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.”