Worcester autism services provider hires 26

Courtesy Dr. Jeffrey Robinson of Behavioral Concepts, Inc., with Governor Charlie Baker.

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By Laura Finaldi

Behavioral Concepts, Inc., an autism assistance provider with a center in Worcester, has made several recent long-term workforce investments in an effort to keep up with increasing demand for its services.

In the first two months of 2016, the company hired 26 applied behavior analysis therapists, who work individually with children on the autism spectrum. Demand for services is increasing because the number of children on the autism spectrum has gone up, said Dr. Jeffrey Robinson, the company’s founder and director.

The new hires come at a time where the company has made significant long-term investments in workforce development. In October, BCI began a new partnership with Bay Path University in Longmeadow, where staff members can get a master’s degree and eventually become board certified as behavior analysts. This designation is important because it’s the clinical certification required to be able to provide reimbursable services through health insurance, Robinson said. Currently, 12 employees are enrolled in the program and the company pays 60 percent of their tuition.

This fall, the company will launch a partnership with Quinsigamond Community College’s early childhood department to create an autism specialization certificate. It’s a six-course sequence that will fall under the college’s early childhood education program. Two of the six classes -- a registered behavioral technician course and a clinical supervision component -- will be taught on-site at Behavioral Concepts. The hope is that when the students graduate, they can get jobs at the company, Robinson said.

A new partnership with Assumption College geared towards the company’s internship program also recently launched. Assumption students will work 30 hours a week at either BCI or its onsite school, the Center for Applied Behavioral Instruction, in either the fall or the spring semester. BCI also has partnerships with Worcester State University and Fitchburg State University.

Behavioral Concepts, Inc. offers after school programs, in-home services within an hour of Worcester, a weekend social skills program and specialty services for early childhood intervention centers. The company has about 270 employees, Robinson said.