Olympic Peninsula Autism Center

Intensive, center-based ABA therapy services

Easterseals Washington Olympic Peninsula Autism Center (ESW-OPAC) provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for children with autism throughout Kitsap County and nearby Jefferson and Mason Counties, with a special emphasis on the Intensive Verbal Behavior Approach. OPAC is located in central Silverdale—convenient to the mall and other amenities. For enrollment inquiries and any other questions, please contact Zach Patnode at 360.337.2222 or zpatnode@wa.easterseals.com.

Olympic Peninsula Autism Center
3100 Bucklin Hill Rd NW Ste. 215
Silverdale, WA 98383

OPAC Program Overview

Have you found yourself asking ‘What does her behavior mean?’ ‘Why is my child doing that?’ ‘How can I develop a relationship with my child when we can’t seem to communicate?’ ‘How can I be an advocate for my child?’ and finally, ‘How can I help him survive?’

These are questions that many parents of a child with autism ask themselves constantly and struggle with. The diagnosis of autism itself can come as both a blow and a relief to finally have a name for what parents’ sensed ‘wasn’t quite right’ and offer a path towards treatment of how to help your neurodiverse child adapt and flourish in a neurotypical world.

Do you have a child who cannot communicate with you, who injures self and others, eats non food items and cannot handle when things vary from a strict routine? We can help. Are you in a situation where you do not want to leave your house because you know it will cause distress for your child and be over stimulating but you cannot quite figure out what to avoid or how to handle it? We can help. Does your child have severe diet restrictions on what they will eat, is unable or uninterested in playing with peers, will not sit at the dinner table and repeats Disney movie dialogue on a constant loop?

We can help.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is indeed a spectrum and people with ASD can be low functioning to high functioning but they will share some attributes such as difficulty in the use of verbal and nonverbal communication which affects their behavior and limits their ability to participate in society, form relationships or further their academics.

It is complex and requires the family and the child to get the support they need. ABA therapy, with an emphasis on early intensive behavioral intervention, can help.

In the center, we work on functional communication and the building blocks for social skills. We work on getting the clients ready for school or assist with behaviors that can help them do better at school. We work on daily living skills such as potty training and brushing teeth. With parents’ permission, we work with other professionals who also work with your child to provide a joined up approach in all areas of your child’s life to increase communication and improve behavior. All learners work on a 1:1 ratio with a therapist and we have a BCBA on site.

Studies have shown that intensive ABA treatment provided at a young age provides the best possible outcomes. Intensive therapy helps children build good behavior patterns which in turn greatly improves their language skills, daily living skills, and positive social behavior. Studies have also shown that investing in early intensive ABA treatment is cost effective. It can save money in long-term care by potentially eliminating additional educational services in childhood and building foundational skills necessary for adult independent living. Most insurances are accepted but we advise speaking with the Program Director to check.

For more information please contact Program Director Zach Patnode by phone 360.337.2222 or email zpatnode@wa.easterseals.com to request an enrollment pack. You will also need an autism diagnosis and a referral.

We sincerely look forward to serving you.