Boston, MA - New England ABA, a local provider of home and community-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services to children and adolescents with autism and related diagnoses and part of The Stepping Stones Group, is proud to have been selected to partner with the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program on its new Autism Spectrum Disorder-Intellectual Disability clinical support service (MCPAP for ASD-ID). This service offers timely support and best clinical practices consultation to address crisis situations for youth and young adults with ASD-ID.
MCPAP for ASD-ID was created by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services in July 2020 in response to the challenges children and youth with ASD and/or ID and their families were facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of providing increased supports, particularly during times of crisis.
The MCPAP for ASD-ID program is staffed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) who work with behavioral health Emergency Services Program/Mobile Crisis Intervention (ESP/MCI) and Emergency Department (ED) clinicians serving youth and young adults up to age 26 with ASD-ID. They partner with clinicians to complete an assessment of the individual in crisis, provide strategies for mitigating the crisis, and help youth and young adults remain safe in their homes. MCPAP for ASD-ID is a state-funded program that is open to all at no cost to the youth or their family.
In addition to the ABA consultation services, MCPAP for ASD-ID also provides physician consultations, provided by a team of experts from across the Commonwealth. An MCPAP for ASD-ID physician will assess medical issues that might be related to the youth’s crisis (e.g., medication side effects, sleep problems, or other physical issues) and how best to treat them.
“This partnership between MCPAP and New England ABA brings timely and best clinical practices to help de-escalate emergent crises for children with ASD-ID. Having our BCBAs as a resource will help those with ASD-ID navigate crises safely with the goal of keeping families together. We are honored to work with first responders to help them better serve those affected by ASD-ID across the Commonwealth” said Laura Hanratty, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA, Manager of Specialty Programs at New England ABA.
“As the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program launches its newest program, MCPAP for ASD-ID, we are thrilled to welcome New England ABA to the team. The skills and knowledge that their clinical experts bring to individuals in crisis and clinicians seeking consultation services is exemplary. We look forward to working together for many years,” said John H. Straus, MD, Medical Director of Special Projects at the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership/Beacon Health Options (MBHP/Beacon) and Founding Director of MCPAP.
About the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (MCPAP)
The Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (MCPAP) is a system of regional children's behavioral health consultation teams designed to help primary care providers and their practices to promote and manage the behavioral health of their pediatric patients as a fundamental component of overall health and wellness. Through consultation and education, MCPAP improves pediatric teams’ competencies in screening, identification, and assessment; treating mild to moderate cases of behavioral health disorders, and in making effective referrals and coordinating the care for patients who need community-based specialty services. Founded in 2004, MCPAP has the widespread support of family advocates, legislators, and pediatric primary care providers and serves over 6,000 children and families across the Commonwealth each year. To date, 38 states, Washington, DC, and British Columbia, struggling with similar and even more severe access issues, have developed child psychiatry consultation programs based on the MCPAP model. For more information about MCPAP, visit www.mcpap.com.
About New England ABA
Founded in 2015, New England ABA, Inc. has been providing home and community-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services to children and adolescents with Autism. New England ABA is part of The Stepping Stones Group. The Stepping Stones Group is a leading provider of therapeutic and behavioral services to children including those with special needs and autism. The company partners with over 900 school districts, Medicaid programs, human service agencies, and commercial insurers to serve over 200,000 children annually across over 42 states. With over 30 years of experience, our team consists of over 6,000 licensed clinicians and special educators dedicated to delivering high-quality therapeutic and behavioral health services. The company is privately held by Five Arrows Capital Partners, the North American corporate private equity business of Rothschild & Co Merchant Banking. For more information on New England ABA, please visit www.ne-aba.com/. For more information about the company, please visit https://thesteppingstonesgroup.com/.