
