Many know Maria Montessori as an innovator in education, but what is less-known is that she developed her pioneering teaching style only after teaching children with various disabilities. This is one of the reasons why the Montessori approach to teaching is so useful for children of all abilities. Mindful and Modern ABA Therapies was born after witnessing many of our Maria Montessori students with ASD flourishing under the Montessori method. The recognition of the connection to therapy and learning often goes unaddressed in traditional therapy, and our special needs Montessori attempts to close that gap.
Contact us to schedule an appointment.
What is a special needs Montessori?
At Mindful and Modern ABA Therapies, we use traditional applied behavior therapies for children with ASD in a Montessori environment. What that means is that special needs children are given individual attention from a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) in a safe, calm group environment. The physical Montessori environment includes natural lighting, consistency, and a structured environment where freedom of movement is allowed– all conditions that benefit children with special needs.
Why is a special needs Montessori setting ideal for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?
While the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) manifest in different ways for different children, all children on the spectrum share a few common characteristics. Communication difficulties, issues with socialization, lack of physical coordination, hyper-sensory sensitivity, and the need for ritual can all make educational and therapeutic settings challenging.
The Montessori Method is particularly helpful to children with ASD because of the interactive, calming, sensory, safe, and consistent environment it provides. Montessori teaching is centered on the idea that all children learn differently and at their own individual pace. The structure and organization of Montessori classrooms allow children develop the generalized skills that help them to become independent.
What to expect from Mindful and Modern Therapies special needs Montessori
At Mindful and Modern ABA Therapies, we provide a special needs Montessori environment that welcomes children of all abilities with a sense of kindness and acceptance. Because children learn and grow at their own pace, there is no pressure to “catch up” or fear of “falling behind. All therapy is advanced by the child’s prompting, which builds responsibility and independence.
Our environment is carefully designed for order and organization and our days are scheduled so that there is consistency and routine. Children are allowed to learn new concepts by observing other children performing tasks and exercises, and are at their liberty to participate when and if they desire to do so. Practical activities will help your child to practice various tasks that improve motor skills and coordination until they are confident enough to do them easily.
Your child can learn with our Montessori Methods
How does a special needs Montessori operate differently from a normal Montessori?
Typically, a Montessori school is divided by age brackets and children are with the same teacher for 3 years. Our special needs Montessori uses this system, but our facility is also bisected into an ABA therapy facility and a Montessori facility separated by a door. Special needs children are paired with a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) who is with them at all times, observing their behaviors and implementing a unique therapy plan created by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). While special needs children are able to interact with typical developing peers, they are always able to return to the less overwhelming environment of the therapy center with their RBT.
How is autism behavioral therapy used in a special needs Montessori?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is an excellent fit with Montessori. Special needs children are observed daily in a classroom setting where their skills are observed and noted by their RBT. The group setting provides an opportunity for socialization, while the ability to retreat to a more private setting helps children with ASD feel safe and comfortable.
Unlike a traditional therapeutic setting where children are instructed to perform tasks and do activities, in a special needs Montessori the child initiates activities. Autistic children prefer not to do activities that are forced upon them, so this style of learning and doing is easier and more productive for them. As they initiate and complete tasks, they are learning as well as fostering inner motivation and independence.
Get started with ABA therapy for your special needs child
The first step towards enrolling your child in a program is to take a tour of the Mindful and Modern ABA Therapies facility to see if it is a good fit for your family. If you believe that our staff and program is right for your child, then you must schedule an assessment with us to get a clinical diagnosis for your child. During the assessment, a BCBA will spend 60-120 minutes working with and observing your child in order to determine whether they have ASD. Once your child has been diagnosed, the process of being approved by your insurance company begins, and once you are approved, you may enroll your child in therapy. Once your child is enrolled, the BCBA will create a treatment plan specific to your child, and they will be paired with an RBT.
Frequently asked questions about ABA therapy for Autism
ABA therapy works on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. That means that therapy is one-on-one, with a strong, ongoing emphasis on “pairing” the child with one dedicated therapist so that they develop a secure, long term relationship. ABA therapy methods are data-driven, meaning that they are highly individualized to fit with the needs of each child on a case-by-case basis.
Our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) perform assessments and create personalized therapy plans for each child that match their ability levels. On a day-to-day basis, each child is paired with their own Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), who is with them throughout the day. All of our therapy providers have years of experience and love what they do.
A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT®) is a paraprofessional certification in behavior analysis. All RBTs have undergone 40 hours of training, taken and passed an exam, and must renew their certification annually.
Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBA®) possess an undergraduate-level certification in behavior analysis. BCaBAs are required to complete continuing education and apply for recertification every two years.
Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®) possess a graduate-level certification in behavior analysis. BCBAs are also required to complete continuing education and apply for recertification every two years.
There is no prescribed duration of time for a child to receive ABA therapy. While our technicians love watching your kids learn and grow, they understand that the ultimate goal of therapy is to prepare children for moving on to school successfully. Most children spend 2-3 years with an ABA therapist on average.
MMAT is for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) whose families want them in a Montessori based learning environment that cultivates social skills, language development, and increased independence.
Because we are a sister institution to the Maria Montessori International school, we are able to provide regular one-on-one therapy sessions for our autistic children alongside their typical developing peers in the Montessori classrooms. This allows children to interact socially in a typical setting, make friends, and build a solid foundation for success when they transition to school at some point in the future.
Many people know Maria Montessori as a pioneer in the education field, but her revolutionary education style began after working with children who had various disabilities. The Montessori focus on personalization in education coupled with natural approaches lends itself to teaching children of all abilities. Mindful and Modern Therapies was inspired by seeing many of our students with ASD flourishing in Montessori education. By bridging the gap we saw in connecting traditional therapy to learning, we found an effective way to treat students with ASD in a natural environment.
For us, we see Montessori as bringing purpose to therapy.
A natural environment includes objects such as real dishes that children learn how to use, clean, and put away. These small details prepare them for functioning in the world. A garden area allows children to learn about nature and how they fit into the picture, as well as helping a child to see beyond their immediate surroundings. A natural environment for your child helps them to learn the skills they need to become life-long learners. This follows the principles of Montessori education, and encourages your child to develop their whole self – physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
Yes! We believe children of all abilities can learn together and from one another. We create an environment where everyone can learn at their own pace, and benefit from their peers, regardless of ability.
The Mindful and Modern therapies and educational programs we use are suitable for children from as young as birth to as old as 12 years old.
While the number of children in ABA therapy sessions varies from day to day and session to session, each child is always paired with their therapist. The therapy facility is separate from the Maria Montessori by a door. On the Montessori side, there may be as many as 25 children at a time, but children receiving ABA therapy will be accompanied when they visit and join the Montessori students.
We have three options for sessions for therapy work: a Full-Day and two (2) Half-Day programs.
Our Full Day program is from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, while our half-day programs are either 8:30 am – 12:30 pm or 1:30 am-5:30 pm.
Our lunch is from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to ABA therapy, as each child is different. We approach every child on a case-by-case basis and make recommendations accordingly. Some of our children attend a half-day session in combination with a half-day at school.
To ensure lasting benefits for the whole family unit, we encourage family participation in therapy. By continuing therapeutic practices in the home, children can adopt new habits and behaviors more easily. Our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) work with parents to guide them through how to mirror therapy methods at home. Additionally, we host interactive events that are open to both parents and children.
If you believe your child may be autistic, we may be able to help by providing ADOS testing– the first step in obtaining an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis.
In 60-120 minutes, we can observe your child in a series of social interactions to determine whether they may have ASD. This test may be covered by your insurance, please check with us beforehand.
- The first step we suggest is a visit to one of our centers to see for yourself whether it is a good fit for you and your child.
- After an on site tour, our Director of Enrollment will walk you through scheduling an assessment and diagnosis and begin the process of getting approval from your insurer and/or discussing any additional fees or tuition.
- Once your paperwork is processed and approved by your insurer, we will contact you to set a date your child can begin therapy with us!
We will help you move through the process as quickly as possible, but due to the process required for insurers to approve billing and claims for diagnostic assessments and to approve MMAT services, it can take up to 90 days from the first visit to begin therapy.
Because we are completely unique and the only center of it’s kind in the state of Indiana, we routinely have a number of smart families wanting to enroll their children with us, so the time to enroll could also be affected by how many children we may have on our waitlist for services.
If there will be any additional time added to the enrollment process due to the length of our waitlist we will let you know right up front so you can decide to move forward based on full transparency from us.
Yes, all of our therapeutic services are covered by certain insurers, and we process all of our claims in-house. From the initial intake to patient statements and claims submissions, our knowledgeable staff takes care of all insurance matters. If your insurance company is not listed on our provider list, you may still inquire with them to see if it is possible to get into our network.
Our therapy is currently covered by the following insurers:
- Indiana Medicaid
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Anthem Medicaid
- CareSource Medicaid
- MDWise
- Cenpatico/MHS
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Optum/UBH
- Tricare
If you are low-income and have a child with ASD, we encourage you to look into the various Medicaid options you may qualify for. These programs are designed to help low-income families gain access to medical care and therapy, and there is a good chance that you will qualify.
We are also an approved provider for the Indiana ESA Scholarship! If your child has an autism or special needs diagnosis and is age 5 or older they automatically qualify and you can use the scholarship funds towards any of our fees or tuition costs like most of our families do.
As a courtesy, our ESA experts will help walk you through each step of the process of getting your child approved for the Indiana ESA Scholarship so take advantage of us!
Yes, we do offer speech therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder! Our speech therapist addresses speech, language, social, play, and cognitive skills as well as help children who have feeding and swallowing challenges.
Our speech therapy will begin with an assessment to identify the type of communication disorder and the best way to treat it.
Speech therapy might include:
- interacting through talking and playing, and using books, pictures other objects as part of language intervention to help stimulate language development
- modeling correct sounds and syllables for a child during age-appropriate play to teach the child how to make certain sounds
- providing strategies and homework for the child and parent on how to do speech therapy at home
We do offer occupational therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Our occupational therapist work with you and your child to provide individualized treatment plans that best meet your child’s evolving needs. The treatment plan might include skills like Self-Care, Feeding, Visual Motor, Fine Motor, Social, and Interacting with Peers. The plan is designed for the child to become school ready and to succeed in life.
The main difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy is that OT focuses on improving the child’s ability to perform activities of daily living and PT focuses on improving a child’s ability to perform movement of their body.
While we currently do not offer physical therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, we are looking into adding it as a service in the near future, so stay tuned and do not hesitate to inquire with us about it.