New resource in Portsmouth for young children with autism

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – A new resource just opened for families of young children with Autism. Life Skills Autism Academy opened in Portsmouth this June and is part of Centria Autism, which is a national provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. The center is the first of Centria’s to open in Virginia.

The academy provides specialized ABA therapy for children with autism who are five years old or younger. The center offers individualized treatment plans from Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) who focus on the development of everyday skills and social behaviors. The end goal is to help the children thrive in school, at home, and in their communities.

“We set up situations for each of the kids to engage in different kinds of play,” said Catherine Bottoms, Director of Clinical Services at Life Skills Autism Academy. “We have a gross motor gym. We have a mock classroom to prepare them, so we can have them getting comfortable with the teacher at the front of the room with their tech supporting them. Everything we do here is based off of a treatment plan.”

Bottoms says every child works one-on-one with a BCBA.

“We’re able to provide frequent supervision, and even if we’re not scheduled to supervise a client, the BCBAs are all present and do regular check ins so the staff is supported throughout the day.”

Justice Smith is a BCBA working at Life Skills Autism Academy. She says the center on High Street in unique in its ability to immerse children in different environments that help them develop life skills.

“It’s pretty rare for us to have a model where we’re able to simulate that classroom environment and really prepare them for those skills to get them ready for school,” said Smith. “So, I would say if you’re looking for a transitionary period for your early learners that 16 month to six years old, we can get them ready for preschool.”

Both Smith and Bottoms pointed out that several of the rooms in the building are created for small groups.

“Each room is slated to have about seven to eight kids depending on their need, and we use these rooms to set up imaginative play opportunities with peers doing table activities and learning to communicate and tolerate changes in the environment,” said Bottoms.

She says many families and children with autism need the support they provide.

“They receive a diagnosis, and where do you go from there? There are different schools that may or may not be equipped, whereas here we can offer that intensive support to help them progress and give them and their families the tools to succeed,” said Bottoms.

For Academy staff, that success is more about the smaller wins.

“It’s not even about them going off to school yet,” said Bottoms. “It’s the family coming in after a week highlighting that their child said multiple words to them to ask for something. It’s those wins that really just mean everything for myself and my staff.”

She also says insurance does cover ABA therapy. Life Skills Autism Academy accepts up to 68 clients at a time, and the center is accepting new clients right now.

The new academy can be found at 3225 High St. in Portsmouth.

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