Resources
Research on the PLAY Autism Intervention Home Consultant Program is published in Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, check it out.
P.L.A.Y. Referral Form
View the FIRST P.L.A.Y. Project Presentation with Linked Videos
The PLAY Autism Intervention Home Consultant Program provides autism resources for parents in the Asheville, North Carolina area. We provide training and support for families of young (18 months to 6 years) children with autism right in their home. Our trained consultants teach parents PLAY techniques that are effective, fun, and useful in day-to-day interactions with their autistic child.
Created by Richard Solomon, MD, and based on the DIR (Developmental, Individualized, Relationship-based) Theory of Stanley Greenspan, MD, our program emphasizes the importance of helping parents become their child’s best P.L.A.Y. partner. Visit their website at www.playproject.org.
The research based Home Program includes:
- Ten home visits per year
- Three-hour sessions roughly divided between one hour of modeling, one hour of coaching, and one hour of feedback
- Selected videotaping of home visit interactions, followed by video analysis, written evaluations, and feedback
- Interaction with other service providers as appropriate
What is the Research?
The P.L.A.Y. Project is committed to evidence-based practice. Evidence is gathered routinely within the intervention model. The video documentation and analysis that is used to train parents has also been a useful tool for assessing program effectiveness (see www.playproject.org for the most up-to-date research).
Why Intensive Intervention?
The National Academy of Sciences recommends twenty-five hours per week of intensive intervention with a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio with a strategic direction. Currently only families who can afford to spend $40,000 to $60,000 on therapies for their autistic child can meet this sort of recommendation. Some others try to do this work themselves without the proper training or support to effectively provide the interventions. The P.L.A.Y. Project trains and supports parents to provide interventions, with over a year of monthly sessions that include modeling, evaluation, and training at the cost of $4,500 to $5,000.
What skills are targeted in the P.L.A.Y. Project?
Our program focuses on helping children with ASD, social and language delays, and sensory issues to build emotional connections and engage in meaningful relationships with their family and others. By focusing on relationships, we help children gain skills by moving up the six Functional Developmental Levels:
- Self-regulation and shared attention
- Engagement and intimacy
- Two-way communication and initiation
- Complex communication and language
- Emotional ideas, simple symbolic play
- Emotional thinking, complex symbolic play
- We apply techniques in the P.L.A.Y. Project model that match the child’s developmental level; in other words, we “meet them where they are.” We help the child gain social skills and language by building strong relationships with their family, adults, and eventually with peers.
How does the P.L.A.Y. Project compare with Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)?
P.L.A.Y. and ABA are complimentary and have different strategic directions. Many families choose to apply both methods. Our strategies are child-centered and flexible with activities based on following the child’s lead; ABA is program-centered with a skill and drill based curriculum. Play-based methods are especially helpful in addressing the social difficulties of children with autism or other developmental issues.
How is P.L.A.Y. Project different from other therapies?
The P.L.A.Y. Project is a community based autism training solution and early intervention program dedicated to empowering parents of autistic children and professionals to implement intensive, developmental interventions for young children with autism in the most effective and efficient way.
By teaching the parents to provide twenty-five hours per week of intensive intervention with their child, the child makes great progress at a much lower cost to the family.
* P.L.A.Y. Project fees are a one-time cost to families since parents become therapists for their child and can continue using the strategies year after year. Other therapies can be used to support and supplement the parent’s work.
Contact our office for more information and to sign-up for your family and child. For families that need help with payment, FIRST offers a sliding scale fee structure for the P.L.A.Y. Project. FIRST can bill this service to Medicaid, if the child has Medicaid.
The PLAY Project – A Home Visit
In this video a PLAY Project Consultant coaches dad (and mom) on techniques to help keep their little boy engaged. The P.L.A.Y. Project is a proven therapy program for children with autism. PLAY Project therapists train parents to help children connect, communicate and build relationships with others.
PLAY Project video (Floortime) “Sad Sebastian"
Mom is skillfully using a favorite teddy bear and her son’s interest to entice shared attention, warm engagement, communication and reflection by her son about the bear’s feelings. Although her son (3, diagnosis autism) is saying “No!” to the bear, he is smiling and enjoying the little game they are both playing. (Sept.09) Jan Sarbora, Seattle certified PLAY Project consultant is coaching.
NOTE: This is the personal work of Jan Sarbora; the video has not been approved or disapproved by ICDL or Play Project.
PLAY Project (Floortime) "Drawing"
Mom is being coached how to inspire shared attention, engagement & intimacy using Floortime principles with her 3 year old son, diagnosis of autism. Jan Sarbora, certified Play Project consultant, is coaching (Aug, 09).
NOTE: This is the personal work of Jan Sarbora; the video has not been approved or disapproved by ICDL or Play Project.
PLAY Project “No”
Jan Sarbora, certified Play Project consultant, playing with 3 year old autistic boy using his interest in lining up pasta shells to encourage fun interaction, communication and symbolic play. His preference would be to look down and line up and/or count the pasta shells, but he is sharing and interacting due to the playful persistence of the bear. Most importantly, Jan is allying with him as he tells the bear to stop. It is very important to watch his cues — in this case, he is enjoying the game with playful bear. If he were not enjoying it, Jan might count the shells with him.(Oct. 09).
NOTE: This is the personal work of Jan Sarbora; the video has not been approved or disapproved by ICDL or Play Project.
PLAY Project (Floortime) “Want Tape!”
Three year old boy (diagnosis:autism) is asking for more and more pieces of tape, somewhat frantically at first. As he is able to show Jan where to put the tape and how big or small, he relaxes and enjoys the interactions. By using his interest (putting different size tapes on the floor), we are helping him engage in a continuous flow, communicate and use gestures, and most importantly, share his joy with another person. Jan Sarbora, certified Play Project consultant is modeling the play in a Play Project home visit. (11-21-09).
NOTE: This is the personal work of Jan Sarbora; the video has not been approved or disapproved by ICDL or Play Project.
PLAY Project (Floortime) “Counting Fingers”
Playing in the interest and comfort zone of a small child getting engagement, warm interactions, problem solving and symbolic play. At times he shows such interest counting the numbers it is hard to get a back and forth engagement going. By joining his interest instead of stopping it, he feels a connection with the therapist which leads to regulation, intimacy and engagement and his allowing them to add new ideas. (Date: 11-09)
NOTE: This material is the personal work of Jan Sarbora, certified Play Project consultant. This video has not been approved or disapproved by ICDL or Play Project.
Considering Enrolling in the P.L.A.Y. Project? Read the Summary by downloading the PDF below
