Nonprofit The Learning Tree focused on helping children succeed

Inside what looks like a brick house on Cahaba Valley Road is the Birmingham location of The Learning Tree, a nonprofit organization that works to provide a warm, caring and nurturing environment with individualized services and support to those with significant educational, medical and behavioral challenges.

Sheila Sears, director of Resource Development for the Birmingham office, said its programs are designed to help children lead fulfilling and rewarding lives.

It was 1983 when two former public school teachers in Mobile started two group homes and a residential school to provide individualized education to those children with extreme special needs and challenges.

Now, nearly 40 years later, The Learning Tree has a diverse set of programs in locations across the state to serve children and adolescents with special needs, including autism spectrum disorder. The program serves more than 700 children throughout 40 counties in Alabama.

Growing Independence Behavioral Services clinics were established in 2018 and are located in Anniston, Montgomery, Mobile and Greystone. Heather Fulford serves as the program director for all four GIBS clinics and keeps constant communication with the providers and office managers to ensure everything is running smoothly.

Fulford said The Learning Tree offers Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, based on the treatment plans provided by the behavior analyst after the initial assessment with the child and parent. The clinic also employs Licensed Behavior Analysts and Registered Behavior Therapists who conduct assessments and manage all aspects of behavioral programming.

Fulford said behavior technicians work one on one with clients to identify goals that become a part of the child’s treatment plan.

The clinics also offer parent training so they can continue to implement the therapies at home.

“Behaviors are addressed, and the solutions offered are streamlined from the clinic to home in our parent training,” Fulford said.

To enroll in a GIBS clinic, referrals must come from diagnosing clinicians or a primary pediatrician and include an ASD diagnosis in order for insurance to cover ABA therapy.

Fulford said they prefer to start seeing kids as early as possible, because the older they are, the harder it can be to change behavior.

“One thing about autism is those children have a hard time expressing normal needs and wants,” Fulford said. “We are teaching them how to better communicate to get them ready to be in a general education class in school.”

In addition to having inclusive preschools in Anniston and Huntsville, The Learning Tree also offers consultation and outreach services that are coordinated with public school districts in Alabama, training teachers on implementing ABA principles in their classrooms. This is offered in every county across Alabama, and they are actively providing services in 25 counties.

Residential school services expanded to Birmingham in 2018. This program provides two community-based homes located in Pelham and Helena, with additional homes planned for the area in the near future.

For program details, eligibility questions and ways to help, including volunteering and donations, visit learning-tree.org.