Applied Behavior Analysis Clinic
The UGA Applied Behavior Analysis Clinic is a clinical training and research site for graduate students working toward Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification.
Behavior analysis is a method of treatment based on the idea that most human behavior is learned over time and maintained by variables in the environment. The job of a behavior analyst is to work with clients and their caregivers to evaluate behavior(s) in need of change and identify ways to alter the environment to increase or decrease the behavior. Applied Behavior Analysis is well recognized in the scientific record as the foundation for effective intervention for individuals with autism and other disabilities.
Our Services
UGA graduate students get hands-on training under supervision of experienced faculty and professionals, while providing assessments of and recommendations for problem behaviors. With input from families, teachers and the individuals we serve, we can discover what is maintaining a behavior, identify more appropriate replacement behaviors, and then design a plan to teach those behaviors. We can also help create instructional programs to help individuals learn a wide range of behaviors and improve existing skills.
In addition to offering training opportunities for graduate students, the clinic provides a valuable service to the community. Serving individuals of all ages, our services are on the forefront of current practices, based on latest research. Each client and program is overseen by a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst who is supervised by a doctoral-level Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). Additional team members working with clients are graduate students working on their masters, specialists, or doctoral degrees in Special Education, Educational Psychology, or Speech-Language Pathology.
We are is committed to providing the optimal level of support possible to the community and to meeting the diverse needs of the persons living and working in the Athens-Clarke County area and elsewhere. Our community support efforts can be divided into three broad areas, or tracks:
Track 1: Assessment of and recommendations for problem behaviors
Our teams work closely with families to evaluate problem behaviors that are interfering with their child’s learning and quality of life. This includes behaviors like self-injury, aggression, property destruction, and eating inedible objects (pica), just to name a few. Over the course of about five to six appointments totaling approximately 10 hours, we provide comprehensive evaluation results, treatment assessment, parent training in treatment, and follow up support.
Track 2: Skill development
This track involves working with families to identify two to four meaningful skills that are important for their child (e.g. basic communication, daily living skills, academics). We evaluate the child’s current skill level and develop intervention programs that we test and then train parents to implement. The goal is to train parents to be a natural teacher for their child.
Track 3: School consultation
Behavior analysts from UGA-ABAC are available to help school systems conduct functional behavior assessment, write behavior intervention plans, train staff and monitor intervention fidelity.
Questions and Scheduling
Each semester the clinic has the capacity to serve approximately 12-15 clients. Each client receives individualized assessment and programming. Families are also trained on how to carry out the behavioral programs. No family is turned away for an inability to afford services.
For additional information about services or to inquire about participating in one of our programs, please use the information below to contact us .
The UGA ABA Support Clinic does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran.