Understanding opens doors.
When people understand autism, neurodivergence, and the purpose of compassionate, evidence-based support, they are better prepared to welcome, include, and empower the people around them.
At Footprints, education is one way we walk alongside families, professionals, and communities—building greater understanding and creating more meaningful opportunities for people to participate, grow, and contribute.
Find clear information about ABA services, assessment, authorization, and what families and referral sources can expect—from the first inquiry through service planning.
Footprints offers community education, customized training, and opportunities to collaborate with schools, first responders, employers, public agencies, workforce programs, and other organizations working to build more informed and inclusive communities.
Learning shaped for real-world settings.
Footprints has shared autism and ABA education in the settings where greater understanding can improve everyday experiences. Our audiences have included healthcare and service professionals, educators, first responders, public agencies, employers, caregivers, museum volunteers, and workforce organizations.
Past audiences have included- Orange County IHSS Public Authority
- Regional Center of Orange County
- Disneyland Resort staff
- Transportation Security Administration personnel at John Wayne Airport
- Oregon Juvenile Department Directors Association
- Colorado Department of Education audiences
Organization names identify prior audiences only and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or an ongoing partnership.
From referral to a thoughtful plan.
Professionals and families deserve a process they can understand. Requirements vary by state, funding source, health plan, benefit, and individual clinical need, but each referral begins with listening—learning about the person's strengths, needs, daily life, and family priorities, and considering whether ABA may be appropriate.
A referral or inquiry begins the conversation.
A family, physician, educator, care coordinator, or other professional may identify a need for further evaluation or support.
Eligibility and requirements are reviewed.
The applicable funding source may require a qualifying diagnosis, referral or order, covered benefit, participating provider, or prior authorization.
A qualified clinician completes an individualized assessment.
The assessment considers the person's strengths, communication, priorities, support needs, daily environments, and current functioning.
The treatment plan is developed collaboratively.
Goals, service recommendations, caregiver involvement, and proposed settings are shaped by assessment findings, clinical judgment, and what is meaningful to the person and family.
Authorization is requested when required.
The health plan or funding program reviews the submitted information using its coverage and medical-necessity criteria.
The right service team is identified.
When services are clinically appropriate and authorized, Footprints considers location, schedule, setting, availability, and team fit before a start date is confirmed.
Training shaped around the people you serve.
Every setting brings different people, responsibilities, and questions. Footprints works with organizations to shape education and training around the situations their teams encounter, so participants leave with a clearer understanding of autism and neurodivergence and practical ways to respond with respect, confidence, and care.
What we can help your team understand
- How autism and neurodivergence may shape communication, sensory experiences, behavior, and participation.
- How environments, expectations, and demands can affect a person's experience and response.
- How to recognize signs of overwhelm and respond in ways that support safety and dignity.
- How to adapt communication and interactions so services, classrooms, workplaces, and public spaces are more accessible.
- How to replace assumptions with curiosity and understand behavior in context.
- How to identify practical next steps that fit the participants' roles and setting.
Who training may support
- Schools, colleges, educators, and student organizations
- First responders and public-safety teams
- Healthcare and service professionals
- Employers, career-development programs, and workforce organizations
- Public agencies and community organizations
- Caregivers, volunteers, and people serving the public
Career Pathways and Workforce Education
Footprints also offers introductory presentations for high school and college students, career-development programs, and workforce organizations interested in learning about autism, ABA, and careers in behavioral services. We help participants understand the different roles within an ABA team, the education and training pathways into the field, and what compassionate, ethical work looks like in practice.
Built around your setting
A planning conversation helps us understand your audience, responsibilities, setting, goals, and the situations you want the training to address. Together, we can discuss the most useful topic, format, length, location, language-access needs, and whether a fee applies. Availability varies by location, subject, and scheduling.
Opportunities to collaborate
Some organizations are looking for more than a single presentation. Footprints welcomes conversations about educational events, workforce preparation, resource development, and other opportunities that may help build a more informed and inclusive community. An initial conversation is exploratory and does not create a commitment or formal partnership.
Tell us about your organization, audience, location, and what you hope people will understand or do differently.
Support that respects the whole person
At Footprints, the purpose of support is not sameness or compliance for its own sake. Growth does not require a person to hide who they are or give up the ways they communicate, connect, learn, and experience the world.
We use the science of behavior in service of meaningful lives. Goals are individualized around each person's strengths, needs, priorities, culture, daily environments, and what matters to the person and family. Skills matter most when they expand communication, choice, safety, participation, relationships, and independence.
Meaningful progress is built through partnership. We listen before acting, include people and families in decisions, and adjust support as needs and priorities change. The aim is not to make someone appear more typical, but to help each person participate more fully in a life that belongs to them.
Choose the path that fits your needs.
Whether you are helping someone access services or looking to bring education and training to your organization, we are ready to begin the conversation.
Help a child, adult, or family explore whether Footprints services may be appropriate for their needs.
Tell us about your audience, setting, and goals so we can explore a customized training or collaboration opportunity.
This page provides general educational information and is not medical, diagnostic, legal, or insurance advice. Service requirements, coverage, authorization, and availability vary by state, funding source, health plan, and individual circumstances.