Behavior Intensive

Youth Services

ATBx provides behavior analysis services to youth currently involved in the Juvenile Justices system. Behavior Analysis services are delivered both in detention and residential programs.

Youth with autism or diagnosed intellectual disabilities/borderline functioning and youth with a history of severe problem behaviors (e.g. physical aggression, self injurious behaviors, property destruction, etc.) should have access to these services while in custody. Those youth who meet the criteria above will be referred for services by the facility administrator, superintendent and/or psychiatrist. Once referred the BCBA/BCaBA will conduct an FBA, develop a plan and train operations staff, mental health and other stakeholders on implementation of the plan. Progress and fidelity of program implementation will be monitored by the analysts by ongoing data collection and analysis.

Graphing summaries and data analysis are available to caregivers, JPOs, guardians upon request. These documents may be used as a tool for youth to advocate for themselves and share objective treatment/behavioral progress during court hearings.

Youth who receive ABA services while in custody should continue to receive these services once released to decrease the chances of recidivism and ensure caregivers in their environment are trained on effective strategies to prevent/respond to problematic behaviors.

In the criminal and juvenile justice systems “the treatment services should be behavioral in nature. in general, behavioral interventions are effective in changing an array of human behavior. with regard to crime, they are well-suited to altering the “criminogenic needs”— antisocial attitudes, cognitions, personality orientations, and associations that underlie recidivism.”

According to the results of a meta-analysis conducted by Cullen & Gendreau (2000), when it comes to choosing interventions for juvenile justice settings.