ABA Services 

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a specialized branch of psychology that focuses on understanding and modifying behavior through scientifically validated techniques. Numerous high-quality studies published in reputable journals have demonstrated the effectiveness of ABA in reducing challenging behaviors while enhancing socially significant skills, particularly in children with autism. 

Our ABA intervention model in California, Texas, and Nevada is built upon three fundamental principles, including: 

The roots of ABA can be traced back to pioneering research conducted by Dr. Ivar Lovaas at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1987. Dr. Lovaas demonstrated that the principles of ABA could effectively modify behaviors in children with autism. His landmark study showed that many children receiving ABA therapy experienced significant improvements, with some even losing their autism diagnosis after years of intervention. 

Before implementing ABA treatment, several critical steps must be taken: 

Once the preparatory steps are in place, the following fundamental components of the ABA methodology are established: 

The Self-Determination Program gives individuals and their families greater freedom, control, and responsibility in selecting the services and supports that best fit their goals. This person-centered approach helps participants achieve the objectives outlined in their Individual Program Plan through tailored, flexible options that truly reflect their needs and preferences.

• Functional Behavior Assessment: Understanding Behavior, Empowering Change
  • A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is a personalized evaluation designed to uncover the root causes of challenging behaviors. By observing interactions, collecting data, and identifying patterns, we work collaboratively to understand what drives specific actions and how to create meaningful, lasting improvements.
• What You Can Expect:
  • Data-driven analysis of behavioral triggers and responses
  • Input from caregivers, educators, and specialists for a well-rounded view
  • Identification of the purpose the behavior serves for the individual
  • Strategies tailored to build positive alternatives and support growth
• With compassion and insight, the FBA process creates a foundation for effective interventions that promote independence, inclusion, and emotional well-being.
• At DPI, Self-Determination Program FBAs are Person Centered with a focus on using assessment results to target areas that align with IPP and PCP Goals for each individual client

• Category: Living Arrangement
• Tailored Day Services: Building Skills, Creating Opportunities
  • Our Tailored Day Services are designed to support your journey toward meaningful community involvement and career development. With flexible schedules and customized training, you’ll enjoy fewer program hours while achieving lasting results.
• Program Highlights:
  • Strengthen employment readiness through skill-building and personalized coaching
  • Get involved in your community by volunteering and contributing your talents
  • Enjoy positive outcomes through individually designed services that match your interests and needs
• Whether you’re aiming for a career, an education, or stronger community ties—this program helps you grow with intention and support.

• Category: Living Arrangement:
• While Service Code 310 broadly covers in-home respite services, it can also include behavioral respite when the provider is trained to support individuals with challenging behaviors. This type of respite offers temporary relief to caregivers while ensuring the individual receives safe, behaviorally appropriate support.
• Respite Services: Compassionate Care When You Need It Most
  • Respite Services offer short-term relief for families and caregivers by providing temporary supervision and support to participants. These non-medical servicesare tailored to individual needs and routines.
• Service Options Include:
  • Hourly, episodic care for occasional relief
  • Day or overnight care for temporary breaks
  • Assistance with daily living, self-help skills, social interaction, and maintaining normal routines
• Respite Services Can Be Delivered In:
  • Private homes
  • Community Settings
  • Adult Family Homes / Family Teaching Homes
    • Adult Day Care Centers
    • Camps
    • Licensed Preschools

• Category: Living Arrangement
• Community Living Supports: Fostering Independence & Enhancing Everyday
  Life
  • Community Living Supports offer personalized assistance to help participants live confidently and independently in their chosen community setting. These services are designed to build skills for daily living, promote meaningful social connections, and support full participation in community life—without covering costs for room and board.
• What We Offer:
  • Participants receive support at home and within the community, tailored to individual goals and preferences. Services focus on helping each person achieve and maintain essential social and adaptive skills needed for a fulfilling, independent life.
• Support Areas Include:
  • Socialization Skills: Improving self-awareness, interpersonal relationships, emotional regulation, and social responsiveness
  • Daily Living Skills: Assisting with bathing, dressing, eating, hygiene, mobility, and other vital routines
  • Community Participation: Supporting involvement in events, outings, and activities—with access to trained service animals or safety alert devices when needed
  • Enrichment Activities: Encouraging engagement in religious, educational, recreational, and leisure pursuits
  • Home & Personal Care: Maintaining a clean and safe living space, planning meals, managing finances, and completing household tasks
• Our Approach:
  • We ensure that services are delivered in welcoming, integrated environments that respect each participant’s rights, privacy, preferences, and comfort
  • Participants have full access to personal resources, technology, and opportunities for community connection
  • Support is aligned with each Individual Program Plan, ensuring meaningful outcomes and quality care

• Category: Employment & Community Participation
• Community Integration Supports: Building Belonging, Independence, and Everyday Confidence
  • Community Integration Supports are thoughtfully tailored to help each participant develop and strengthen the skills needed to actively participate in community life. These supports promote independence, interdependence, and full access to opportunities enjoyed by all individuals, regardless of ability.
• Inclusive Experiences, Personalized Pathways:
  • Services are selected based on the participant’s preferences and goals, offered in non-disability-specific, inclusive community settings.
  • Participants receive support in environments that are integrated, welcoming, and supportive of personal comfort, use of technology, and choice.
  • Personal Rights- including dignity, privacy, freedom from coercion, and control over one’s schedule and resources—are fully protected.
• Empowering Skills Through Engaging Activities:
  • Participants build self-help, socialization, and adaptive skills through therapeutic and recreational community-based experiences. These services take place outside the home and may be scheduled one or more days per week in settings that promote community inclusion.
• Support Areas May Include:
  • Socialization and community awareness
  • Communication and self-advocacy skills
  • Visual, auditory, and sensory engagement
  • Peer interactions and relationship building
  • Art and recreation programs
  • Senior and faith-based group connections
  • Peer mentoring
  • Public transportation training
  • Friendship development
• These supports also reinforce lessons learned through school, therapy, or other environments, helping participants become active, connected members of their communities.

• Category: Employment & Community Participation
• DPI is proud to offer Social Skills Groups with our UCLA PEERS® trained and certified instructors.
• “The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is world-renowned for providing evidence-based social skills programs to preschoolers, adolescents, and young adults who are interested in developing and maintaining close friendships and/or romantic relationships.”
  • PEERS® for Preschoolers
    • PEERS® for Preschoolers is a research-based social skills program designed for children ages 4 to 6. Through interactive and playful learning methods, children discover how to make friends, keep friends, and navigate early social experiences with confidence.
    • Program Highlights:
      • 16 weekly group sessions
      • 90 minutes per week
      • Engaging lessons using puppet shows, role-playing, and fun demonstrations
      • Guided social interaction activities and at-home skill practice
    • Family Involvement: Parent participation is an essential part of the program, ensuring children can apply social skills both in class and in everyday life.
  • PEERS® for Adolescents Program (Ages 11–17)
    • PEERS® for Adolescents is a research-supported social skills training program designed for middle and high school students who want to build lasting friendships and learn to navigate conflict and rejection with confidence.
    • Program Structure:
      • 16 weekly group sessions
      • 90 minutes per week
      • Lessons delivered through engaging instruction and role-play activities
      • Socialization exercises that allow teens to practice skills in a supportive environment
    • Parent Involvement: While adolescents attend group sessions, parents simultaneously participate in separate parent training groups, learning how to support and coach their teens outside of the sessions. Parent participation is a required and essential part of the program’s success.
  • PEERS® for Young Adults Program (Ages 18–35)
    • PEERS® for Young Adults is a research-supported social skills training program tailored for individuals ages 18 to 35 who are looking to build and sustain friendships and explore healthy romantic relationships.
    • Program Details:
      • 16 weekly group sessions
      • 90 minutes each week
      • Structured learning through instructional lessons and role-play demonstrations
      • Hands-on practice during guided socialization activities
      • Support for Social Coaches:
        • Social coaches—often parents or caregivers—attend separate, concurrent sessions where they learn how to support and coach participants in developing social and dating skills. Their involvement is essential to reinforcing progress outside of the group setting.
      • Flexible participation options: Join us in person or via telehealth.

• Category: Employment & Community Participation
• Employment Supports: Unlocking Pathways to Meaningful Work
  • Employment Supports are customized services that empower individuals to prepare for, obtain, and thrive in community-integrated employment—including self-employment. Each plan is tailored to support personal career goals and independence through skill-building, coaching, and opportunities that align with the participant’s strengths and preferences.
• Key Goals:
  • Build and retain skills for successful employment
  • Access competitive, integrated work settings in the broader community.
  • Exercise choice and control over career decisions, resources, and breaks—just like any employee
• Our Approach: Services are designed by the planning team to reflect each participant’s goals. Supports are provided in welcoming settings that promote dignity, privacy, and the use of technology while protecting individual rights and freedom of choice.
• What Supports May Include:
  • Physical & Psychomotor Skill Development: Health and movement-based skills
  • Social & Communication Skills: Interacting appropriately in the workplace
  • Work Habits: Attendance, focus, and productivity
  • Professional Presentation: Dress and grooming for the job
  • Job Skills & Problem Solving: Following directions, meeting goals
  • Money Management: Budgeting and understanding earnings
  • Natural Job Supports & Integration: Building workplace relationships
  • Safety training: Ensuring confidence on the job
  • Career Exploration: Job discovery, interviews, and skill assessments
  • Self-Advocacy & Counseling: Guidance, peer support, and career clubs
  • Volunteerism & Planning: Exploring new paths and transitions
  • Workplace Adaptation: Customizing tools and routines to fit individual needs
  • Employer Collaboration: Coordinating with HR and support teams
  • Technology Access: Communication aids and digital tools
  • Benefits Counseling: Understanding how employment affects benefits
  • Business Development: Supporting self-employment and entrepreneurship
• The Ultimate Goal:
  Sustained, paid employment in a job that fits your aspirations—inclusive, fulfilling, and part of the general workforce.

• Category: Employment & Community Participation
• Prevocational Supports: Building Skills for Meaningful Employment & Independence
  • Our Prevocational Supports service is thoughtfully personalized to help participants achieve their unique goals by acquiring, enhancing, or maintaining skills that foster community participation, self-reliance, and success in integrated work settings.
• Participant-Centered & Inclusive:
  • Services are delivered in inclusive, community-integrated environments that honor participant comfort, preferences, and the use of technology.
  • Individuals choose from diverse, non-disability-specific options based on their needs and goals.
  • The planning team ensures that services reflect the participant’s choices and support personal rights including privacy, dignity, respect, and freedom from coercion.
• Empowering Employment Pathways:
  • Prevocational Supports are designed to prepare individuals for employment—paid, volunteer, or self-directed—in settings where all are valued. These supports align with habilitation goals that promote growth, self-discovery, and career advancement at competitive wages.
• Core Skill Areas May Include:
  • Physical and mental capacity building
  • Communication and adaptive social skills
  • Work habits, punctuality, and task focus
  • Dress, grooming, and presentation for the workplace
  • Following instructions and completing tasks
  • Problem solving and career path planning
  • Money management and reporting income
  • Volunteer exploration to spark job interests
  • Self-employment and retirement planning

• Category: Health & Safety
• Crisis Intervention & Support: Empowering Stability, Safety & Growth
  • Crisis Intervention and Support provides short-term, specialized care designed to ease caregiver stress and protect both participants and those around them. Services are rooted in compassionate, evidence-based methods that promote healthy behavior and meaningful progress.
• What We Offer:
  • Short-term care & behavioral intervention
  • Support for caregivers and families
  • Skill-building for independent living and social success
• Behavior-Based Support
  • We develop and implement intensive behavioral programs that include:
    • Progress tracking & behavior analysis
    • Positive approaches that support long-term development
    • Strategies to improve self-help, adaptive, and social skills
  • Support for Families:
    • Hands-on training in treatment plans
    • Risk reduction techniques for long-term support
    • For minors, active parent involvement is vital to program success

• Category: Health & Safety
• Behavioral Intervention Services: Supportive Strategies for Positive Change
  • Behavioral Intervention Services offer individualized, evidence-based support to help participants strengthen essential life skills and foster meaningful development. Through carefully designed intervention programs, participants receive guidance that supports their growth in areas such as self-help, socialization, and adaptive behavior— empowering them to thrive in home and community environments.
• What We Provide:
  • Development of customized behavioral plans based on proven positive approaches
  • Services offered in multiple settings, including the participant’s home, workplace, or other community locations
  • Ongoing tracking and analysis of behavior to guide progress and ensure success
• Family Involvement Matters:
  • Training and education for family members to support behavioral goals, including medication management and risk-reduction strategies
  • Direct support for family members when it contributes to the participant’s progress
• Active Participation for Best Outcomes:
  • When serving minors, parental involvement is vital. Participation may include:
    • Attending group instruction on behavioral methods
    • Carrying out intervention strategies as outlined in the plan
    • Collecting and sharing behavioral data to inform progress
    • Joining clinical meetings and contributing to shared goals
    • Using suggested materials or community-based rewards to reinforce positive behaviors

Regional Center Behavioral & Adaptive Services: California DDS | Service Code Highlights:

• Category: Employment & Community Participation
• Goal: Teach daily living & social skills
• Purpose: Help individuals with developmental disabilities build key life skills for daily living and social success
• Service Area: Community-Based Services
• Setting: Community/home
• Provider: Master’s degree + 1 year experience
• Supervision: Not required
• Training Components:
  • Personalized behavior-based learning plans
  • Real-world skill-building exercises
  • Progress tracking and behavioral analysis

• Category: Health & Safety
• Goal: Create and evaluate ABA plans
• Summary:
  • This service provides professional behavioral intervention and oversight. It’s used to assess, design, and monitor behavior support plans for individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Provider: BCBA certification
• Setting: Any applicable environment
  • Delivered in natural environments
• Supervision: May supervise 613, 615, 616
• Key Features:
  • Conducting Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs)
  • Designing Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs)
  • Supervising staff under related service codes (e.g., 613, 615, 616)
  • Training and coaching with caregivers and support teams
  • Monitoring progress and adjusting strategies- Regular data review and plan adjustments
• Primary Goals:
  • De-escalation of behavior or emotional distress
  • Personalized intervention strategies for immediate support
  • Increase in replacement skills and target areas for IPP Goals
  • Empowerment of individuals to remain safely in their homes and communities

• Goal: Design & deliver behavior strategies
• Summary:
  • Behavior Management Assistants provide individualized behavior intervention services under the direct supervision of a licensed professional or certified Behavior Analyst. This service is designed to help individuals with developmental disabilities improve social, emotional, and adaptive functioning.
• Provider: BA/BS + 12 ABA units or 2 years experience
• Setting: Home, community, school
  • Delivered in natural environments—such as the home, school, or community—to ensure practical, real-world learning.
• Supervision: Supervised by 612 or 620
• Key Features:
  • Implementation of behavior modification plans
  • Skill-building in communication, self-regulation, and social interaction
  • Collaboration with families and support teams
  • Monitoring progress and adjusting strategies as needed
• Primary Goals:
  • Reduce challenging behaviors
  • Promote independence and emotional stability
  • Support successful integration into home and community life

• Goal: Hands-on support with BIP tasks
• Summary:
  • This service provides hands-on behavioral support to individuals with developmental disabilities, delivered by trained paraprofessionals under the supervision of a certified Behavior Analyst or Behavior Management Consultant.
• Provider Qualifications:
  • Option 1:
    • High school diploma or equivalent
    • Completion of 30 hours of competency-based training designed by a certified Behavior Analyst
    • 6 months of experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities
  • Option 2:
    • Associate’s degree in a human, social, or educational services field
    • Or a degree/certification related to behavior management
    • 6 months of experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities
  • Setting: Real-world environments
    • Delivered in natural environments—such as the participant’s home or community—to support real-world learning and integration.
  • Supervision: Supervised by 612 or 620
  • Key Features:
    • Implementation of behavior intervention plans
    • Instructional and environmental modifications to promote skill development
    • Support for reducing challenging behaviors
    • Collaboration with families and care teams
  • Primary Goals:
    • Promote socially significant improvements in behavior
    • Support independence and emotional regulation
    • Help individuals thrive in home and community-based settings

• Goal : Early Intervention to support developmental progress through individualized instruction and therapy
• Summary :
  • This code refers to early intervention services provided to infants and toddlers under age 3 who have developmental delays or disabilities
• Providers:
  • Early Intervention Specialists:
    • Typically requires a relevant degree (e.g., in child development, psychology, education) and professional licensure or certification. Must have experience working with children with developmental disabilities.
  • Early Intervention Assistants
    • May require an associate degree or relevant coursework, plus supervised experience in early intervention settings.
  • Early Intervention Technicians
    • Entry-level role with minimal formal education requirements but must have supervised experience and training.
• Setting:
  • Services are typically provided in-home, one-on-one with the child and caregiver.
• Key Features:
  • Service Focus: Addresses all developmental domains:
    • Cognitive
    • Physical/motor
    • Communication
    • Social/emotional
    • Adaptive/self-help
  • Parental Involvement:
    • Parents are expected to participate actively; team meetings are held twice monthly to review progress.
  • Transition Support:
    • At around 2 years and 9 months, the program helps transition the child to the local school district, including assistance with IEP goals
  • Programs may include other disciplines (e.g., speech, occupational, or physical therapy), but must have at least two additional disciplines if incorporated.
• Primary Goal:
  • Individualized, in-home developmental support for infants and toddlers with delays or disabilities.