Location
Knoxville, TN
Hours
8am - 7pm, M-F Center-based and in-home services available.
6312 Kingston Pike
Suite B
Knoxville,
Tennessee
37919
(865) 674-9723
New Clients
(844) 854-1116
Administration
Directions
Contact Admissions
Our 10-Day Promise
Most parents are anxious to begin helping their child — now.
Here's the Acorn Health promise: For our early intervention program, you will have an opportunity to meet with one of our clinical team members for a free consultation within 10 days from calling admissions.
It's the first big step to starting treatment. Start now. (865) 674-9723Welcome
A network of providers, one shared vision
Acorn Health is setting the standard of ABA therapy with best practices, pioneering next practices, and a Clinical Advisory Board of leaders in the field.
Ashlee McBride,
BCBA
Clinical Director
From our Knoxville Clinical Director
Ashlee began working with adolescents in the neurodivergent population in 2015. She developed a passion for the field of behavior analysis and transitioned from mental health to behavioral health in 2017. After graduating from the University of Texas with a Master’s Degree in Special Education, she obtained her BCBA certification before relocating to Knoxville, TN in 2020. She specialized in early intervention and focuses on skill acquisition, functional replacement behaviors, and trauma informed care. Her experience includes clinical, academic, residential, and community settings. Ashlee prioritizes the importance of providing quality care for each of the clients and their families.
Acorn Health has been named a Behavioral Center of Excellence, a distinction which reflects our commitment to setting new standards in ABA treatment.
Our Services
Everyone repeats behavior that produces a valued reward
This very simple, human inclination is central to ABA therapy. Your child’s Acorn Board-Certified therapist identifies a goal behavior for your child. When your child displays the behavior we want to see, he or she receives something personally meaningful (and you’ll help us identify ideas.
We’ll also learn what precedes your child’s challenging behaviors
We call them “antecedents.” They’re things that happen immediately before the behavior we’re trying to change. An antecedent can be a request, like “clean up your room”; a feeling or reaction; a specific object; bright lights or a noisy crowd. ABA therapy looks for these antecedents and finds alternatives that influence your child’s reaction.
Learn MoreAssessment
Our Board Certified Behavior Analysts conducts skills assessments to understand your child’s specific needs: his or her language development, practical life skills, ability to generalize learning, and more. We also conduct functional behavior assessments and analyses for children with challenging behaviors.
Custom Therapy Plan
With all this data, we draft a custom therapy plan and share our clinical recommendations with parents and caregivers. Therapy plans are developed only after we understand your family’s goals and preferences. We also openly collaborate with your child’s school and other therapists (for example, speech language pathologists or occupational therapists). Consistency and a team approach lead to optimal outcomes.
Skill Building
Acorn Health focuses first on the child’s activities of daily living. We begin with improving communication and social skills. Then, we address activities like mealtime challenges, and intensive toilet training. Where appropriate, we also develop vocational skills.
Family education and training is an integral part of each therapy plan. Consistency helps children acquire skills, then maintain and generalize the learning for new situations.
Behavior Reduction
Children with challenging behaviors benefit from function-based behavior reduction plans. These plans often include eliminating triggers and providing opportunities for the child to demonstrate the replacement behavior.
We have protocols for managing these behaviors and functional alternatives (e.g., asking for a break rather than engaging in problem behavior to achieve that break). Here, too, collaboration matters. Consistency at home, school, and other environments creates lasting progress.
ABA therapy is typically covered by insurance
Insurance requires a doctor’s referral and a formal diagnosis of autism. We accept most health insurance plans for assessment and ongoing treatment.
Please contact us with any insurance related questions at
(865) 674-9723
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Regional Intervention Program (RIP)
The Regional Intervention Program (RIP) is a parent-implemented, professionally-supported program for young children and their families who are experiencing challenging behaviors. RIP has been serving families with young children since 1969. This unique, internationally-recognized program guides parents in learning the skills to work directly with their own children while they receive training and support from experienced RIP families.
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Structured Athletics for Challenged Children
SACC is a non-profit organization, which represents Structured Athletics for Challenged Children of Putnam County. It is an athletic program developed for children with physical and/or mental disabilities to enjoy the many benefits of participating in an athletic environment structured to their abilities. The value of this program is found on the socialization and therapeutic benefits of participating in sports and the strengthening of the participant’s self-esteem.
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Autism Resources of the Mid-South
Autism Resources of the Mid-South is a leading voice and resource of the autism community in education, advocacy, and support. Autism Resources of the Mid-South is committed to meaningful participation and self-determination in all aspects of life for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. Autism Resources of the Mid-South accomplishes its ongoing mission through close collaboration with a successful network of chapters, members and supporters.
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Autism Tennessee
Autism Tennessee exists to enrich the lives and experiences of individuals on the autism spectrum, their families, and their surrounding community through support, advocacy, and education. The vision of Autism Tennessee is to create a community where people on the autism spectrum and their families find respect, acceptance, and hope.
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Autism Society of East Tennessee
The Autism Society of East Tennessee is a community-based organization that improves the lives of all persons impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorders and envisions a community that supports and shows compassion to those affected by autism by providing accessibility through collaboration, education and support services.
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Tennessee state resources
Tennessee state resources
Tennessee state resources
Tennessee state resources
Tennessee state resources
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Autism Now
The Arc is the largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The organization encompass all ages and all spectrums from autism, Down syndrome, Fragile X and various other developmental disabilities. With more than 140,000 members and approximately 700 state and local chapters nationwide, The Arc is on the front lines to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families have the support they need to be members of the community.
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National Standards Project
The National Standards Project – Phase 1 and Phase 2 – answers one of the most pressing public health questions of our time — how do we effectively treat individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?
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The BHCOE
We are an international accrediting body created to meet accreditation needs specific to the delivery of behavior analysis. We develop and measure voluntary consensus standards for autism and Applied Behavior Analysis service providers.
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The BACB
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.® (BACB®) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation established in 1998 to meet professional credentialing needs identified by behavior analysts, governments, and consumers of behavior analysis services.
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ABAI
Since 1974, the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) has been the primary membership organization for those interested in the philosophy, science, application, and teaching of behavior analysis. ABAI provides many services to its members and the field
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