EFL App

Essential for Living App

A comprehensive life skills curriculum with social validity, evidence-based teaching and measurement strategies.

The mission of Essential for Living is to provide children and adults with moderate-to-severe disabilities a comprehensive curriculum referenced to 'quality of life', rather than typical development or academic standards - resulting in the dignity and quality of life these individuals richly deserve.

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The Essential For Living App Advantages

Accessible

A comprehensive assessment tool that can be accessed and completed on any device with a web browser and soon to be available as an iOS app.

User-Friendly

User-friendly interface and controls that guide even novice users to unlock the power of EFL.

Resources

Resources for teaching and reinforcing the skills assessed in Essential For Living, including lesson plans (protocols) all written by Dr. McGreevy and Troy Fry.

Data Sharing

Add members to learners' teams, including parents, enabling collaboration to see assessment results and find the best communication method.

EFL App Quick Assessment Interface

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About the EFL App

EFL App is the electronic version of the print version of Essential for Living, the function-based assessment and curriculum that values the importance of assessing and programming for communication for all learners.

Essential for Living uses small increments of change in data collection to show progress. EFL App saves time by identifying possible skills on which to focus, based on the results of the Quick Assessment, and by offering the ability to track daily cold probe data easily for those chosen skills.

  • Quick Assessment (QA)
  • AMS Selection Tool
  • Problem Behaviors & Teaching Resources
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EFL Quick Assessment on mobile devices

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Our Personal Experience with Essential for Living

In 2018, Liz and Steve were given the distinct privilege of working with Dr. McGreevy and Troy Fry to create a web-based app for Essential for Living to help automate the assessment and programming for these learners.

In 1996, Liz and Steve's daughter, Sarah, was diagnosed with Autism. Part of their journey involved finding a good path forward from the developmental instrument (VB-MAPP) to a daily living skills program that works on communication and problem behavior.

Sarah's world has opened up and she is able to do so much more in the community, both for herself and others. EFL was the solution for us!

Dr. Patrick McGreevy

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Only Approved EFL App by the Wonderful Authors!

Dr. Patrick McGreevy, Ph.D., BCBA-D - President

Dr. McGreevy received B.S. and M.A. degrees in Psychology and Special Education from the University of Iowa. He was a special education teacher for eight years, working with children and young adults with moderate-to-severe developmental disabilities. He received his Ph.D. in Education from Kansas University under the guidance of Ogden R. Lindsley.

He has served on the faculties of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Louisiana State University, the University of Central Florida, and the Florida Institute of Technology.

At EFL App, we're proud to work closely with Dr. McGreevy and Troy Fry to bring you the only author-approved app for Essential for Living, ensuring accuracy and effectiveness in every assessment.

Troy Fry

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Ongoing Updates & Improvements

Troy Fry, M.S., BCBA - Vice-President

Troy received his B.A. in Science and Mathematics from North Dakota State University and M.S. degree in Behavior Analysis and Therapy from Southern Illinois University. He attended the University of Kansas doctorate program and has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst for over 25 years.

Troy has worked with children and adults with significant developmental disabilities in schools, clinics, hospitals, and residential programs across North America and Europe. He is the second author of Essential for Living and serves as Associate Director of Training and Consultation Services.

The skills in EFL align very well with Dr. Greg Hanley's work on Skill Based Treatment (SBT), making it excellent for clients with the most complex needs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Essential for Living is a function-based assessment and curriculum that values the importance of assessing and programming for communication for all learners. It was created by Dr. Patrick McGreevy and Troy Fry specifically for learners with limited repertoires and moderate to severe problem behavior. Key features include: • Function-based assessment approach • Focus on functional life skills and communication • Small increments of change in data collection to show progress • Curriculum designed for learners who may have stopped making progress with developmental assessments
The EFL App is the electronic version of Essential for Living, offering several advantages: • Quick Assessment - Identifies possible skills to focus on based on assessment results • Easy Data Tracking - Track daily cold probe data easily for chosen skills • Time Savings - Automates assessment and programming processes • Team Collaboration - Share results with team members and parents • Lesson Plans - Access protocols written by Dr. McGreevy and Troy Fry • Progress Tracking - Uses small increments of change to show meaningful progress
Essential for Living was developed by Dr. Patrick McGreevy, Ph.D., BCBA-D (President) and Troy Fry, M.S., BCBA (Vice-President). Dr. McGreevy was a special education teacher for eight years, working with children and young adults with moderate-to-severe developmental disabilities. He received his Ph.D. from Kansas University and has served on faculties at multiple universities including the University of Central Florida and Florida Institute of Technology. Troy Fry has been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst for over 25 years, working with children and adults with significant developmental disabilities in schools, clinics, hospitals, and residential programs across North America and Europe. The EFL App was developed in 2018 in collaboration with DataMTD to bring this powerful assessment and curriculum tool to a digital format.
The skills in Essential for Living align very well with Dr. Greg Hanley's work on Skill Based Treatment (SBT). EFL can be used with clients who have the most complex needs, as well as with those who might need more practice with toleration skills. This makes it an excellent complement to SBT approaches.
Many learners who are assessed initially using the VB-MAPP may stop making meaningful progress. When caregivers realize that a different approach is needed - particularly for learners with limited repertoires and moderate to severe problem behavior - Essential for Living provides an excellent path forward. EFL focuses on functional life skills, communication, and problem behavior management.

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