Life Skills Autism Academy Expands Services with Opening of Second Location in Texas

KATY, Texas, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on the success of its first-of-its-kind center in Plano, Texas, Life Skills Autism Academy is opening a second location in Katy, Texas to help meet the needs of children and families in the Houston metro area. With nearly 40,000 children in the Houston area diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), there is an urgent need for individualized care and robust resources such as those available through Life Skills Autism Academy.

The new center, which is now welcoming its first enrollees, will offer high quality early intensive Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy to provide young children with ASD the skills to live independently and find success in the world on their own terms. The only evidence-based behavioral therapy proven to treat the core symptoms of ASD or ASD-related disabilities, ABA therapy is the standard-of-care, preferred treatment for ASD, supporting long-term outcomes.

"The chronically strained network of support services for children with autism has been further strained – and the consequences exacerbated – by the COVID-19 pandemic. Children's routines have been radically disrupted, but this has disproportionately affected children with autism who often need hands-on developmental resources, thoughtful routines and individualized care," said Timothy Yeager, Vice President of Clinical Quality at Life Skills Autism Academy. "Because ABA therapy has been designated as an essential and medically necessary service, Life Skills Autism Academy is very pleased and eager to open our second location for in-person treatment. In fact, six additional locations are planned to open in 2021 across multiple states." 

Through its classroom-based environment, where young children are both prepared for school in the near future and given play space to practice social interactions, Life Skills Autism Academy is committed to the success of every child with ASD, while partnering with families to accommodate busy schedules and be flexible for today's working parents. Following the 2019 opening of the Plano location, the new center in Katy is believed to be only the second of its kind in Texas – and nationally – to offer comprehensive, individualized therapy plans, exclusively focused on early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI), with a focus on school readiness for all enrolled children. Since research has shown that ABA therapy is most effective when started at a young age, Life Skills Autism Academy, which focuses on skills acquisition to make a successful entry into a general education school environment, is ideal for children as young as 18 months.  

"We are beyond excited to welcome and provide relief for many families who have not been able to access resources during the pandemic," said Dehazard Allen, Clinical Director of Life Skills Autism Academy, Katy. "We are taking all necessary precautions to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff, including mandatory masks, health screens, frequent cleanings throughout the day, and a unique zone grouping system to carefully choreograph movements within the center."

ASD is an urgent public health priority in the U.S. As of 2020, an estimated 1 in 54 children have been identified with ASD¹, with nearly 40,000 under the age of 18 living in the Houston metropolitan area. Of the 3.7 million children born in the U.S. in 2019, between 65,000 and 70,000 are expected to meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD in 2021. Furthermore, research of 1,000 parents of children with ASD ages 10 years or younger found that on average, there is at least a 15-month delay between the time parents first suspected a developmental issue and the onset of treatment.² Such delays result in lost treatment opportunity which can negatively impact a child's overall development.³

The center in Katy is designed to accommodate 60 enrolled children. Due to the individualized nature of ABA therapy, the Academy will be looking to hire approximately 70 full-time team members to staff the center, including behavior technicians, who Life Skills Autism Academy will train to work directly with children. For adults seeking a rewarding career change – or a return to the workforce – this represents an opportunity to become a key member of the therapy team. Interested applicants should visit LifeSkillsAutismAcademy.com/careers for more information.

Life Skills Autism Academy is now offering tours to interested families and enrolling children in the community. Parents and other interested parties can learn more and contact Life Skills Autism Academy at https://lifeskillsautismacademy.com.

About Life Skills Autism Academy 

Life Skills Autism Academy is an operating division of Centria Healthcare, a leading national provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for children with autism and their families. The Life Skills Autism Academy Optimal Outcomes approach combines child-centered, evidence-based ABA with best practices to help children with ASD have the best developmental experience possible and acquire the skills to live independently and succeed in the world on their own terms.

About ABA Therapy

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is the standard-of-care, preferred treatment for ASD, and is the only evidence-based behavioral therapy proven to treat the core symptoms of ASD or ASD-related disabilities and to support long-term outcomes. ABA therapy can be adapted to meet the needs of each unique person and breaks down everyday tasks into easy-to-follow steps, using positive reinforcement and repetition.

Media Contacts:

Erin McCarty, Porter Novelli
[email protected] 
415-975-2206

Caroline Bitter, Porter Novelli
[email protected] 
415-825-2348

¹ Maenner MJ, Shaw KA, Baio J, et al. Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2016. MMWR Surveill Summ 2020;69(No. SS-4):1–12. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6904a1external icon

² The Centria Autism Survey was conducted online by Wakefield Research among 1,000 parents of children 10 and younger with Autism Spectrum Disorder between February 28 and March 14, 2019. The margin of error was +/- 3.1%.

³ Baio J, Wiggins L, Christensen DL, et al. Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2014. MMWR Surveill Sums. 2018;67(6):1-23. (CDC prevalence estimates are for 4 years prior to the report date.)

SOURCE Life Skills Autism Academy