Autism Support Services

The Barber National Institute in Erie, PA offers a variety of autism services for both children and adults. Our highly trained and experienced staff provides quality care and support and is committed to enhancing the lives of individuals with autism and their families.

Early Intervention (Bright Beginning)

Early Intervention Services are targeted to infants and toddlers (birth to age three) who are at risk of developmental delays. Our therapist and other staff provide help for a variety of issues including speech and language delays, sleep and feeding problems, sensory processing concerns and behavioral issues.  Services focus on training and support for parents are rpovdied in the home, day care or other settng to serve the family's needs.

Blended Case Management

Blended Case Management offers professional assistance to locate, advocate and coordinate services that address the unique needs of children, adolescents and adults with autism. Blended Case Managers are available to assist individuals and families with a range of needs including medical, mental health, educational, social and vocational issues.

Specialized Family Based Mental Health Services

Specialized Family Based Mental Health Services is an intensive, in-home therapy for children and adolescents with autism and their families. A team of therapists offers Structural Family Therapy in the home two to five times a week. The treatment team is comprised of a Mental Health Therapist and a Behavior Specialist, both with advanced degrees in their field. The program provides an intensive behavioral approach using Applied Behavioral Analysis, the "gold standard" technique for changing negative or destructive behaviors. Treatment may include individual, family, sibling or marital therapies. The Family Based program also offers 24-hour crisis on-call services seven days a week, as well as Family Support Services to assist in funding respite care and other supportive services.

Approved Private School

The primary goal of the school-aged program at the Elizabeth Lee Black School is to prepare students to live and work more effectively at home, at school, and in the community. We believe that education is a lifelong process, we provide a positive, supportive, and consistent learning environment. Daily tasks and schedules are developed and presented on an individual basis with small group participation as the anticipated outcome. Programs are data based, highly structured, and tailored to the specific needs of the child. Students are taught in a variety of settings by staff with expertise in autism. Members of the child's service team include speech and language pathologists, behavior analysts, physical and occupational therapists, and certified special education teachers and assistants

Before and After Preschool Programs

This program offers child care for preschool aged students from 7:00 - 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 - 6:00 p.m. on each day of the preschool calendar. Our 50 years of experience in individualized education enables us to guide each child toward his or her potential. The program offers a progressive, innovative curriculum that encourages the development of creativity, self-direction, positive peer interactions and communication. Our staff provides each child with a learning environment that is stimulating, caring and fun.

Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services

Behavioral Health Rehabilitation (Wrap-Around Services) are intensive, community-based behavioral health services designed to change problem behaviors in the home, school or community settings. Services include those necessary to support parents, teachers, and caregivers with the challenges that accompany raising and educating children and adolescents with complex, multi-dimensional issues. The BHRS prgram provides a comprehensive array of home and/or school-based professional services that seek to maximize the strengths of families, personal support systems, and community resources.

Elizabeth Lee Black Specialized Preschool

This preschool program designed for children with developmental delays provides individual and group instruction which facilitates "best practice" teaching methods. All children receive an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that provides a plan and measurable goals to achieve progress.  Students also benefit from an excellent student-to-teacher ratio. All school programs are afforded the full breadth of services of the Barber National Institute to support the learning and behavioral requirements of all children with disabilities.

Family Support Services

Family Support Services (FSS) helps eligible families to purchase necessary services for their family member with special needs. Services may include therapies, respite care, recreation, and parenting skills training. The FSS support helps families meet their caregiving responsibilities and participate more fully in community activities. FSS offers "Time for Me" a unique program that provides an afternoon of structured activities for children with special needs. Activities include swimming, arts and crafts, and gym.

Time for Me

"Time for Me" is a unique program held on Saturday afternoons for children ages 4-10 with autism or other developmental disabilities. Children enjoy an afternoon of structured activities including swimming, arts and crafts, and gym. It also provides the parents their own "Time for Me" knowing that their children are in a safe environment having fun and are well supervised by trained staff. T.S.S. are welcome to attend.

Happy Hearts Inclusive Preschool

This program offers a progressive, innovative curriculum that encourages creativity, self-direction, positive peer interaction, and communication skills for both typically developing children and children with special needs ages 3-5. In addition to group activities, all children receive individualized attention to encourage them to develop to their potential. Students also benefit from an excellent student-to-teacher ratio.

Home and Community Based Waiver Services

The Agency with Choice Program provides eligible families with funding to purchase many different support services needed for caregiving. The goal of this support is to enable families to remain together in their own homes. Benefits include visiting nurses, camps, home health care, adaptive equipment and home adaptations, therapies and trained staff to provide short-term caregiving responsibilities.

Autism Support Program

The Autism Support Program at the Elizabeth Lee Black School of the Barber National Institute is an innovative program for preschool and school-aged children with autism within the Approved Private School (APS) service. In addition to all of the services of the Approved Private School, the program incorporates many cutting-edge features for students with autism, including enhanced staff training, extensive individualized curricular support, and a program-wide focus on Applied Behavior Analysis.

Mental Health Partial Hospitalization Program

The Mental Health Partial Hospitalization program serves students ages 5-21 with various psychiatric, emotional and behavioral needs. Students with autism benefit from the high degree of classroom structure and an educational/therapeutic approach based on Applied Behavior Analysis. The clinical support team includes a psychiatrist, board certified behavior analyst, psychiatric nurse, and trained professional staff.

ESO Adult Summer Camp

Expanding Social Opportunities (ESO) at the Barber National Institute offers a summer camp for adults with autism and other intellectual disabilities. Adults with autism, developmental, and intellectual disabilities are invited to explore the opportunities at this summer camp in Erie, PA.

Connections Camp

A summer recreational camp that helps children ages 5 – 14 with high functioning autism opportunities to build social and coping skills and change problem behaviors.

Camp Shamrock

A summer recreation camp for children with autism and other intellectual and physical disabilities that offers a range of activities including arts & crafts, swimming and community outings.

Children’s Acute Partial Hospitalization Program

An intensive program of behavior therapies and supports for children and teens ages 4-18 with a qualifying mental health diagnosis, including those with a co-occurring Autism Spectrum diagnosis or intellectual disability. Designed to prevent out-of-home placement, reduce recurring crises and keep children in the least restrictive environment while making progress toward recovery.  

Social Skills Development

Therapists teach children and teens the nuances of social communication and provide caregivers with strategies to build upon and reinforce their children’s social abilities.