Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is usually noticed in the first few years of a child's life and lasts throughout a lifetime. While there is no definitive cure for ASD, there are educational, behavioral, and therapeutic interventions and strategies for families and instructors to teach motor, cognitive, and social skills. These plans and programs are highly individualized, as the needs of each child diagnosed with ASD are different. Treatment plans frequently include a cooperative team of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), speech and language, occupational, and physical therapists. In general, the earlier a child diagnosed with ASD receives services, the better these interventions will work to enhance a child's development and help to reduce challenging behaviors.

Babies, toddlers, and youngsters have an extraordinary ability to change and adapt based on their experiences. The sooner you start, the more likely it is your child can grow up to enjoy an independent, meaningful life. Acorn Health helps make this happen. They work with children as young as 18 months.

Acorn Health is a national provider of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with locations in Florida,  Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. Deeply committed to industry-leading quality clinical care, Acorn Health is accredited as a Behavioral Health Center of Excellence® (BHCOE) offering both center-based and in-home services.

The Coral Gables, Florida-headquartered company combines scientifically-validated Applied Behavior Analytics best practices with pioneering next practices for its clients and their families. Founded in October of 2018, Acorn Health's mission is to give children diagnosed with ASD the opportunity to live more independent and meaningful lives.

Acorn Health was founded by a team with rich and varied experience navigating the health care landscape, and delivering excellent patient care and experiences. The company is backed by MBF Healthcare Partners, which has produced some of the nation's most innovative healthcare success stories.

What does ABA do?

We all repeat behavior that produces a reward we value. This very simple, human inclination is central to ABA therapy. Acorn's Board-Certified therapist identifies a goal behavior for a child. When a child displays the behavior the therapist wants to see, he or she receives something personally meaningful (and parents help them identify ideas).

While it's a disciplined and well-researched system, ABA is not one-size-fits-all. Treatment is tailored to the individual child, family, and agreed-upon goals.

ABA looks for functional relationships between a child's behaviors and his or her environment. The goal is to increase desirable behaviors that lead to quality of life, and reduce behaviors that interfere with a child's ability to communicate and learn.

Acorn Expansion

The prevalence of autism continues to go up — in fact, since 2000, it has increased more than 178%. That's more families than ever before who need quality, effective ABA therapy to help their children reach their fullest potential in life. Acorn Health has proudly announced the expansion of its network because access to services is very important for busy families, and is critical for kids with ASD. 

In May, Acorn Health announced six additional new locations in the US and those opened and are operating, actively serving families. Recently, Acorn Health announced its plans for five additional new locations in 2021 — Grandville, MI, Silver Spring, MD, Germantown, MD, Lorton, VA, and the Landmark area of Alexandria, VA. These centers will open in the fourth quarter of 2021.

These newly announced centers can help families begin the admissions process to start the ABA assessment. Acorn Health team can arrange therapy services to begin in your home before the centers are officially completed. Each location has the capacity to welcome 25 to 35 children who need ABA therapy and will offer home-based and center-based services once they are fully opened. 

Vicki Kroviak, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Vicki brings passion, personal history and a history of serving families in need to her mission: to establish Acorn Health as the leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis treatment for children with autism and their families.

She is a Brené Brown Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator and is applying those principles to building the company and team she’s always dreamed of: developing a team of daring leaders and fostering a courageous workplace culture within Acorn Health. As a mission-focused leader, ‘why you do it’ is just as important for Vicki as what you do.

Vicki was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Monte Nido & Affiliates and co-founder of Oliver-Pyatt Centers, leading providers of residential eating disorder treatment. Vicki co-founded the Residential Eating Disorder Treatment Consortium, a national trade organization that brought together and inspired residential eating disorders treatment providers to collaborate and raise industry standards, and insure greater access to care for affected families.

Vicki approaches behavioral health treatment as both a provider and a mother, delivering the standard of care she would want for her own children. The mother of three daughters, one of whom has special needs, Acorn’s mission strikes close to home.

"The Coral Gables, Florida-headquartered company combines scientifically-validated Applied Behavior Analytics best practices with pioneering next practices for its clients and their families."