Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that impacts the way a person socializes, behaves, or interacts with others. Till date, there is no possible cure for autism. But some practices can help improve learning, social functioning, and quality of life for both children and adults with this condition. Behavioral Health Works (BHW) is a leading provider of treatment for individuals with autism and related disorders having offices across the United States.
The company helps individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities reach their potential by working collaboratively with families, schools, and relevant professionals. By focusing on ways in which people respond to their environment (behavior), it provides opportunities to learn in specific and observable ways, leading to a positive outcome (health). BHW renders superior personalized care and service delivery, maintaining a personal connection with each family and committing to the advancement of each and every client. It operates from a CARES philosophy with the focus on Compassion, Accountability, Research-based treatments, Effective and Efficient changes, and is consolidated with a family unit Systems-approach.
The Philanthropist’s Story
Dr. Rob Douk is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of BHW. Fleeing death and seeking hope, Rob’s family escaped a Cambodian labor camp and migrated to America in the early 1980’s. Building their life from nothing, his parents taught him how to love hard and work hard through any situation. Today, these circumstances best define him. Regarded as a thought leader in the behavioral health industry, Rob is a clinician turned social entrepreneur, executive coach, and ForbesBooks Featured Author. He is a serial entrepreneur, having built multiple successful enterprises, incorporating an emphasis on making measurable societal changes in each venture.
Rob married his college mate, Ami, and together they built the Hope Out Loud Foundation, an international nonprofit that helps communities around the world. Rob is known to coach from a principle of having “faith over fear” and he believes that “character” is the most important to hire for.
BHW’s Prudent Approach
BHW’s approach to treatment is naturalistic, using everyday family routines to foster generalization of skills and to promote independence right from the start. This approach is rooted in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with emphasis on individualized programs, focusing on each person’s strengths and challenges. Its programs focus on increasing each client’s motivation to learn, making each session both fun and functional. It also considers all scientifically proven methods when tailoring each program to fit the unique needs of each client. The company’s treatment approach in each of BHW’s programs shares the common goal of teaching individuals the tools necessary to obtain a better quality of life and to lead a more independent life.
Patients’ Journey with BHW
When with BHW, patients get more than a clinical team at their front door. They also get an administrative team to support them, behind the scenes, every step of the way. BHW has a friendly and smart team at the back office, along with a caring and knowledgeable clinical team to work with patients using the best and the latest in clinical research. To keep everything together, the company has a user-friendly and robust proprietary technology platform that captures every BHW program to make what it does simply a cut above the rest. It has been servicing across multiple regions with one united team with a consolidated approach and one voice.
Services and Accomplishments
BHW is a one-stop shop for premium autism services delivery. It offers ABA therapy for the entire life span, diagnostic clinics, speech and occupational therapy as well as social skills groups and counseling. The company provides a holistic customized program suited for every individual.
From certifying its therapists with RBT credentials to responding to the patients’ referrals in less than 2 hours and retaining more than 99% of the clients, BHW strongly believes in delivering premium services. This is its biggest achievement and a testament to all its employees that deliver on this commitment, day in and day out. The company has graduated over 70% of its clients within two years and has a 0% client relapse rate.
Continuously Improving with TQM
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a philosophy and set of guiding principles that BHW adopts to focus on continuously improving the organization, its procedures, and the services that it provides the clients. TQM focuses on the needs of the client and on improving the quality of work and providing a finished product. It promotes continuous monitoring and improvement of company procedures in order to reduce inefficient or wasteful practices. It also involves the entire organization in the improvement of quality and also empowers employees at all levels.
The Three C’s of Work Environment
Collaboration: BHW prides itself on maintaining a fun, open-door working environment where collaboration is the cornerstone of its success.
Cause-driven: BHW and its employees embrace that there is more to a career than a title. What they do actually matters to them.
Celebration: Members of BHW, aka “BHWers”, support one another through celebrating their clients’ successes. The employees are encouraged to stop by the main office to enjoy the staff lounge, take a break, and indulge in posting on or reading the client success board.
Speaking about the future, Rob asserts, “We would like to serve as many families in need as we are able to, while maintaining high quality service delivery for each family.”
