In-Home Support

Distance Learning with In-Home Support

A ground-breaking pilot program to combat and prevent distance-learning-related regression.

SENDING BEHAVIOR TECHNICIANS INTO THE HOME

Gersh Academy has been developing a way to maintain necessary levels of support for students on the autism spectrum even when access to school is not possible. We have piloted a program with approximately 30 families across New York, Washington State and Puerto Rico that allows us to send highly trained Behavior Technicians/PARAs into the home, where needed.

FULL COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT

Cutting edge technology has enabled us to live stream the entire day at home allowing our BCBAs to monitor and coach our staff in real time. In line with Collaborative Problem Solving and our proprietary Real-Time Functional Therapy models, our technology allows us to tag or freeze challenging student behaviors in order for our team to evaluate and discuss the function behind students behavior. This enables us to fluidly customize the students plan, minimizing disruptive behaviors and creating an environment in which the student can better absorb the material and move forward academically.

SUPPORTING THE LEARNING PROCESS

While distance learning disrupted classrooms across the globe, our in-home support program brought group collaboration and interpersonal connection back to our students. Our Behavior Technicians support the student in teacher lead group learning. The Para works with the teacher on curriculum. This model has been instrumental in making our students available to learn and attend virtual classes.

At Gersh Academy we feel like we are among family, like we are at home. We know that our son is comfortable, it is a very nurturing place. Academically he is flourishing and socially he is much more outgoing; more comfortable in his own skin and his surroundings. Since coming to Gersh Academy he is more verbal. He used to give us one word answers and now he tells us what’s going on.”

Anthony M.

HIGHEST LEVEL OF STANDARDS

Gersh emphasizes the highest levels of professionalism and skill in all of our staff. Each member of our in-home staff must complete 40 hours of training and supervision by a BCBA before going into the home.

Technology necessary for this program is all provided by Gersh Academy. The Behavior Technician has an earbud in at all times, which allows our BCBA to coach or supervise them in the home, in real time, to better meet the needs of that child. Gersh believes in a collaborative approach, and there is constant supervision and coaching to ensure that each child is receiving what they need.

Quality of programming is a key component. The Technician is taking data into our platform, so the sessions are not just being videotaped but tallied. For example: If a child bites 6 times – what is documented is the duration, level of intensity and time of day. This data allows our team to create a behavior intervention plan that limits challenging behaviors based on real time data.

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