SPRINGFIELD — Behavioral Health Network Inc. has opened new Abilities Learning Centers in Springfield and Fall River, providing care for children and youth under 21 with an autism diagnosis at home or in the company’s offices.
The centers provide applied behavior analysis services designed to help autistic children build communication, social, and daily living skills through play, connection, and personalized care. Families can choose between in-home services or care at the new centers, which feature structured learning environments, opportunities for peer interaction, and calming sensory rooms.
The new centers are at 583 East Columbus Ave. in Springfield and at 182 North Main St. in Fall River.
Matthew Matroni, a program manager at the Springfield location, said BHN was inspired to open these new centers after seeing how many families faced long waitlists and limited access to autism services. The new centers tout wait-free appointments.
“The centers are designed to meet core community needs by increasing capacity, reducing delays in care, and providing more consistent, evidence-based support for children and their caregivers. They aim to create a reliable local option for families who have struggled to find timely services and need a provider that can partner with them long-term,” said Matroni.
One of the strengths of BHN’s applied behavior analysis therapy is its focus on helping people build practical, everyday skills that genuinely improve their quality of life.
The Republican recently sat in on a therapy session with BHN behavior monitor Grace Kelleher to see how BHN’s approach unfolds in real time with a young patient, Lina, whom she has seen for two years; The Republican granted anonymity to Lina and her mother to protect their medical privacy.
In the beginning, Kelleher and Lina worked together in the morning, because Lina had a tough time starting her day and getting ready on her own.
“We focused on improving her activities of daily living. Our goal was to help her become more independent with brushing her teeth, getting dressed, brushing her hair, and putting on her shoes,” said Kelleher. “We also wanted to support her social skills. In the beginning, this was challenging because she primarily socialized with her sister and her mom, which was wonderful. Still, it made it difficult for us to know how she interacted with peers at day care, since we were working with her at home.”
P.J., Lina’s mom, said she couldn’t express how much working with the BHN staff has helped their entire family.
“Having Grace come in the morning and help us get ready for school has made all the difference, as now Lina can usually get herself ready and has come so far in being able to regulate her behaviors at home and at school,” P.J. said.
BHN tailors its therapy services by building each patient’s plan on a full initial assessment, followed by ongoing reviews that track growth and identify new needs. From there, the agency creates individualized skill-acquisition plans that target communication, social development and daily living skills in ways that match how the child learns best.
Behavior analyst Adedoyin Soyele said after every appointment, BHN graphs data collected during the session to compare it with previous data and evaluate the child’s program, identifying which skills are improving and which they need to revisit.
Matroni said that they also prioritize the family’s goals and preferences, ensuring the strategies taught are meaningful, practical, and relevant to everyday life. A typical session at the center is a balance of structured learning and natural play, too, in which children work one-on-one with their therapist on individualized goals.
Kelleher said, in Lina’s case, she is still learning to say, unprompted, “Hi, my name is Lina. What is your name?” She is becoming more comfortable initiating conversations, though, and also has learned to ask for help and express when she needs a break.
Sensory breaks are woven throughout the session to help kids stay regulated and comfortable. During Lina’s breaks, she did jumping jacks, put a puzzle together, and spun on a sensory chair to help her get through her lessons.
Sessions also include peer play opportunities, where children can practice taking turns, sharing, and social problem-solving in a supportive environment.
Since Lina started coming to the center, she has made progress in meeting new friends her age. When asked what her favorite room is, she said the “swing room.” It’s a room filled with various toys, but in the back is a swing for the children to play on.
In addition to the child’s program, family involvement is central to the BHN treatment model. BHN offers family training sessions, modeling strategies, and regular check-ins to ensure they feel confident continuing to support the identified skills.
“It’s good for us to practice these skills with these clients, but it’s important for them to be able to generalize it. That means being able to use it with the parents and the parents to be able to use the same programs with kids in a more natural environment, not just sitting in the classroom,” said Soyele.
BHN is experiencing a period of growth, marked by openings of new sites and hiring. It operates 135 behavioral health programs in 31 facilities in Massachusetts.
To learn more, call 413-301-WELL (9355) or visit bhninc.org/aba.