FirstSteps for Kids, Inc. (Walnut Creek)

ABA Therapy, Parent Training, Early Intervention + 4 more

Address: 877 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 100 | Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Rating: 5.00 (3 reviews)
Insurances:
Ages Served:
1-12
Care Settings:

Parent Perspective

Highly Responsive

Immediate Availability

Frequently Visited

I cannot say enough about FirstSteps for kids inc in Walnut Creek. They literally changed our lives with our angel.

Glenn L

1/15/2020

About FirstSteps for Kids, Inc. (Walnut Creek)

F I R S T S T E P S for kids specializes in improving the lives of children diagnosed with Autism and related developmental and behavioral challenges. With expertise in Applied Behavior Analysis, our team is prepared to provide your child with effective and compassionate treatment intervention tailored to address their individual needs and learning preferences.

Together, with dedicated families, we are committed to making your child’s first steps the right steps towards a brighter future.

The First Steps for Kids Difference

We are Person-Centered and always Compassionate

ABA is a scientific approach to learning with a focus on factors that motivate, reinforce, and maintain human behavior. FirstSteps adds heart to our science.

Your child is our priority, and we want them to have a say in their own learning. We will honor their opinions and celebrate that they have them. From what we teach to how, we will attend to your child's non-verbal and expressed preferences and will always ask, not tell.

We are person-centered in all we do; we design interventions that our kids enjoy and value. We want to show them easier ways to express their needs and wants, and to choose to try something new when their past behavior has caused them more trial than triumph.

We Contribute to the Behavior Analytic Community

Members of our leadership team regularly serve on the Board of Directors for state and national associations, are invited speakers at local, state, and national events, and present clinical research at conferences throughout the world. We are also an approved practicum site for many graduate school programs and provide supervision for our BCBA candidates. FirstSteps is also an approved Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) provider for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and a proud member of the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP).

In addition, our Founder and our Director of Research, Drs. Harris and Tarbox, developed and established the graduate program for Applied Behavior Analysis at USC where Dr. Tarbox currently teaches and directs the program.

We Celebrate Diversity

We value diversity, equity, and inclusivity in all aspects of our treatment model, in our service delivery with our clients, in collaboration with families and communities, and in our organizational culture and practices with our staff.

We Live by an "Always Be Learning" Mentality

Unlike others, we don’t view training as a simple one-time experience for new hires. We are invested in our team, with ongoing learning opportunities provided throughout every year of employment and in every position. We know that your child’s treatment success depends on the expertise of our team and that drives us to continually innovate, share ideas, study the impact of our interventions, document those successes for the larger behavior analytic community, pursue advanced degrees, and even establish a new master’s degree program at a top ten university in the country. We don’t just hire for positions; We hire for careers. That is how expertise develops and infuses the high-quality intervention your child will receive at FirstSteps.

Accreditations

Claimed Profile

This provider has submitted proof of credentials and has claimed their profile.

ACE Provider

This provider is an Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) provider.

Services

Conditions Supported

Autism
Learning Differences
Behavioral Disorders

Care Settings

In-home
In-school
In-office
Virtual

Age Ranges Served

1-12

Leadership

Dr. Jennifer Harris (Founder), Matt McAlear (CEO), Anne Swinney (COO), Courtney Tarbox (CCO), Caitlin Wineman, Clinic Director

Founding Story

FirstSteps was established in 2005 by four women committed to truly supporting parents while providing the most fun and effective, empirically validated, behavior analytic treatment to children diagnosed with autism and related learning challenges. We provided ABA intervention from our one location in Hermosa Beach, focusing on the provision of compassionate, expert-driven client care and exceptional training for our clinical team. Soon, new families learned of us and we received requests to broaden our clinical reach by establishing new Learning Centers across the state.

Since 2005, we have grown substantially, always mindful of our mission to maintain a standard of excellence in all we do. We now provide compassionate ABA services to children living in both Northern and Southern California. Funding for our care is now readily available as FirstSteps is an "in network" provider for every major health plan, and a vendor for many Regional Centers who often cover copays and deductibles. FirstSteps also contracts with school districts as a certified Non-Public Agency with the California Department of Education and can provide school based 1:1 support when indicated via an IEP.

Waiting List Length

(Updated: 05/16/2025)

ABA Therapy:

0 WeeksAM0 WeeksPM

Languages

English
Spanish

Please note that without member information we cannot guarantee that your specific plan covers these services. We recommend asking the care provider before beginning services.