Institute for Autism and Behavioral Studies

Mission

The Institute for Autism and Behavioral Studies’ mission is to advance the knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis and support improved outcomes for individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Taking a lifespan, interdisciplinary perspective, the overarching goal of the Institute is to improve educators’, professionals’ and parents’ understanding of Autism and the means to assess and implement interventions and supports. Through degree offerings, clinical and educational services, professional development and training, community collaboration and research, the Institute serves as a leader in developing professionals with the ability to provide state-of-the-art intervention for individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or related disabilities. The interdisciplinary focus is established with Fellows of the Institute from the Departments of Special Education, Counseling and Applied Behavioral Studies, Human Development and Family Studies, Nursing, Nutrition and Pharmacy as well as the Gengras Center, a laboratory school serving students with disabilities for 50 years.

Institute Goals

1. Develop graduate and undergraduate programs of study for educators, professionals, and parents to meet the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders across the lifespan and lead to certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®
2. Expand community service offerings for parent, professional and educators to support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders through instruction, continuing education and intervention service
3. Conduct applied and policy research to assess interventions and services available to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders across the lifespan
4. Develop and conduct pre-service and in-service training for professionals who work with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and related disabilities
5. Provide clinical services through a partnership with the Hospital for Special Care, including diagnostic and treatment services to individuals with autism and their families
6. Provide consultation services to educational, governmental, medical and community organizations that serve individuals with autism and their families to improve service provision and outcomes
7. Serve students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder through the Center for Applied Research  (CARE), a collaborative effort between the Institute for Autism and Behavioral Studies and the Gengras Center.

Graduate Programs

The Graduate Programs in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of Saint Joseph draw on the specialized expertise from core faculty of the Institute for Autism and Behavioral Studies and other departments to offer graduate programs specifically designed to prepare Behavior Analysts for important careers across a wide variety of settings and populations. Coursework in these programs is pre-approved by the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board^TM (BACB) as meeting the standards in preparation for certification in Behavior Analysis.

IABS Programs

• Master of Science in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (MS A/ABA)  
• Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (GC/ABA)  

Special Education Programs

• Autism Spectrum Disorders Graduate Certificate (15 credits)   

IABS Training Programs

Registered Behavior Technician Training

The Institute for Autism and Behavioral Studies offers a competency-based training (see the RBT Task List for specific competencies assessed). This training program is based on the Registered Behavior Technician Task List and is designed to meet the 40-hour training requirement for the RBT credential. The program is offered independent of the BACB. This training is designed to prepare direct care and paraprofessional staff to implement applied behavior analytic procedures with fidelity within a school, community or home-based setting. Please contact Dr. John Molteni, Director of the Institute, for information on the training and fees.

Collaborative Research Opportunities

The Institute for Autism and Behavioral Studies seeks partnerships to develop research endeavors that support the evaluation of interventions for individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Areas of interest include treatment of severe challenging behavior, instructional strategies, clinical supports for secondary characteristics of ASD, treatment of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interventions for social-emotional development and translational research.

Contact: jmolteni@usj.edu

Internship in Autism Spectrum Disorders

USJ offers an internship program in Autism Spectrum Disorders Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis, M.S. in collaboration with public schools. This program provides licensed teachers the opportunity to pursue graduate-level coursework and training. Interns participate in supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorders under the supervision of a specialist teacher on a full-day, full school year schedule. Benefits of this two-year internship include:

• 30 credits of graduate coursework applied to a master’s degree in Special Education with a concentration in Autism Spectrum Disorders
• A $9,000 stipend per school year
• Supervision by a teacher with expertise in educating students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• On-site professional development and mentorship by University of Saint Joseph faculty
• Flexible course scheduling
   

Please contact the director of the Autism Institute for details.