SPINNAKER PROGRAM
HOPE ACADEMY
The Spinnaker program is an integrated school-based ABA program, offering Comprehensive and Focused treatment plans for school-age children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other related developmental delays. This program is developed and supervised by Cayman ABA, the first and only accredited Behavioral Health Centre of Excellence (BHCOE) in the Caribbean. Hope Academy's Spinnaker Program is implemented by experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), and specializes in providing therapeutic behavioral interventions in the clinic and natural settings (e.g., in school), to promote success in adaptive functioning in life.
There are many treatments available for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and other related developmental delays. Extensive research has shown empirically that children who receive early and intensive intervention using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) can make significant gains in cognitive, communication, and social relatedness skills. ABA uses reinforcement to shape behavior and to help children learn new skills. The goal is to help each child achieve the greatest degree of independence possible and to provide the skills he or she will need to function successfully and reach their fullest potential. Our ABA program is designed to meet the needs of our students with behavioral and adaptive needs.
This program offers two methods of intervention. The first is our comprehensive treatment program, which provides intensive individualized ABA within the clinic and natural settings, to meet the needs of students with developmental delays across a variety of domains (social, adaptive, cognition, executive functioning, language, and play skills, for example). The second is our focused treatment program, in which our clinicians focus on addressing just a few behavioral targets, either for skill acquisition or problem behavior reduction.
Our intervention methodology includes natural environment teaching (NET), discrete trial instruction (DTT), verbal behavior strategies, and incidental teaching opportunities.
The development and generalization of social skills, speech and language, cognition, and daily living skills is the goal for every child. Our teaching occurs in the structured and naturalistic setting, to promote rapid learning and foster generalization of skills.
COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM
Individualized curricula with 1:1 intervention in the
clinic as well as the natural setting to promote
generalization (depending on your child’s needs)
Collaborative team approach
Data based decision making
Systematic assessment of each child’s skills
Integrated socialization opportunities
Weekly social skills group instruction
(depending on your child’s needs)
FOCUSED PROGRAM
Implementation of a Functional Behavior
Assessment (FBA)
​
Development of a function-based Positive
Behavior Support Plans (PBSPs)
1:1 intervention in the clinic as well as the natural
setting to promote generalization of skills taught to
replace challenging behaviors (depending on your
child’s needs)
Ongoing caregiver training to support
implementation of PBSPs
Monthly caregiver meetings
Collaborative team approach
Registered Behavior Technicians available to be
scheduled as needed
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS:
- Pre-screening Skills Assessment, which results in treatment hour recommendations (for comprehensive treatment option)
- Meeting standard admission requirements for Hope Academy
- Referral for ABA Therapy from a pediatrician or qualified healthcare professional*
- Insurance pre-approval, for families with insurance coverage OR self-pay agreement