Initial Interview:

There is no fee for a one-hour visit. Parents meet with a consultant to discuss the program and how it applies to their child's needs. The visit only includes the time spent with the parents. This does not include mileage and travel time. There is no charge for families who live within a 15 mile radius of the office.

Scheduling a workshop.

If you would like to schedule a workshop, complete the intake application and attach any assessments performed by various professionals used in the diagnosis of your child. In addition, call the office to establish a time. We are typically able to schedule your initial workshop within 4-8 weeks.

Recruiting staff for your program.

You will need to recruit at least four tutors/therapists to make up the team that will implement the 25-40 hours of treatment per week. It is advised to recruit more people than you actually need. They should all attend the initial workshop and then decide if they are interested and if they have the time required to fulfill the requirements. Parents are encouraged to do some of the therapy themselves, but it is not recommended that any one person do over 15 hours per week. Each person should work 6-15 hours per week, at least two sessions per week. This enables each person to become familiar with your child while not spending so much time that the child becomes dependent upon one person.

College students are the most likely candidates. Often those students studying psychology or education (general or special) are interested in this type of experience. Many families recruit students by posting flyers in various departments and university centers of nearby colleges or by contacting a professor who would make an announcement in his/her class about your child's needs and the future home-based early intervention program. In addition, you should contact the career and placement centers located on campus.

An applicant does not need to have previous experience or special credentials to become a good tutor. However, age does need to be considered when hiring tutors (over age 20 is advised). In addition, each person must be dependable. No matter how much a person likes working with your child, if he or she is not dependable, your child will lose valuable time.

Suggestions for a workshop.

Please hold the workshops in a smoke-free environment.

The first day of the initial workshop will be for training purposes. This session will need to be in a distraction-free environment where everyone can sit comfortably and take notes throughout the training. Your child does not need to be there on this day.

Please have a sturdy but lightweight child-sized table and two chairs available to use for therapy. Fisher Price and Playskool make a good table and chair set for use during therapy.

Please provide a variety of foods, drinks, and toys that your child likes. These will be used to motivate and reinforce your child during therapy. For these workshop days it is especially powerful to have a few new toys that your child has never seen. This helps get your child's attention and set up a positive learning environment. In addition, if a few favorite treats/foods can be avoided the week prior to the workshop, they are more reinforcing when reintroduced.

Plan to have your team of tutors present for the entire workshop. Videotapes are recommended for the full workshop. These are to be used for your own educational purposes and to train new team members. They are never to be shown to a public forum without the written permission of your consultant. A form must be signed stating your understanding of this policy before you may videotape your workshop.

Please feel free to invite other interested parents and professionals to your workshop. We recommend that you inform interested parents that this is your child's time and that they are only to observe. Their questions regarding their own hild should be addressed to the consultant once he or she has returned to the office.

Scheduling a workshop

You will be asked to pay a deposit to reserve the scheduled date of your workshop. If payment is not received 10 days prior to your workshop, your workshop will be subject to cancellation and may need to be rescheduled. If for any reason the workshop must be cancelled by the consultant, you will receive a credit to your account or a full refund. You are responsible for the remaining balance upon completion of the workshop.

You will need to complete the intake application and sign and return the workshop agreement and video agreement. These forms must be received in the office of Behavioral Intervention Services, Inc. one week before your consultant leaves for your workshop.

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