Morris Rokowsky and David Borowski are proud to introduce Hidden Gems ABA, an ABA therapy practice providing state-of-the-art services to children and adults between the ages of 12 months to 21 years and their families, who are living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a proven and highly effective treatment for individuals with ASD, Hidden Gems ABA helps discover a child’s hidden abilities. Just like no two gems are alike, Hidden Gems ABA believes that each child is one of a kind, and thus requires his or her own unique approach and treatment plan for success.
Rokowsky is the COO of Hidden Gems and an expert at team building and leading operations. As the liaison for families and staff, he facilitates relationships, ensuring a pleasant and smooth experience for every single person involved in the care of the client, from the parents to the staff.
Borowski, a board certified and licensed behavior analyst, serves as the director of clinical development at Hidden Gems ABA. He holds a master’s degree in applied behavior analysis with an emphasis in autism. He has been working with individuals with autism and their families for over six years, providing ABA services in the home, school and community settings while working alongside teachers, administrators and other providers. Additionally, he has several years of experience working with the special needs population. Together, Rokowsky and Borowski ensure that clients and their families receive the highest level of care, treatment, support, and guidance in a comfortable and welcoming manner.
Hidden Gems ABA utilizes applied behavior analysis, a specific type of behavioral therapy which employs research and evidence-based methods to change or modify certain types of behaviors. ABA has been demonstrated to produce significant and permanent behavior change for individuals with ASD, especially when applied to the core deficits of autism which include impaired social communication and interaction, and restrictive and/or repetitive behavior or interests.
Borowski said that ABA differs from other modalities because it is most concerned with functionality and behavior change (including learning new skills and reducing problem behavior.) The goal is that a client should get what he or she needs in a functional, practical and socially significant manner. “We work very much on addressing what the client needs to do now, while teaching him or her all the prerequisite skills to get them to the point where they can be at the developmental level of their peers.”
“For instance, take a person who is excellent at knowing every single detail about a train, from how to build a train, to what route it takes, to all the people that work on a train—but then this person will tell it to you nonstop every single day,” explained Borowski. “We might work to help a person identify when another person doesn’t want to talk about something anymore or how to ask someone else what they want to talk about.”
Hidden Gems ABA does this by helping its clients learn or tap into social skills that other people typically acquire at a young age. For clients who may be non-verbal, constantly agitated, or in the throes of a seemingly never-ending tantrum, a therapist will work with a client to teach them how to communicate effectively, perhaps teaching them to shake their head to indicate yes or no, or give a picture for something that they want, like a cookie.
“All these things that we know how to do, that we have learned along the way, we focus on teaching those same skills to the children that we treat,” continued Borowski. In keeping with their goal, Hidden Gems ABA establishes a treatment plan that provides a solid foundation that will lead to substantial and lasting change for both the client and the family.
Throughout the intake, assessment and treatment process, each client at Hidden Gems ABA is assigned a team that will work diligently to ensure that a specific program is in place and implemented that maximizes his or her skill set while helping the client successfully complete it. The team will also collaborate with, and coordinate care for parents and caregivers, meet with a child’s IEP and educational support teams, and provide parent/caregiver education. Each client is assigned a supervisor who is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA). The BCBA will perform the assessment for ABA services, create goals, reach out to the parents and other providers, and direct what the services should entail. Then the client will be assigned his or her own therapist (a registered behavior technician), who will come to the place of service to provide one-on-one therapy under the guidance of a BCBA.
Because people with ASD often require assistance in different settings, Hidden Gems ABA offers services in a variety of places including school and the “community,” such as grocery stores and parks, to help them learn to successfully navigate known and novel environments. “We very much focus on skills across settings where we can provide the services that make sense for the client,” Borowski emphasized.
To aid as many clients as possible, Hidden Gems ABA is in-network with most Medicaid and commercial insurances. If Hidden Gems ABA is not in-network with a client’s insurance, they will work with you to maximize the insurance benefits. Hidden Gems ABA also offers telehealth appointments depending on the client’s insurance and need.
Rokowsky wants all of his Hidden Gems ABA clients to do well and recognizes that he and his staff need to do certain things to get there. Demonstrating their close relationship and how they work in tandem, Borowski finished this thought, saying, “We understand people and what they need, and we are going to do our best to help them…it’s clients and staff first and that’s the climate we intend to implement.”
To learn more about Hidden Gems or to set up an appointment, visit https://hiddengemsaba.com, email [email protected] or call (201) 500-9915.
