The facility, operated by 360 Behavioral Health, held its grand opening alongside an event designed to introduce families to available services, clinicians and autism-related resources.
"We are so excited to be in Madera," said Jessica Robles, vice president of clinical operations and a board-certified behavior analyst with 360 Behavioral Health.
Robles said the center is intended to help address unmet needs in the region.
"The community's under served," Jessica Robles said. "There's waitlists for other providers. Knowing that the CDC just stated that one in every 19 children has autism, it's just really heartwarming to be in a community that has such a big need."
Officials with the organization said bilingual services are a key part of meeting local demand. Maria Robles, clinical director BCBA for 360 Behavioral Health Visalia, said many staff members speak Spanish.
"We have a lot of staff that speak Spanish, which is crucial for the community because we have a lot of Spanish-speaking families," Maria Robles said. "So it really helps offer support to caregivers when they feel someone that can speak in their language."
At the Madera location, the center provides applied behavior analysis services, early intervention and a behavioral respite program.
"So in Madera, we provide ABA services, which is our primary focus, early intervention. On the other side of the house, we also have our respite program, which is a behavioral respite program," Jessica Robles said.
The center serves clients from early learning ages through adulthood. Staff members said early intervention is important and shared behaviors parents can watch for.
"You might have some challenging behaviors like aggression, kicking, heading, tantrums, excessive crying, shouting, especially when it's it seems spontaneous or it might linger for a long time," Maria Robles said.
The facility includes seven one-to-one therapy rooms, multiple spaces and play areas for young learners. Staff said therapy may include play-based approaches, and services are offered both in-center and in-home.
In-home services can be especially helpful for adult clients, focusing on social skills and independent living, including navigating transportation, completing transactions and managing public settings.
"We will help them," Jessica Robles said. "We will navigate bus systems. We will teach them how to do a transaction. We learned how to just sit in a restaurant and eat without having any behavior."
Staff emphasized collaborating closely with parents and caregivers. Tasha Enriquez, division vice president of clinical quality BCBA, said support for families is a focus.
"So our job is to really, like empower them and to make sure that they feel supported and exactly what is, you know, capturing their needs or their attention," Enriquez said.
The Madera center is currently accepting clients with no waitlist, according to the organization. Additional 360 Behavioral Health locations are also planned in Merced and Visalia.
Thursday's resource fair at the Madera center is 3-5 p.m., offering families the opportunity to meet clinicians, enjoy kid-friendly activities, take guided tours and learn about additional autism resources.