Westlund Autism Clinic is a division of Westlund Guidance Clinic located within the SVRC Marketplace in Saginaw, Michigan. The clinic has been providing services to the residents of Saginaw County since 2015. Our clinic is part of the array of services that are provided by Westlund Guidance Clinic and SVRC Industries Inc. Westlund has offered mental health services to adults and children in the Great Lakes Bay Region for over 50 years.
Our clinic offers a variety of services in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder and related developmental delays. These services include: Applied Behavior Analysis, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy. With each of these services, our focus always remains on the person that is being served. We never seek to “cure” ASD, instead we seek to build upon a person’s current skill set. We analyze the environments that are utilized by our learners, and we seek to create better adaptability in navigating those environments and their associated demands.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Services
For Applied Behavior Analysis services, our clinic serves individuals from ages 18 months to 21 years, with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Our ABA services are designed to teach new skills and build upon existing repertoires that an individual may need in accessing different environments.
Beyond our focus on skill acquisition, our ABA services also aid in providing a better understanding of the functions of contextually inappropriate behavior, and how to build appropriate alternatives for those needs. Our goal for any individual that we work alongside is to aid them in better navigating the needs of everyday life, never to modify their natural personalities or preferences.
How Can ABA Services Help Individuals With Autism?
– Skill acquisition programming: This area of ABA provides skill curriculums that are presented to a learner in increasing specific repertoires. These can include areas such as functional communication, independent living, academic skills, etc.
– Behavior change programming: This service offers identification of the needs of specific behaviors and presents a plan that is designed to better adapt behavior to various settings.
– Family guidance sessions: These are sessions for family members in which participants can gain further insight into the programming and routines that are presented to their learner. This service can aid families in maintaining the new skills that are being taught, as well as aiding their learner in contacting reinforcement for these new skills in environments outside of the clinic.
Occupational Therapy (OT) Services
Occupational therapy services can benefit our learners in building and maintaining skills towards increased independence. This service utilizes every day activities, such as self-care, play, and home-based skills to work towards these goals.
How Can OT Services Help Individuals With Autism?
– Motor skills: Increasing balance, coordination, and motor planning skills.
– Activities of daily living: Feeding, dressing, oral hygiene care, money and medication management, laundry, meal prep, etc.
– Play skills: Increasing group, pretend, and appropriate sensory based play.
Speech Language Pathology (SLP) Services
Our learners who pursue this service will initially receive a speech and language evaluation. The Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) will evaluate learners using formal and informal standardized assessment tools and clinical judgment based upon the needs of the learner. The evaluation will provide information regarding a variety of speech and language skills which can be adapted into teachable goals.
How Can SLP Services Help Individuals With Autism?
– Articulation of speech sounds.
– Receptive and expressive language abilities.
– Use of alternative and augmentative systems.
– Appropriate use of pragmatic skills, vocabulary, voice, and fluency skills.