Aggieland Autism Center
Behavior Therapy - Texas Style
AAC Core Values!!
Passionate Commitment
Integrity
Grit
Selfless Service
We have P.I.G.S.!!
Each of our employees, volunteers and other members of our team share these values and will be challenged to grow every day while keeping true to the AAC Core Values. We love all of our employees, volunteers and other members of the team and look forward to a long and wonderful future!!
AAC Volunteer 2019
Everyone can join in the fun at AAC by volunteering...adults and teens (16+) can work with horses, chickens, dogs, crafts, and more... children can volunteer with their families to create some golden opportunities for all the buckaroos! Anyone can learn how to approach and feel comfortable, even play with children with disabilities! Those with autism can always benefit from more opportunities to interact with peers!
Thanks, Lynn
visit our Volunteer Page to Sign up.
OR
Our Team
Manager & Program Director
Howdy, I’m Lynn Hawkins, MA, BCBA. In addition to over 17 years of experience with those with development disabilities, as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) I am directly responsible for providing effective changes in behaviors using the best of Applied Behavior Analysis, which includes giving and receiving super cool rewards! One way I receive cool rewards is by using ABA with everyone at the ranch! Another fun part of my day here at the ranch is to ensure that our BCaBAs or Registered Behavioral Technicians (therapists) maintain high standards working with your child. I address problem behaviors, skill acquisition, track progress and set parent and insurance approved goals, as well as train families in a more natural environment.
Lead RBT
Amy has always had a passion for working with children. This passion led her to begin her career by graduating with a Bachelors in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Stephen F. Austin State University. She then began working as a Speech Language Pathology-Assistant for the next 3 years. She loved working with children with severe language delays as well as children with Autism. It was her experiences working with children with disabilities, especially those with problem behavior, that gave her a further passion to help those children and their families reach their full potential. She became a Registered Behavior Tech and is currently a graduate student studying Applied Behavior Analysis with an emphasis in Autism at Ball State University. She hopes to become a Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst and continue investing in the lives of children. When she is not working she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 dogs, seeing the latest movie and enjoying a good book.
Applied Behavior Analysis
What is ABA Therapy?
ABA Therapy is science devoted to determining how our environment affects socially significant behaviors and how we can manipulate the environment to change or create new behaviors.
How does AAC use ABA?
Through daily interactions with multiple trained therapists, AAC creates a unique environment to build your child’s skills.
AAC helps reduce problem behaviors by providing reinforcement and implementing researched based interventions with highly skilled therapists.
What makes us different?
We combine fun with challenging work to increase socialization, communication, and self-help skills!
We increase motivation using a unique environment, atmosphere, and awesome rewards!
We want to help clients build the necessary skills needed to achieve their full potential and independence in life through socialization, communication, and self-help skills.
We implement the highest standards of behavioral therapy that meet insurance and parents' high standards in a faith, family, and community friendly atmosphere.
How to get started?
Call, Text, Email or the Website Contact Form are great ways to communicate to AAC that you are interested in services. Once we know you are interested we can begin the process:
- ABA insurance eligibility check is done
- A Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will conduct a functional behavior assessment and provide an individualized treatment plan for your child
- AAC will establish a start-date according to the parents and insurance timeline, based on approval from your insurance company
Full-time ABA therapy with AAC can be a core component of your child’s life to help build skills and reduce problem behavio
About Behavioral Therapy
Assessment of Skills and Barriers
With a Masters in Behavior Analysis and years of experience assessing children with autism, Lynn Hawkins, MA, BCBA uses the VB-MAPP or the ABLLS to identify skills and possible barriers to learning. These assessments are research driven and time tested. They show what your child can and cannot do. These assessments also reveal how your child is learning from the environment: they show not just what they know but how they know it.
Also, a full comprehensive evaluation or a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is completed with every client so that goals, objectives, and targets are based on parent, insurance, and developmental needs.
These evaluations or assessments are part of the Aggieland Autism Center intake process. There is no charge to the families. These assessments along with interviews with the parents/caregivers are crucial to setting goals for treatment. We find out the level of your child's skills so we can meet them where they are at...so we can help you and your child reach your full potential!
ABA therapy at its Best
Using 1:1 Applied Behavior Analysis therapy for 30-40hr a week, we combine super fun with super hard work to increase socialization, communication, and self-help skills! We increase motivation for hard work using the horses, power jeeps, flying kites, cool science experiments, etc. as awesome rewards!
Also, using the results of the FBA, we form a comprehensive intervention plan that will not only focus on decreasing barriers to learning or problem behaviors but will also increase skills for independence and more socializing! Goals for the research driven interventions are set by the BCBA and the parents.
Your child's progress is monitored by the on-site BCBA. Weekly updates are made to individual programs. We also have monthly meetings to discuss progress and concerns as well as diligently provide training for the families.
Most importantly, we submit insurance reports and gain their approval. With this model of service, Aggieland Autism Center can be a core component to life change for you and your child. We want to be a part of preparing your child for school and independence!
Analyzing Amazing Results
We will analyze data to show improvements and change treatments if those interventions are not causing effective changes. We prepare progress reports for monthly parent meetings and quarterly reports for insurance to insure continued coverage of ABA services.
As a BCBA, I am thrilled to show you the above graph (1 month)...these problem behaviors (each color represents a different maladaptive behavior) decreased like never before...in previous years, these behaviors were out of control and no one seemed to know the trouble. After 4-5months of using ABA with the ranch setting--offering super awesome stuff, this guy began engaging in social skills that gave him the cool stuff and sharply decreased the problem behaviors that interfered with driving the power jeep or riding the horse.
Needless to say, mom saw a tremendous difference as did the hair dresser (he got his first hair cut!!) the grocer, the life guard, the dentist...He became more social, pretending with peers, wanting others to play with him!
Join us at the ranch...we want to analyze amazing results with you!
About Results
Super Big Fun Stuff!
Kids are willing to do things they have never done before because we offer giant treats and jackpot rewards!!
Going outside of the classroom or clinic and increasing motivation with super cool stuff may get some surprising results...Be the mom that is seeing her son get on a horse for the first time--which scared him at first OR watching him face all his fears and walk in the rain to feed the horse a treat OR hearing the first words from your daughter on the back of a horse--saying "Go!"
Social skills, activities, and crazy fun!
Watch your child dress up and pretend play (self-help skills: change clothes, wear weird clothes due to sensory issues, imagination is key to learning abstract lessons)! We have festivals (waiting in line, engage in games) and parades (waving and smiling at others) and sports days (run to the 1st base first--not 3rd!)and kite flying (training cause and effect) and birthday parties (social skills 101--sing, blow, say thank you) water play (social skills and self-help skills) and photo booths (look and smile on cue)...just to name a few of the fun-filled activities for the whole family.
Innovative ABA therapy
Research shows the greatest results with Applied Behavior Analysis are gained through intense behavioral therapy, 35-40 hours a week. We offer this at Aggieland Autism Center, where we have behavioral therapy--Texas style. We assess, set goals, find rewards worth working for (reinforcers), write, train, and implement the best of ABA for each individual child from 0-10 years old. Data is taken daily and analyzed weekly to insure great success. Everyone is trained to implement the treatment that works best for the child: therapists, parents, caregivers, and teachers are welcomed as well.