Center Offers Applied Behavioral Analysis for Young Children With Autism and Creates 50 New Healthcare Positions in the Alexandria Market
CAMDEN, N.J. and ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Little Leaves Behavioral Services, a leading provider of center-based behavioral health services for children, today announced the opening of a new center in Alexandria, Virginia. Little Leaves is dedicated to helping children with social, communication, and behavioral challenges grow and succeed so that they can actively participate in their families and communities.
Little Leaves centers provide evidence-based Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) to help children reduce their symptoms of autism. The program is specifically designed for children aged 1-6 years, and run in a pre-school-like setting to help improve their communication, play, social, and school-readiness skills, as well as build independence. The center’s clinical staff offers children individualized therapeutic plans to meet the priorities of the family.
“Partnering with our families and communities to provide critical evidence based, early intervention for children with autism is our passion,” said Marina Major, president of Little Leaves Behavioral Services. “Especially during this unprecedented time, we are committed to providing the safest possible environment for the communities we serve. We are delighted to expand into the Alexandria community and become a trusted resource and safe place for children with autism to learn and thrive.”
The new Alexandria location will provide employment opportunities for jobseekers in the community, creating positions for board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) and registered behavior technicians (RBTs). In total, the center will create over 50 new positions and have the capacity to serve up to 36 clients. The Alexandria center is the second Little Leaves location in Virginia and marks the company’s rapid expansion in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Now accepting clients, the new location ideally located near the Mark Center at 1600 North Beauregard St., Suite 100 was designed to provide an ideal environment for learning. The nearly 8,000 square-foot center includes specialized learning spaces, many types of playrooms, as well as an outdoor play area.
“The expansion of Little Leaves is an important step forward in our mission to serve children with autism and other challenges in a comprehensive, holistic way,” said Jeffrey Cohen, CEO of FullBloom, the parent brand of Little Leaves. “As a partner to local Alexandria City, Arlington and Fairfax County families, we are committed to delivering the most effective, research-based ABA therapies for children.”
The new center will be led by Director Katie Clary, M.S., BCBA, LBA, a board certified behavior analyst who has worked with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders for more than 18 years. Angela Malo, M.S., BCBA, LBA, and Jessica Schuwer MSc, BCBA, both board certified behavior analysts, are the supervising behavior analysts for the location. For more information on services at Little Leaves, please visit www.littleleaves.org or email info@littleleaves.org.
Little Leaves Behavioral Services has earned its Behavioral Health Centers of Excellence® accreditation. ABA is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Academies of Science and the Surgeon General.
Planning is underway for additional Little Leaves locations in Virginia, Maryland, Florida and Connecticut.
About Little Leaves Behavioral Services
Little Leaves, a division of FullBloom, is a center-based ABA program for young children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder run in a preschool-like setting. It is designed for children up to age 6 who have been recommended for intensive ABA services. Each client works one-on-one with a trained behavior technician on individualized goals with a focus on social communication, social interactions, and school readiness skills. The company operates centers in Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. Little Leaves is accredited by the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. www.littleleaves.org