UPDATE: This story has been updated from its original version.

Late last summer, Newtown Youth and Family Services (NYFS) was putting on the annual REC Club (Reaching Everyone’s Capabilities) summer gathering. Some representatives from Autism Allies, an applied behavior analytics (ABA) organization, attended the event. Among those present was Dr Laurie Bonavita, vice president of clinical services at Autism Allies.

Candice Bohr, executive director at NYFS, said, “It just happened to pour that night. It was at Dickinson, and we just started having a conversation because Laurie had reached out and had said, ‘Hey, we’re thinking about coming down to this part of the state. We would love to be able to meet some of your families.’ And I said, ‘That’s great because we’re always looking to provide additional resources.”

Bohr explained that NYFS is always looking to expand services and diversify offerings. When Bohr met the reps from Autism Allies, Anton Yurack and Bonavita, she realized that the mission for Autism Allies complemented the mission of NYFS very well. Bohr wrote in an explanatory statement, “As we explored the possibility of working together, we recognized the tremendous benefit of offering families access to both organizations under one roof. That conversation sparked the beginning of a collaboration that continues to grow and enhance the continuum of support available to individuals and families in our community. We are two separate entities that believe in the same mission!”

Autism Allies has already started immersing itself into Newtown. Not only has Bonavita started working with some families in town, the organization has brought NYFS to events like the Puzzle 5k in Danbury and more. Bohr said that the biggest asset of having Autism Allies in the same building is being able to offer referrals.

“Our motto for [NYFS] is always, ‘We want you to know who we are before you need us,’” Bohr said. “If you’ve got a family that’s coming here for services, whether it’s coming to us first and then coming down the hall to them or visa versa, it’s an easy transition. And I think, from our point of view, is what makes this a good collaboration.”

NYFS focuses on creating opportunities to help people thrive, and Autism Allies aims to do the same.

The resources that Autism Allies has to offer go far above and beyond what other organizations can offer. Much like the message of REC Club offered by NYFS, Autism Allies focuses on the whole person and meeting the patient where they are. ABA techs will go into homes, meet with schools, and offer the patient small, obtainable goals that help those living with autism spectrum disorder to fully participate in society.

Not only does the ABA tech work with the individual, the tech also works with the family. Part of the goal of Autism Allies is to bring a sense of harmony to the family. While the patient works on their individual goals, the tech also works with the family to address some of their goals. It is called the “parent collaboration model,” which provides the ABA techs to collaborate with parents to achieve common goals shared with the patient and family.

Yurack, a clinical director for Autism Allies, shared a story about a family he worked with: “[We] partner with families just to say, ‘Hey, what can we do for you?’ I was just talking with a parent and I said, ‘Can you tell me one thing that you can’t do in your home because of your child’s sever problem behavior?’ She goes, ‘I can’t listen to my own music because my child will tantrum.’” Yurack said it was “pretty impactful” for him to hear and understand that.

“Our goal is to really understand like the family’s perspective … our goal is to really understand what can we do for you? What can we do for your family? How can we start small and work through getting your house back? How it should function,” Yurack explained.

Bonavita, vice president of clinical services, said, “We come with an understanding that we’re in somebody’s home, we don’t know it like you do … We need to look at the culture behind each door. Just because your houses look exactly the same, your skin color is exactly the same, your diagnosis is exactly the same, behind your door, you’re always going to find something different. We have to respect that culture that’s behind that door and work within those boundaries.”

Yurack said a big part of what ABA techs do is help parents feel “empowered in understanding their child’s behavior.” Bonavita explained it in a very simple manner: children who have autism spectrum disorder are like handing an iPhone to an Android user. The technology is not wrong, it is simply different, and it takes time to understand it.

Autism Allies’ ABA techs can go to IEP meetings with parents, but they are not educational advocates. Autism Allies offers “PEERS” bootcamps, which help bridge the gaps in fundamental skills, like social skills and navigating dating as someone who has autism spectrum disorder.

Bonavita and Yurack stressed that they care and want to be a part of this community — it is part of the reason Autism Allies chose to open its first Connecticut clinic in Newtown with NYFS. Bonavita said NYFS has a “beautiful, welcoming philosophy that we share.”

“We’re not somebody who just cares about being paid by insurance,” Bonavita confessed, “We actually care about the individuals we service. And we take it personally when things are not going the way they should be.”

Yurack joined in on that rumination, admitting that he can take it personally, too, laying in bed at night questioning what is he doing wrong or what can he do better for the patient. The two went back and forth, saying that they try to be the best they can and that they are not perfect, but are always trying to be better.

Bohr echoed these points about NYFS. “For over 40 years, [NYFS] has been the backbone of human services for the town. Not only with mental health support, but also mentoring, as well as autism supports. And I think our quality of care and our reputation, specifically after 12/14, shows that we are invested in the community and our collaborations run deep, and we’re here for the long haul.”

The new partnership with Autism Allies demonstrates NYFS’ commitment to bettering the community and trying to make connecting with resources as easy as possible. Autism Allies works with those with autism spectrum disorder from ages 2-22, and NYFS offers autism services for ages 7-45.

For more information about Autism Allies, go to autismallies.com and for more information about NYFS go to newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org.

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Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.