Our SBS Therapy Centers, featuring unique safety features and highly trained staff, provide expert services for children, teens and young adults in Southern California with intensive behavioral challenges, and their families.

Overview • Entrance Criteria & Referral Process • Leadership • Locations • News •
Resource Library • Contact Us

Overview

Individuals with behavior challenges typically receive services at home or a treatment center. However, when behaviors become severe enough to be considered a health and safety issue, increased precautions may be needed. Easterseals is one of a limited number of out-patient severe behavior service providers in Southern California, especially those specifically tailored for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Severe behaviors may include:
    • Trauma to body, eating disorders, or suicidal tendencies.
    • Damage of the surrounding physical environment
    • Requirement for special placement (e.g., padded rooms, etc.)
Girl with mom in background

Entrance Criteria & Referral Process

  • There is no age limit for participation
  • A majority of participants come with a diagnosis of autism or other disabilities and severe behavior challenges
  • Services are set up with safety in mind to ensure accurate outcomes and effective treatments

We coordinate with parents, service providers, and other supporters in a person’s life, to create treatment plans and goals that guide the treatment planning process and execution.

Individuals are referred to our SBS Therapy Centers by local school districts, regional centers, private insurance, or family members.

Mom cupping son's chin


Leadership

Research Team Member Joyce Tu

Joyce Tu, Ed.D., BCBA-D

Photo shows man with beard and green shirt smiling

Shaji Haq, Ph.D., BCBA-D

Locations

Treatment Centers:
Northridge
18860 Nordoff Street, Suite 100
Northridge, 91324

Irvine
1063 McGaw Ave, Suite 100
Irvine, CA 92614

Assessment sites are located in:
Gardena
Whittier
Ontario

News

Eight people stand in front of the Easterseals Irvine building holding a check for $1 million.

Learn about the $1 million in funding (AB 179) secured by CaliforniaAssemblymember Steven S. Choi, Ph.D. The recent presentation kicks off a $6-7 million fundraising effort with the goal of doubling the size of the program at a new Orange County facility.

Resource Library

Crowe, B., Machalicek, W., Wei, Q. et al. Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disability: A Mega-Review of the Literature. J Dev Phys Disabil 34, 1–42 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-021-09790-0

T.A. McDonald, Wendy Machalicek, Systematic review of intervention research with adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders Volume 7, Issue 11, November 2013, Pages 1439-1460

Wei, Qi; Machalicek, Wendy; Crowe, Becky; Kunze, Megan; Rispoli, Mandy. Restricted and Repetitive Patterns of Behavior and Interests in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of Behavioral Interventions.Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, v56 n2 p115-139 Jun 2021 https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1299566

Hansen, S.G., Frantz, R.J., Machalicek, W. et al. Advanced Social Communication Skills for Young Children with Autism: a Systematic Review of Single-Case Intervention Studies. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 4, 225–242 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-017-0110-8
St. Joseph, S., & Machalicek, W. (2022). Interventions supporting health-related routines for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A systematic literature review. Behavioral Interventions, 37( 2), 465– 484. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1851

Thomas R.Kratochwill, Robert H.Horner, Joel R.Levin, Wendy Machalicek, John Ferron, Austin Johnsone, Single-case design standards: An update and proposed upgrades. Journal of School Psychology, Volume 89, December 2021, Pages 91-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2021.10.006

Thomas R. Kratochwill, Robert H. Horner, Joel R. Levin, Wendy Machalicek, John Ferron, Austin Johnson. Single-case design standards: An update and proposed upgrades., Journal of School Psychology, Volume 89, 2021, Pages 91-105, ISSN 0022-4405, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2021.10.006.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002244052100073X)

Carr EG, Durand VM. Reducing behavior problems through functional communication training. J Appl Behav Anal. 1985 Summer;18(2):111-26. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1985.18-111. PMID: 2410400; PMCID: PMC1307999. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1307999/

Iwata, B A et al. “Toward a functional analysis of self-injury.” Journal of applied behavior analysis vol. 27,2 (1994): 197-209. doi:10.1901/jaba.1994.27-197

Contact Us

Email: Customersuccess@essc.org
Phone: (855) ESSC-411