Worcester college students begin internship and fellowship program at Behavioral Concepts, Inc. (BCI)

Four students currently enrolled at colleges in Worcester recently began internship and fellowship programs at Behavioral Concepts, Inc. (BCI), a company of behavioral clinicians specializing in the care of children with autism in Central Massachusetts. Those students including Carolyn Collamer, Jennifer Schmuck and Julia Squiers of Worcester State University and Rosemary Cruz of Quinsigamond Community College.

Collamer, a senior from Dracut, Mass., Schmuck a senior from Ashby, Mass. and Squiers, a senior from Millbury, Mass., will be part of the year long fellowship program. As part of that program, they will experience the following:

·         Attend week-long comprehensive training for ABA techniques, jargon and methods as well as BCI specific staff requirements. Training culminates in an exam that must be passed in order to begin child specific orientation.  

·         Attend and pass 8 hour CPI (non-violent crisis prevention and intervention) training.

·         Shadow Staff for complete sessions with a variety of clients.

·         Implement skill acquisition programs.

·         Implement Behavior Management Guidelines (BMGs) and/or Behavior Support Plans (BSPs)

·         Collect and graph data on skill acquisition goals.

·         Collect data on rates of behavior.

·         Participate in weekly/bi weekly supervision with Clinical Coordinator

As an intern, Cruz, a sophomore from Jefferson, Mass., will participate in many of these activities but only for the fall semester.

“The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders over the past dozen years has escalated dramatically. With that increase comes the need for training and grooming the next generation of clinicians and behaviorists,” said BCI Founder and Director Dr. Jeffrey Robinson. “That future demands that our fellowship and internship program be very focused so that these young people are trained appropriately and can be active participants in working with our students.”

BCI interns typically are college students with aspirations of being a clinical coordinator or therapists. BCI interns have typically been psychology, education, special education and criminal justice, though all majors are welcome to apply.

About Behavioral Concepts, Inc. (BCI)

Founded in 2002, BCI provides educational, behavioral, consultative and assessment services to children with autism and their families. These services are based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and are tailored to the unique needs of the individuals BCI works with. It’s BCI’s goal to maximize student potential, increase independence and enhance our clients’ quality of life within their home, school and community.

BCI’s main care center is located at 170 Goddard Memorial Drive, in Worcester, Massachusetts. BCI operates its BASICS services at 100 Hartwell Street in West Boylston, Mass. The BASICS program is a sub-contract arrangement between Behavioral Concepts, Inc. and the Central Massachusetts Special Education Collaborative. BASICS provides services to children aged 7-22 with autism and maladaptive behaviors. BCI’s Corporate Offices are located in Mansfield, Mass.

For complete information, visit http://bciaba.org or to arrange a consultation with a BCI clinician, please call (508) 363-0200.