Children learn in many different ways. Some benefit from focused one-on-one teaching, while others need opportunities to practice skills during play, classroom routines, and time spent around other children. Our Jefferson Center makes both possible.
Hand Over Hand provides ABA therapy in a dedicated classroom within Little Learner Academy. Being based in a pre-school allows our clinicians the ability to offer personalized treatment in a natural environment.
A child may work on asking for help during an activity, waiting for a turn during play, moving between parts of the day, or taking part in a group routine. These everyday moments give children practical ways to build skills that can later support them at home, in school, and throughout the community.
Families who choose our Hand Over Hand can expect:
Christine Wieladek
Christine is the Regional Director for Hand Over Hand’s Jefferson and Denville centers. She has worked in applied behavior analysis since 2006 and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2011 after completing her master’s degree in ABA at Caldwell University.
Her experience includes working with individuals in public and private schools, group homes, center-based programs, and home and community settings. Christine has developed skill-building programs, created compassionate approaches for addressing challenging behavior, and provided training for both families and clinical staff.
Christine brings many years of clinical and leadership experience to the Jefferson team. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her children and pets.
Melissa Simone
Melissa is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Assistant Director of the Jefferson center. She joined Hand Over Hand in May 2024.
She earned a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling in 2020 before completing a second master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at Caldwell University in 2023. Her research has been published in the Journal of Behavioral Education and was presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis International annual conference in 2024.
Melissa’s education in both counseling and behavior analysis informs her thoughtful approach to working with children, caregivers, and clinical team members.
ABA therapy may address communication, play, social participation, self-care, transitions, safety, and other skills that affect a child’s daily experiences.
Recommendations are developed after the assessment process. Our clinical team will speak with your family about the findings, proposed treatment priorities, and service settings that may be appropriate.
Sessions are planned around each child’s treatment objectives. Having both a dedicated space and access to a typical childcare setting allows children to work on skills under different conditions throughout the day.
Some skills are best learned at home, where families face daily routines like getting dressed and mealtime. Home-based ABA therapy lets our clinical team teach strategies directly in that setting, with guidance built around what matters most to each household.
A child’s needs may look different at school than they do at home or during center-based therapy. Our school consultation services help educators better understand behavior, identify useful supports, and respond to the child more effectively within the classroom.
We absolutely love Hand Over Hand! Their team truly tailors their approach to meet the unique needs of each child and family. They use naturalistic teaching methods that help children thrive and succeed in meaningful ways. The staff is incredibly welcoming, flexible, and supportive, creating a positive experience for the entire family. We have seen tremendous progress in our daughter since starting with them, and we are so grateful for their dedication, support and care.
I was very nervous about my son being away from me for the first time but this center has been amazing. The staff is so friendly and really cares about him. He has had so much progress since he started. He really enjoys going there, loves all of the staff and runs to the door every morning.
Patient, kind and caring staff. I have such peace of mind knowing my son is in capable hands with this loving team. Our son is making progress and our whole family feels supported by Hand Over Hand.
Finding support for your child often starts with a conversation. We can answer your questions about ABA therapy, insurance coverage, and the steps involved in beginning services.
Call Hand Over Hand at 973-722-9693 to learn more about ABA therapy near Jefferson, NJ, and schedule an initial consultation.
Your journey with Hand Over Hand begins with a personal conversation. Our Family Liaison takes the time to connect with you, learn about your child, and answer any questions you may have before anything else begins.
Once we have connected, we will guide you through the necessary paperwork so that the logistics are handled quickly and easily. Our goal is to make this step as simple as possible so services can move forward without delay.
Before we begin, we contact your insurance provider to obtain approval to assess your child. Once authorized, we can move forward with scheduling the in-person portion of the assessment.
Our clinical team spends dedicated time with your child conducting an in-person assessment, while also meeting with your family to understand your goals and priorities. From there, we develop individualized goals and a personalized treatment plan built specifically around your child.
Once the treatment plan is complete, we submit everything to your insurance provider for authorization, handling the process on your behalf so there are no unnecessary delays before therapy begins.
With all the pieces in place, it is time for the most exciting step. Your child begins therapy and your family becomes part of the Hand Over Hand community.
We understand that starting ABA therapy comes with many questions and concerns.
Our team takes the time to understand your child’s needs, verify your insurance coverage, and make sure every detail is in place before ABA therapy begins.
Building trust and open communication from the start is our priority, so you feel confident and prepared for the journey ahead.
Yes. The center is located in the Lake Hopatcong section of Jefferson Township inside Little Learner Academy at 21 Bowling Green Parkway.
Hand Over Hand operates three dedicated therapy classrooms inside an established preschool. Children can receive focused clinical care while also having access to age-appropriate routines and carefully selected opportunities to practice skills within a preschool environment.
Not necessarily. Each child’s schedule depends on their treatment plan, current abilities, and readiness. Some parts of the day may take place in a dedicated Hand Over Hand classroom, while other activities may involve carefully planned participation within the larger preschool setting.
Treatment may address communication, play, classroom participation, transitions, cooperation, self-care, social interaction, emotional regulation, and behaviors that affect learning or safety. The specific areas addressed will depend on the child’s assessment.
Peer activities are introduced based on the child’s needs, comfort, skills, and treatment objectives. The clinical team may begin with brief or highly supported interactions and make changes as the child becomes more comfortable.
Yes. BCBAs regularly review data and observe how the child responds to teaching. Treatment objectives, methods, or service recommendations may change as skills develop and new priorities arise.
Parent guidance may include explanations, demonstrations, practice, and feedback related to situations your family experiences regularly. Topics may include communication, transitions, routines, play, independence, or responding to challenging behavior.
The program is accepted by different insurance companies. The insurance acceptance is based on factors like the child’s insurance plan, his diagnosis, recommendations of the clinicians, and authorization requirements.
Your child can start to receive services once all documentation is done, assessment authorized, treatment authorized, staff available, and there is availability. Your intake team will inform you about the status of all these steps as the process develops.
Some children may benefit from services in more than one setting, depending on their assessment, treatment needs, availability, and insurance coverage. A BCBA can discuss whether center, home, school, or consultative support may be appropriate.
For many New Jersey families, yes, health insurance does cover applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy when a child has an autism diagnosis, and the treatment is considered medically necessary.
ABA therapy is a personalized approach that helps children build useful skills through teaching, practice, and positive encouragement.
Wondering how long ABA therapy lasts? Learn what affects treatment duration, weekly therapy hours, progress milestones, and when therapy may end.
