Applied Behavior Analysis

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that impacts a person’s ability to communicate and socialize and is accompanied by behaviors that are repetitive/restrictive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 1 in 36 children are identified with ASD (Maenner et al., 2023). It is estimated that 449,643 adults are living with ASD in Texas, making it the state with the second-largest number of adults living with ASD preceded only by California (Dietz, 2020). A study by the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation in 2016 found that there were over 30,000 people living with ASD in the San Antonio area. The study projected that the number of individuals with ASD in San Antonio to be 35,000 by 2026. This number is expected to be higher since the projections were based on the assumption that there would be no increase in the prevalence of ASD.

ASD and ABA Treatment

ABA treatment has the strongest scientific evidence with five decades of research and hundreds of peer-reviewed studies demonstrating ABA as an effective treatment for autism and is endorsed by many medical authorities (e.g., the US Surgeon General, the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics). Research convincingly shows that with intensive ABA, many children with autism make large enough improvements to move from the delayed into the normal range on standardized, objective measures of intellectual, communication, and/or adaptive skills. The rest of the children also make gains (Howard et al., 2014; Howard et al., 2005).

Need for ABA Practitioners

The need for Behavior Analysts to provide services to people with ASD in San Antonio has existed for many years and will only continue to increase. In 2016, a local study revealed that there are more than 600 families waiting for ABA services, primarily for services after school. To address this need, an additional 190 BCBAs were needed to provide the ideal intensity of ABA services. By 2026, 310 additional BCBAs will be needed (Kronkosky Charitable Foundation, 2016). Additionally, the Medicaid Autism Service benefit is expected to commence in March 2021. This will further increase the demand for ABA services in Texas. Furthermore, as the number of people with ASD grows and existing providers retire, the number of providers will need to grow. Metro San Antonio’s current population is more than 2.3 million, a growth of 2.25% from 2019. Thus, there will be a need for professionals to meet these increasing demands.

Institute for Autism and Related Disorders

A&M-SA established the Institute for Autism and Related Disorders (IARD) under the College of Education and Human Development in 2022. The ABA program collaborates with the IARD to provide community training and conduct research. 

Autism Lifeline Links

Autism Lifeline Links (ALL) is a program under the IARD that focuses on helping individuals with ASD and intellectual disabilities in Bexar County and surrounding areas. To learn more about resources, events, and ways to get involved, visit Autism Lifeline Links.  

Meet Samuel Allen

Sam is a graduate of A&M-SA, a person with ASD, and an active member of the San Antonio community. He regularly volunteers in our community, lives independently, and holds a full-time job. Sam's story is an example from our San Antonio community of what people with ASD can achieve. 

Samuel Allen Law

The Samuel Allen Law protects drivers with communication impediments including autism. To learn about the Samuel Allen Law and what this means to drivers diagnosed with Autism, Deafness and Communication Disorders, go to the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities website. 

This video highlights the Samuel Allen law.

ABC TV Austin - Texas passes law to help those driving with a communication impediment

Read about how Sam and his mother provided San Antonio Police Department Training for responding to people with ASD and other communication impediments. 

News4SA - Family training police how to respond to people with communication impediments.