Imparting hope and healing to children with learning disabilities

More than 40% of those with autism have average to above average intelligence, but very few graduate college or go on to have meaningful/gainful employment. This is a startling number and one of the reasons Kristie Koch feels called to provide better educational opportunities for people with disabilities - especially autism.

“Individuals with autism need those working with them to believe in and see their God-given value,” says Kristie.

Kristie is a board-certified behavior analyst and the owner and CEO of School-Based Behavior Consultation. She leads a team of registered behavior technicians focused on skill development and challenging behavior reduction for student success. This includes working with students, caregivers and school staff.

In August of 2022, her organization partnered with Hope Center Indy, establishing a location on campus for children with autism to get the skills and support they need.

She’d only recently learned about Hope Center Indy and taken a tour of the campus with her husband.

“I heard about Hope Center Indy and their mission and felt compelled to learn more,” says Kristie. “As I learned about the services provided and the love of God demonstrated in such practical ways for the least of these, I was very inspired.”

She shared some of her story during the tour and at the end Pastor Hubert asked if he could connect her with others in leadership at Hope Center Indy.

At the time Kristie had a full plate, but she knew she wanted to work with Hope Center Indy in some capacity. She decided to pray about it and leave it up to the Lord. In May of 2022, she learned she would be losing one of her largest clients, a school district that felt they’d learned enough from her to replicate her services.

“What was initially a shock and a bit of a disappointment, as I didn’t know what God was up to, ended up being the catalyst pushing us into a much bigger sphere, allowing us to help more individuals.”

She immediately reached out to see about using some of the space at Hope Center Indy and an agreement was reached.

The program at Hope Center Indy includes a registered behavior technician that implements individualized applied behavior analysis treatment plans for students. There is also a masters level teacher who develops and teaches a curriculum based on developmental benchmarks, including the necessary skills to enter school.

The goals and values of this program align perfectly with Hope Center Indy’s mission to impart hope and healing to every heart. Improving the quality of life for students with autism is Kristie’s favorite part of her job, giving them hope in themselves and their future.

To learn more about School-Based Behavior Consultation and its program at Hope Center Indy, visit schoolbehaviorconsultation.com.