Mahoning Valley Academy offers four programs to address the needs of students, many of whom fall on the autism spectrum. MVA focuses on Life Skills, Dual Diagnosis, Intensive Self-Management, and Enhanced programs. They are all offered and based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. Classroom sizes are limited, ranging from four to eight students, based on the program.
Mahoning Valley Academy provides services to students ages 5 through 22. Classroom teams work to address student goals, using a variety of interventions, including basic skills training, social skills training, skill acquisition training, executive processing interventions, positive behavior supports, relaxation, and sensory strategies and the development of activities of daily living (ADL).
MVA’s staff is comprised of certified teachers, behavior health technicians and register behavior technicians, board-certified behavior analysts, instructional assistants, and related services providers. MVA’s curriculums focus on:
• Behavior therapy
• Social skills training
• Relaxation strategies
• Life skill / ADLs
• Executive processing interventions
• Positive behavior supports
The enhanced program is designed for students who may have been placed in residential settings, enhanced autistic support, or school-based autistic partial hospitalization. Each student would have a mandatory 1:1 aid who has completed a registered Behavior Technician certified program. Each classroom would have a certified special education teacher and instructional assistant.
There are currently four ISM classes, two serving Kindergarten to 1st grade, one serving 2nd through 4th graders, and another serving 5th through 8th graders. There are also two high school dual diagnosis classes serving students aged 14-21.
To maintain student progress, MVA offers a six-week Extended School Year (ESY) program during the summer. 10-month staff are eligible to work ESY for additional salary.
