ABA POLICY REMINDER

SUMMER 2025

SUMMER SCHEDULE CHANGES

  • The entire summer schedule is arranged IN MAY due to the many changes clients and staff often have.  All clients should have provided us with ANY AND ALL expected summer schedule changes or expected absences by now.  If you have not yet informed the ABA schedule coordinator of your summer schedule needs, it may be too late to accommodate changes.

  • During the summer, we require TWO WEEKS advance notice of any anticipated absences (pre-scheduled doctor appointments, vacation, etc.) to avoid cancellation penalties.

  • Late cancellations will be charged a late cancellation fee in accordance with policy; please ensure that you follow the procedures outlined in the ABA policy document for absences related to emergencies or illnesses (please review the ABA policy and the general clinic policy documents if needed; copies are provided on our website under the FORMS tab at www.beaconpediatric.com).

  • We understand that many clients (and some of our staff) take time off over the summer and/or have different schedule needs than the school year.  We do our best to try to accommodate requests for schedule modifications, but cannot always honor all requests, depending on staffing and authorization requirements/allowances.  Priority for increased summer ABA hours is provided to clients that plan to continue at the same level of intensity after the end of summer.

  • If/as additional hours become available ‘last minute’, the scheduling coordinator will TEXT you the day before to offer the additional services.  Additional hours will be given on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis (clients that respond first to the offered times will secure them).  The FINAL VERSION of the schedule is set and sent to staff no later than 7:30pm every day, therefore any extra hours offered will be immediately released if we do not receive a response by this time.

  • If you requested schedule changes for the summer, we try our best to return your child to their current ABA schedule in the fall; HOWEVER, clients that have repeated or extended absences or that require extensive changes to their summer ABA schedule cannot be guaranteed to return to the same ‘school year’ ABA schedule immediately upon their return/the start of the school year.

  • By now, all clients should have also provided us with updates on any anticipated significant ABA schedule changes for the FALL as well (e.g., if you plan on moving out of the area, if you plan on stopping ABA services, if your child will begin attending school in the fall, etc.).

  • If you have not informed our team of schedule changes/needs for the summer or fall, please do so IMMEDIATELY- such significant schedule changes drastically impact our staffing needs, which we will need to prepare for!  ALL schedule changes MUST ALWAYS be communicated to the ABA schedule coordinator, Dr. Adrienne DeSantis, via text at 904-800-8543 (EVEN IF you communicate expected cancellations/changes with the BCBA or therapist, you MUST STILL always contact Dr. DeSantis via text!).

 

CANCELLATION POLICY:

  • It is imperative that all caregivers understand the way ABA therapy works when it comes to insurance.

  • Although some clients may been seen at the clinic for ABA for several hours/days per week, ABA is VERY different from school or daycare.  ABA is a medical service that can ONLY be billed to insurance for reimbursement if the client is present (with very few exceptions). Please understand that your child’s therapists are scheduled exclusively to work with your child during their set time; they come to the clinic to work with your child specifically and are paid based on billable services only, therefore, late cancellations have significant impact.  Late cancellation fees cannot be billed to insurance and must be paid by clients.

 

MEAL POLICY:

  • All children who attend ABA during traditional mealtimes (lunch/dinner) are required to bring food in a bag/lunchbox/container that can hold all food items. Extra storage space is not available to store bulk/separate food items that are not in daily with your child.

  • If your child is bringing a meal that needs to be kept cold, please use an ice pack, as we do not have a refrigerator available for use.

  • We are able to microwave food that needs to be heated up; however, it must be sent in a microwave safe container; we do not have extra plates or bowls for the food to be transferred to prior to heating.

  • If your child’s meal requires a fork, spoon, plate, bowl, or cup to eat/drink, you MUST send these items in with your child, as we do not have them available in the clinic for use. If you send a reusable (non-disposable) utensil and/or plate/bowl/cup, it will be placed back in the lunchbox after use; we do not have the ability to thoroughly wash items after meals.

  • Every child MUST bring a drink in a bottle or sippy cup. Clients may refill their containers with water from the water dispenser; however, we do not have extra cups/bottles available for use.

 

BUG SPRAY (mandatory) AND SUNSCREEN (optional):

  • The children often enjoy playing in our outside play area!  Over the summer, we will be taking the children out to play when it is not raining/not too hot. PLEASE send in bug spray with your child’s name on it and we will keep it in their personal bin.  

  • The area we play in is shaded; however, if you would like your child to use sunscreen, please send a bottle in as well. We will return the bottles to you at the end of the summer if they are not empty.

  • For health and safety reasons, we are unable to supply or apply bug spray or sunscreen that parents do not supply for their own child.

A hard-copy of these details can be found by clicking here!