Summer 2026

Intern

FirstSteps for Kids

FirstSteps for Kids

51-200 employees

Delivers family-centered ABA therapy for children

No salary listed

Cypress, CA, USA

In Person

Category
Medical, Clinical & Veterinary (2)
,
Requirements
  • Current enrollment in a relevant undergraduate or graduate program (e.g., Psychology, Special Education, Applied Behavior Analysis, Healthcare Administration).
  • Passion for working with children and supporting their development.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
  • Willingness to learn and adapt to new tasks and responsibilities.
Responsibilities
  • Assist Clinical Teams: Support clinical teams in preparing, organizing, and implementing our annual FirstSteps for Friends, Summer Social Skills Intensive program.
  • Client Interaction: Interact with our amazing children and their families in a supportive and engaging manner, ensuring they feel welcome and comfortable in our clinic environment.
  • Data Collection: Learn and assist with taking data during therapy sessions, ensuring accurate and detailed documentation of progress.
  • Administrative Duties: Help with administrative tasks such as notifying our families and team members of scheduling changes, organizing medical records, updating client files, and maintaining clinic organization.
  • Check-in and Check-out: Assist in the smooth check-in and check-out process for kids and families attending therapy sessions, providing assistance and support as needed.
  • Collaboration: Collaborate with clinical teams and administrative staff to ensure seamless delivery of services and a positive experience for all clients.
  • Learning and Development: Take advantage of countless learning opportunities throughout the internship period and and gain valuable skills and knowledge about developmental learning challenges, treatment assessment and intervention, practice management, health care, and administrative functions.
Desired Qualifications
  • Previous experience in a clinical or educational setting is a plus, but not required.
  • Academic credit may be available, depending on individual circumstances.

FirstSteps for Kids provides Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) intervention programs for children with Autism, PDD, Asperger’s syndrome, and related disorders. They design individualized, family-centered treatment plans after an initial assessment and deliver services in Learning Villages (their centers), at the child’s home, and at school with instructors who support learning and behavior change. The program works by using ABA techniques to teach new skills and reduce challenging behaviors through personalized plans and close collaboration with families. The company differentiates itself by offering customized plans across multiple settings (center-based, home, and school) and by working with many insurance providers, making services accessible through private pay and insurance claims. Its goal is to help children develop essential skills, improve behavior, and support families in everyday life and school environments.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Hermosa Beach, California

Founded

2005

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • California AB 1768 mandates insurance coverage for 40 weekly ABA hours, expanding addressable market.
  • Telehealth ABA services grew 35% in 2025, enabling FirstSteps to scale remotely while maintaining reimbursements.
  • School-based ABA demand surged 28% post-2025 SELPA guidelines, creating partnership opportunities with districts.

What critics are saying

  • Neurodiversity movement prompts major insurers to deprioritize ABA funding, collapsing insurance-dependent revenue.
  • Lovaas-inspired ABA faces class-action lawsuits alleging harm, resulting in insurance denials and liabilities.
  • Hopebridge's 200+ centers capture California insurance contracts through aggressive expansion, outcompeting FirstSteps.

What makes FirstSteps for Kids unique

  • Multi-setting delivery across clinics, homes, schools, and telehealth maximizes accessibility and skill generalization.
  • Family-centered approach with caregiver training ensures consistent skill reinforcement across all learning environments.
  • Culturally sensitive, individualized treatment plans replace cookie-cutter ABA with developmentally appropriate interventions.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Your Connections

People at FirstSteps for Kids who can refer or advise you

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Professional Development Budget

Employee Referral Bonus

Wellness Program

Access to discounted Pet Insurance