About Supported Behavior
Because Adulthood Deserves Support, Too.
For many families, childhood is filled with services, therapies, school programs, and structured support. Then adulthood arrives. School ends. Services change. Expectations increase. And families are often left asking: What happens next?
Supported Behavior was created to help answer that question. We specialize in supporting autistic adolescents and adults and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as they develop the skills needed to participate more independently in everyday life.
Our work focuses not only on behavior, but on what comes next, living, working, communicating, building relationships, participating in the community, making choices, and creating a meaningful adult life.
Our Philosophy
We believe successful behavior support should lead to something bigger than fewer challenging behaviors.
It should create opportunities. Opportunities to communicate. To make choices. To participate. To work. To develop relationships. To learn new responsibilities. To experience the community. And ultimately, to rely less on others whenever possible. That's why our approach focuses on building skills for life beyond therapy.
Independence Is Individual
There is no single definition of independence. Some individuals may eventually live independently and maintain employment with minimal support. Others may continue to require significant assistance throughout adulthood. Both can make meaningful progress.
Independence may mean learning to prepare a meal, completing part of a morning routine, communicating when help is needed, managing a schedule, attending a community activity, maintaining employment, or making more decisions about one's own life. We meet individuals where they are and focus on helping them move toward their next level of independence.
Our Approach
Supported Behavior combines behavioral expertise with practical, real-world skill development. Our services are:
Person-Centered: The individual's strengths, preferences, needs, and goals guide our recommendations.
Evidence-Based: We incorporate principles of Applied Behavior Analysis and evidence-based behavior support to understand behavior and teach meaningful skills.
Independence-Focused: We continually ask an important question: “How can we help this individual need less assistance over time?”
Collaborative: Individuals, families, caregivers, and other important people in the individual's life can play an important role in creating meaningful and sustainable progress.
Community-Based: When appropriate, skills are taught where they naturally occur—not just in a traditional therapy setting.
Meet the Founder
Mahalia Lavergne, M.ED., BCBA
Mahalia Lavergne is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the founder of Supported Behavior, LLC.
Her professional experience includes working with autistic individuals and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across home, community, vocational, and virtual settings.
Through her work with adolescents, adults, and their families, Mahalia recognized a need for services that focus not only on behavior but also on the practical realities of adulthood.
Preparing a meal. Maintaining employment. Managing responsibilities. Communicating needs. Navigating relationships. Participating in the community. Solving everyday problems.
These skills can have a meaningful impact on an individual's independence and quality of life. That belief became the foundation of Supported Behavior.
Today, Mahalia's approach combines behavioral expertise with practical skill development to help individuals make progress that extends beyond therapy and into everyday life.