Today we’d like to introduce you to John Saba.
Hi John, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started out in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis when I was 20 years old. I was working as a Pharmacy Technician at the time and wanted to change careers but had no idea where to start. My oldest sister, Rania, was working as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and encouraged me to apply for a position as a Behavior Interventionist. I never thought this decision would lead me on a path of opening up my own private practice. I had the opportunity to work with clients as young as 2.5 years old up to 65 years old. I started out providing one-on-one treatment under the direction of a BCBA, transitioned to trainer, then moved onto another company where I continued my journey to becoming a BCBA. Within a 3-year span of time, I became a BCBA and moved up through my previous agency from a Clinical Supervisor to Clinical Director and then finally Director of Business Development. Throughout my 17 years of experience, I witnessed how beneficial ABA was for all the families I served, but also became aware of the reasons why treatment outcomes were not met. It was at this point I realized my true calling was to branch out and open up my own behavioral health practice to provide a level of service all families deserve.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Chasing this dream came with its challenges for sure. However, I was fortunate enough to have my family in my corner when they allowed me to move back home to focus on my dream and colleagues who helped guide me along the way. I still made my mistakes, some of which cost me both time and money, but with each struggle and mistake, I became more knowledgeable and strengthened my desire to chase this dream even further.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
MAP provides behavioral health therapy based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). We provide treatment in the home, school, and community. We work with children, teens, and young adults diagnosed with Autism and other developmental disabilities aged 2.5 years old to 21 years old. Essentially, ABA focuses on identifying environmental variables that influence behavior and current skills and skill deficits to develop a treatment plan that focuses on reducing problem behavior, teaching positive replacement behaviors, and teach skills across communication, socialization, daily living skills, and other skills to match the normative range for these skills in comparison with their neurotypical peers.
What sets MAP apart from other practices is its dedication to placing our clinical team and client care over profits. MAP prioritizes the growth of all its clinical team members through training, consistent in field supervision, and has created a supportive, engaging and rewarding work culture. MAP prioritizes client care through the creation of client-specific treatment plans, constant supervision of the implementation of goals, and continuously updating treatment plans to ensure all client outcomes are met while keeping up with the growth our clients are achieving. Caregiver mentorship occurs on a regular basis to ensure our families learn the skills necessary to care for their loved ones after our services are no longer provided.
What’s next?
Currently, my focus is growing sustainably to ensure my clinical team and clients receive all the support and care they require to be successful and grow beyond any expectations previously held. As far as the future, I hope to one day open a preschool for both neurotypical and special needs kiddos. This type of environment would provide an opportunity for clients to have meaningful social interactions with their peers and in turn, provide an opportunity for their peers to see how our clients are kiddos just like them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.milestonesacademyplus.com
Image Credits
Cathrin Mayor
