Benefits of Summer HBTS and PASS Programming and Consistency in Services
Benefits of Summer HBTS and PASS Programming and Consistency in Services
As the school year winds down and summer approaches, many parents of children with special needs face important decisions about maintaining therapeutic support during the break. At the Trudeau Center, we understand that consistency in Home-Based Therapeutic Services (HBTS) and Personal Assistance and Support Services (PASS) provides significant advantages for children’s development and long-term progress. The summer months, rather than representing a pause in learning, offer unique opportunities to strengthen skills and bridge educational gaps.
“Home-based children’s services provide a valuable and unique opportunity for children to extend their learning beyond the traditional home or classroom setting,” explains Samantha Moore, Director of Home & Center-Based Children’s Services at Trudeau. “By engaging in community-based activities, children are able to practice and apply the skills they have learned into real-world environments. This not only helps to reinforce their skills but also promotes the generalization of these skills across different settings and situations. Through consistent practice and exposure to diverse social and practical experiences, children can build confidence, independence, and adaptive behaviors. These essential life skills lay the foundation for future success and empower children to navigate everyday challenges more effectively as they grow.”
Children receiving HBTS and PASS services develop specific skills through carefully structured interventions and supportive interactions with trained professionals. The progress achieved during the academic year represents countless hours of dedicated work by the child, therapists, and family members. Summer interruptions can potentially impact this hard-earned momentum.
“Consistency is a cornerstone principle in effective therapeutic services,” explains Dr. Andre Bessette, Vice President of Children’s Services at Trudeau. ” When ABA/HBTS and PASS programming continues through summer months, we see children maintain their developmental trajectory and often make some accelerated progress due to the more relaxed schedule and opportunities for skill generalization in natural summer environments.”
Research consistently demonstrates that extended breaks from therapeutic support services can lead to regression in some children, requiring additional time to regain previously mastered skills when programming resumes. By maintaining a consistent therapy schedule through summer, families can protect developmental gains while continuing to build new capabilities.
Beyond simply preventing regression, summer presents distinct advantages for children receiving HBTS and PASS services. The season’s relaxed pace and diverse activities create natural opportunities to practice social skills, sensory integration, and adaptive behaviors in meaningful contexts.
Moore notes the special quality of summer programming. “Summer allows us to take therapy beyond traditional settings and into the community. A trip to the splash pad becomes an opportunity to practice waiting turns and sensory regulation. A farmers market visit helps develop communication and choice-making skills. These real-world experiences help children generalize skills learned in more structured settings, which is essential for meaningful, lasting progress.”
“It is important to maintain a predictable therapy schedule over the summer as this provides reassuring structure for children who typically thrive with routine,” explains Moore. “Rather than experiencing the anxiety that can accompany major schedule changes, children continue receiving support within a familiar framework.”
This predictability is particularly valuable for children who struggle with transitions or who experience heightened anxiety when routines change. The HBTS and PASS programs at Trudeau Center work with families to create summer schedules that balance consistency with flexibility, ensuring children receive the benefits of both structured support and summer enjoyment.
Perhaps most importantly, summer therapy lays groundwork for smoother transitions and continued progress in the coming academic year. Children who maintain consistent programming through summer often begin the new school year with stronger skills, greater confidence, and less anxiety.
“At Trudeau, our HBTS and PASS programs embrace these principles through individualized therapy plans that balance structure with summer fun,” says Moore. “By viewing summer not as an interruption but as a unique opportunity within the continuum of care, we help children build the skills they need for lifelong success one summer day at a time.”
By partnering with families to maintain consistency while embracing summer’s unique opportunities, the Trudeau Center’s HBTS and PASS programs help ensure that children continue their developmental journey year-round, transforming potential summer setbacks into stepping stones for growth.
