Alyssa Burnett Adult Life Center

Intake Process for Virtual and In-Person Learning

Please call 425-488-6173 if you need assistance with any of the following:

  • If you need interpreter services. We are happy to provide accommodations and will work with an interpreter to answer your questions.
  • If you would like to speak to someone on our team to learn more about our classes and how to get involved.
  • If you would like help completing the initial screener form.

For families who are ready to start the process, please begin by completing the initial screener form.

Please note: Completing a virtual intake appointment will make your adult eligible for our virtual services ONLY. Completing an in-person intake appointment will make your adult eligible for any virtual and/or in-person services.

  • About our participants
    • Classes, outings and support groups are suited for people who:
      • Have autism or other developmental disabilities
      • Are at least 18 years old or turn 18 during the quarter
      • Want to socialize, have fun, build skills and learn in a supportive group of peers
      • Are in a high school transition program or another school program
      • Are heading to college or a job
      • Need high levels of support or supervision for everyday activities. If a student needs help from a caregiver, their caregiver must attend class with them.
    • Classes, outings and support groups are not suited for people who:
      • Have serious disruptive behaviors (extreme physical aggression toward self or others)
      • Have verbal aggressions with intent to threaten or harm others
      • Destroy property with the intent to hurt another person or self
      • Have symptoms related to psychosis

    The intake process helps us decide if the Alyssa Burnett Adult Life Center activities are suited to you.

  • About our classes

    Colors show which classes and outings are a good fit. We group some classes and outings by color to show the abilities students need to benefit.

    During intake, our staff figures out which colors are a good fit for you. Students may take classes or outings in more than 1 color group. See our class catalog (PDF).

    Blue classes are suited to people who:

    • Do best with a high level of support
    • Have trouble following verbal directions with only a little prompting
    • Need a 1:1 caregiver (who will attend each class with the student)
    • Need hand-over-hand help (another person’s hands to help complete a movement, like using scissors)
    • Have trouble changing between activities without physical guidance.
    • Need help with medicine
    • Need restroom help
    • May benefit from clear visual schedules or supports
    • Need support for challenging behaviors such as tantrums, self-injury, disruption or frequent vocal outbursts


    Yellow classes are suited to people who:

    • Do best with a moderate level of support
    • Can follow verbal instructions with a little prompting
    • May require a 1:1 caregiver (if Alyssa Burnett Center staff decide so)
    • Can change between activities with a little verbal prompting
    • Can express basic wants and needs and respond in basic social settings by voice, device or sign language
    • Need little restroom help (only verbal reminders)
    • May benefit from visual schedules or supports
    • May show challenging behaviors such as mild disruption, mild self-injury or infrequent vocal outbursts


    Green classes are open to students who can take blue or yellow classes.

    Red classes are suited to people who:

    • Are mostly independent or need only a low level of support
    • Can follow verbal or written instructions with little prompting
    • Do not require 1:1 caregiver help
    • Can change between activities with little or no prompting
    • Can express detailed wants and needs and carry on more detailed and complex conversations by voice, device or sign language
    • Do not need restroom help
    • Do not need visual schedules or supports
    • Show little or no challenging behaviors


    Orange classes are open to students who can take yellow or red classes.

    Purple classes are suited to people who:

    • Are independent and working to expand opportunities for greater independence
    • May be independently employed or working toward employment skills
    • Interested in opportunities for leadership
    • Able to independently navigate in the community (e.g. shopping, leisure choices, socialization)
    • Can express more complex conversations, looking for opportunities to explore social nuances
    • Able to independently advocate for and manage behavioral needs
    • Able to make choices and advocate for interests
    • Looking for classes to expand interests, explore meaningful social relationships, a safe place to socialize


    Gray activities are designed for people of all abilities to take part in together.

How to Join our Program

Our intake process helps us decide which programs at Seattle Children’s Alyssa Burnett Adult Life Center are a good fit for you. Follow these 6 steps to take part in our services.

  • Step 1: Fill out the initial screener form

    Complete the initial screener form in one of the following ways:

    • By completing the online form
    • By downloading, filling out and emailing a copy of the form (PDF) to the email at the bottom of the form
    • By downloading, printing and filling out a hard copy of the form and mailing it to the address at the bottom of the form
    • Over the phone with an ABC staff member

    To request a hard copy of the form or if you need assistance completing the form over the phone, please call (425)-488-6173 or email us at AlyssaBurnettCenter@SeattleChildrens.org.

  • Step 2: Include any additional necessary paperwork

    Along with your initial screener form, send us the following (if it applies to you):

    • For families using Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) Funding:
      • Person-Centered Service Plan (PCSP – available through your DDA case manager): This assessment is done with a DDA case manager on an annual basis
      • The form is titled “Person Centered Service Plan (PCSP) Current Annual DDD Assessment Details”
    • IEP (Individualized Educational Program): This document is created for individuals in special education programs in public schools, to assist individuals in reaching their educational objectives
    • Care plans or tips from supported living services or group homes
  • Step 3: Send us your initial screener form and any additional paperwork

    Send your completed screener form and paperwork to any of the following:

  • Step 4: Complete behavioral assessment
    • Complete our Behavioral Assessment via phone or video call, with our BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst), Krista Endel. This is for us to assess additional support needs you/your participant may have.
    • An ABC staff member will contact you to schedule this assessment.
  • Step 5: Schedule an intake appointment

    After we review your paperwork, we will send you an email with links so you can do the following. For those who would like additional support, we will call you to complete these steps over the phone.

    • Create an online account.
    • Schedule your intake appointment. Appointments will be in-person or via Zoom depending on which services you are seeking.
    • In-person intake appointments make students eligible for any in-person and/or virtual services. Completing a virtual intake appointment makes a student eligible for virtual services only. Take our online ‘quality of life’ survey for new families. This survey helps us understand how the ABC may impact your quality of life and informs our future programming.
    • We also will send you a photo release form asking if we can take your photo during activities and classes at the center. It is okay to decline this. If you are okay with having photos taken, fill out the form and send it back to us or bring it to your intake appointment.
    • We will send you a separate email to confirm your intake appointment along with any details for your meeting.
    • For those who prefer phone communication, we will call you and help you complete this information by phone.
  • Step 6: Attend your intake appointment

    During your intake appointment, you will meet with members of our team. They will:

    • Answer any questions you may have
    • Help determine the best fit for classes and assess caregiver/ supports needs for the participant while at the ABC
    • Provide you with a tour of the new space (for in-person)
  • Step 7: Sign up for classes

    At the end of your appointment, we will suggest which classes are the best match for you. You can choose from those activities to tailor a schedule based on your interests and class openings.

    Read more about our classes and outings.

    If a class is full, we will add you to a waiting list and tell you when we have openings.

  • Step 8: Pay your tuition

    We accept payment by:

    • Credit card
    • Debit card
    • Check
    • E-check
    • Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) respite hours. If you do not have enough DDA respite hours to pay for all classes in the quarter, you must pay out of pocket for the rest of the quarter.
      • Before your first quarter of classes, please contact your case manager to let them know you will be starting services at the Alyssa Burnett Center.
      • Quarterly our DDA Billing Specialist will inform your case manager of the predicted hours to be used based on your class registration.

    We offer scholarships to help cover the cost of classes and activities. To apply for a scholarship, please complete the scholarship application. Learn about class costs, scholarships and payments. If you need assistance, please call (425) 488-6173.

    Classes are billed on a quarterly schedule on the first day of student classes. If you require an alternative payment schedule, please call (425) 488-6173 to request accommodations.

How to Register After Your First Quarter

About a month before the start of each new quarter, we will email you a link to register for classes, activities and outings. For those who require assistance with registration, please call (425) 488-6173.

  • Use the provided link to log in to your account.
  • You will need to create an iClassPro account if you have not taken classes since we changed our online system during the Summer of 2019.
  • If you have not taken classes for a year or more, we may require a follow-up intake appointment before your adult returns to the ABC for services. For more information please call, (425) 488-6173.
  • If you have not received an email and would like to register for classes, please call (425) 488-6173.

Contact Us

Questions about the intake process or enrolling? Call (425) 488-6173 or email us at AlyssaBurnettCenter@SeattleChildrens.org.    

 Read more about our classes and outings.

We welcome support from interested instructors, volunteers, interns and donors. See how to get involved.

“It changed our lives. I feel like I have my son back.”

– Tucker’s dad, Kim, Woodinville

Read how the Burnett Adult Life Center lifted Tucker Jack out of limbo after high school.