Shining Starz Pediatric ABA Therapy Clinic opened the first week in June in Magee. Co-owners are Maggie Griffith, BCBA, and Carroll Berry.
Parents of children who have been diagnosed with autism and other developmental disorders are already taking notice.
The clinic site is the old Magee movie theatre that was renovated to include 16 therapy rooms, a large game room, and a social area. In the center of the clinic is a tree house that is used for play and learning.
The clinic has been a dream in the making for Griffith ever since she began working with autistic children as a registered behavior technician (RBT), the first step before becoming a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA).
ABA is described on www.autismspeaks.org as “a therapy based on the science of learning and behavior. It is typically used to help people with autism and other developmental disorders learn behaviors that help them live safer and more fulfilling lives… The goal is not for someone to appear neurotypical. The goal is for their life to be improved in a way that is meaningful to them.”
Griffith said that ultimately the goal with ABA therapy is “to generalize skills they’re learning in autism therapy, meaning they aren’t just going to perform it here but at home, in school, at Walmart or at church.”
Shining Starz offers ABA therapy to children between the ages of 2 and 12. “Children can be diagnosed as early as 18 months. Those symptoms are very clear to the psychologist doing the psych evaluation like repetitive behaviors things they look for with autism. If a child is diagnosed at 18 months we can get them in here,” Griffith explained.
Often clients think of therapy as school. At Shining Starz therapy rooms are alphabetized labeled A through K and each session is four hours long. School is a reasonable assumption as children sit at a table, work on assignments and skills, participate in circle time and have snack time together.
Currently there are three clients enrolled with Shining Starz and a wait list of 54. “I didn’t know there was going to be a need this profound in the community.” Griffith still urges anyone needing more information to call the clinic at 601-721-0080, email [email protected] or go to the website www.shiningstarzaba.com. The clinic currently serves clients from Simpson, Rankin, Smith, Hinds and Forrest counties. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Friday afternoons are reserved for staff training.
At this time the clinic is in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicaid and effective June 26, 2023 United HealthCare. It is still waiting on Aetna, Cigna, Chips, Molina and Magnolia according to Griffith. She stresses it is critical that parents or caregivers of potential clients get an intake packet and complete the paperwork process as quickly as possible because it does take time. “The families have been absolutely amazing. They are still excited about this place. It’s a blessing that they (the children) have caregivers like this promoting and advocating their children for this type of service.”
During every therapy session each child works with a licensed RBT. Griffith as the BCBA develops individualized treatment plans while the RBT implements it. Different types of mediums are used during therapy such as learning how to hold a pair of scissors, picking up small pieces of paper to make a craft, opening his or her bag of chips. It is very concentrated therapy.
“When you see the changes day to day; you see how the parents respond like, ‘I could not believe my child went to Children’s church this week!’ They are absolutely amazed. Everything ABA is, is evidenced based. It’s all based on science, it’s based on interventions that have worked in the past. We are measuring progress,” explained Griffith.
“I love what I do, I really do. It’s wonderful. I feel like I’ve done the right thing. It’s kind of like God letting me know ‘you’re on that path. This is where you were meant to be’.”