Our Programs
Dr. Alicia Elliott has spent the past 25 years working with children with autism, as well as children diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Delay (PDD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, and other learning disabilities.
In addition to Individualized Speech, Language and Behavior Therapy, programs at Elliott Institute are listed below:
Intensive Educational Instruction, NPS
An Integrated Educational Program
We offer an Integrated Educational Program which includes academics, language and behavior intervention. There is limited enrollment for 3 classrooms. We are certified by the California Dept. of Education; all of our Speech Therapists are ASHA-certified and State-licensed; our behavioral aides have excellent training background and many are certified Behavior Intervention Case Managers. Among the methodologies used are:
- Discrete trial Training
- Greenspan Floortime™
- Concept Teaching
- Signing Exact English (S.E.E.)™
- Language Expansion
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)™
- Generalization to Play Skills
- Natural Language Paradigm / Pivotal Response Treatment
- Social Skills Training
- TEACHH
Our goal is to return the students to full inclusions with or without an aide or to the special education classroom in their own neighborhood schools.
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Individual and Group Speech and Language, Educational and Behavioral Therapy, NPA
Individual Behavior Therapy
This is a clinic-based program which begins with a complete Functional Behavior Analysis. We design an individualized behavior program based on the use of positive reinforcement through the use of a variety of modalities including discrete trials.
Behavior/Social Skills Training Groups
These groups are for verbal or non-verbal children who exhibit social skill defects, or have difficulty retaining learned abilities, or for those children who have a tendency towards regression when they are not in an environment of intensive behavioral intervention. The focus is improving behavior and increasing social involvement. Children with this diagnosis can be typically verbal but unusual in their social interactions. The goals of these groups are multi-faceted, depending on each individual's needs.
Potty Training Camp
Toilet training/intervention is under the supervision of the behavior therapist and speech pathologist. The concept of potty training is treated partially as a language concept. Our staff use positive behavior support with consistent exposure to toileting until the concept is grasped. Reinforcement is used at all levels of the camp schedule in order to train the child so that he/she will go when taken. In order to build the child towards independent toileting we require immediate follow-through at home and at school. We have a 99% success rate for urination training.
Interim Break Programs
Our goals are to maintain existing skills and prevent regression due to lack of structure when school is not in session. The schedule consists of socialization with intensive behavior intervention. These sessions are not to be construed as respite programs or recreational "camp" situations. Through the use of discrete trials, TEACCH™ and Greenspan™ methods, our intent is to stimulate verbalization and teach and maintain appropriate behavior. There is heavy emphasis on positive reinforcement in a highly structured but enjoyable environment.
PACE: PROCESSING AND COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT
Developed to train and improve thinking skills or cognitive learning abilities, many professionals refer to this program as “mental boot camp”. This unique program is concentrated to help children who lack processing skills. In other words, they have the ability to see or hear information, but cannot identify, interpret, comprehend, remember or stay on task.
Elliott Institute has been offering PACE since year 2002. It is a program that strengthens underlying cognitive skills that a child may possess but is not able to access. This professional has used this program with a variety of youngsters with diagnoses of learning disabilities, childhood aphasia, dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia.
The PACE program has been particularly beneficial to children at the high end of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Often this population has had intensive work activating their rote memory system and it has been up to the child to learn and generalize language and academics simultaneously.
PACE teaches these extreme learning disordered children and youth to retrieve information quickly, develop an underlying sense of timing as needed for language generalization, an integrated, working memory (not just rote), and an ability to facilitate language with logic and reasoning, planning and increased processing speed.
Pre- and post testing over this 12 week, 72 hour program has shown a minimum of one year to a maximum of 7 years growth in different areas of language and cognition for a variety of learning disabilities, including individuals with autism.
For more information, or to schedule an evaluation please contact us at 818-236-3603.
SPEECH
Elliott Institute began as a Speech and Language Clinic in 1992, following a mobile therapy practice by Dr. Alicia Elliott, CCC/Sp. #4207. As such, through all of the changes over the years with classrooms and expanding departmental specializations, Elliott Institute remains committed to the underlying philosophy of Dr. Elliott that Speech and Language deficits are at the heart of any child’s behavioral and learning challenges. This area is critical for every student or client enrolled at Elliott.
Services are provided by fully licensed Speech/Language Pathologists and Speech/Language Pathology Assistants. The Speech Department oversees all speech objectives or Treatment Plans and collaborates with the classrooms for the language concepts behind every educational objective. Therapists use a variety of methodologies such as Discrete Trial Training, behavior management plans, generalized play skills and functional applications during group or individual sessions. Recognition of the severe apraxia is essential in our program and verbal speech is pursued consistently as well as the use of S.E.E. signing , P.E.C.S. , visual schedules, communication books and independent typing boards.
Fast ForWord™ Computer Technology
The Fast ForWord Family of Programs™ develop the critical thinking, listening, and reading skills that are necessary for success in the classroom, the workplace and in everyday life. Based on over twenty-five years of brain research, Scientific Learning's interactive, adaptive programs use patented technology to target the language and reading skills widely recognized as the keys to all learning. Scientific Learning programs use neuroscience principles to create an optimal learning environment.
The Interactive Metronome™ has taken the concept of a musical metronome and combined it with modern computer technology to create a training program that can accurately measure, exercise and improve a person's motor coordination and concentration. This training has been awarded patents for its unique and highly effective way of measuring and systematically improving a person's timing (planning and sequencing of thoughts and actions). The results that are being seen in the clinics and schools are consistent with all of the research that has been done on the IM since the early 1990's.
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IEP, School and Private Consultations and Evaluations
What is an IEP?
Borrowing the definition from “Learning Disabilities On-Line” (ldonline.org), an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) is a document that describes the Special Education and related services, specifically designed to meet the unique educational needs of a student with a learning disability. This document, mandated by the federal government in 1997 and amending the IDEA Act of 1990, is developed in one or more meetings by an IEP committee comprised of school administrators, teachers, clinical professionals, parents and students, if 14 or older. Once designed, this document tends to be comprehensive, specific, sequential, realistic, appropriate, understandable, and mutually developed.
The IEP contains an initial educational assessment; the expected goals and objectives for the student; the resources and services needed to accomplish such goals and objectives; plus dates, length of services, and means of evaluating progress, such as behavior, conditions, and criteria to be monitored. It covers all deficit areas, including communication, behavior, socialization, self-help, academics, perceptual motor skills, vocational skills, gross motor skills, transition services, related services, and needed accommodations in both general, vocational and special education settings.
At Elliott Institute we routinely participate with school district personnel to develop as well as participate in IEP's for enrolled students in our classrooms. Furthermore, we provide IEP consultation where Dr. Alicia and other qualified staff make themselves available for advocacy work for our own enrolled student-clients. Frequently, Dr. Alicia is asked by parents to participate in Mediations, Fair Hearings, or testify as an Expert Witness.
Private Consultation
When requested by parents, usually following a review of records, Dr. Elliott or her qualified staff may visit the student-client's home or school and/or other outside therapy programs for purposes of observation, assessment and review.
In-Services
Our staff is also available for in-servicing for private organizations, school districts, or full inclusion classrooms. In-services can be done from one hour to 20 hours, depending on the expressed need.
Evaluations
Our staff is available to provide parents or school districts with academic, speech and language evaluations as well as Functional Behavior Analysis. We also offer T.O.V.A. (Test Of Variable Attention) testing to help us detect whether a child may have AD/HD.
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