Continuum of Care Screener: A Risk Mitigation Tool to Guide Decision Making When Environmental Factors Affect Service Delivery
File one Continuum of Care Screener each time a crisis threatens service delivery.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Hajiaghamohseni et al. (2022) built a one-page Continuum of Care Screener.
The tool lists risk and benefit variables BCBAs must weigh when storms, staff loss, or policy shifts force service changes.
Case stories show how to score each variable and document the final decision.
What they found
The paper does not give outcome numbers.
It gives the screener itself and clear rules for using it.
The authors say the form turns crisis chaos into visible, defensible data.
How this fits with other research
Colombo et al. (2020) wrote the first COVID-era triage guide. Their matrix asked, "Who absolutely needs in-person care today?" Hajiaghamohseni et al. (2022) keeps that spirit but adds a written score sheet you can file.
Luckasson et al. (2020) warned, "Never forget client rights when you cut services." The new screener folds rights into the "benefit" column, so the two papers work as a pair, not a fight.
Frederick et al. (2022) showed technician-level telehealth can work. Use their telepractice tips after the screener says telehealth is safe enough.
Why it matters
You now have a single form that replaces hallway panic with documented reasoning. Print it, circle the risk and benefit scores, and keep the sheet in the chart. Monday morning, you will know exactly why you chose telehealth, reduced hours, or stayed put.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Navigating novel, unpredicted service disruptions can be complex and unparalleled. To effectively handle service interruptions, board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs®) must make sound clinical decisions, comply with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (2020a), and critically engage in ongoing risk/benefit assessments for each individual client. Unfortunately, most BCBAs do not receive coursework, training, or fieldwork supervision in advanced risk mitigation. Those who have been practicing longer may have more experience in organizational systems and mitigating risk; however, half of all BCBAs have been certified in the last 5 years and two thirds have been certified in the last 7 years (BACB, 2021). This rapid growth of the profession poses significant challenges in navigating novel situations outside of the practitioner’s scope of competency and learning history. In this article, we present a systematic formalized approach to risk management through an organizational behavior management lens. The article includes a screening tool, a summary of the model, and case examples of ongoing risk assessment during unexpected service disruptions. This screener is designed to help BCBAs think critically and systematically as they consider social and contextual factors across stakeholders, the client’s behavioral status and treatment needs, state policy and law, and professional and ethical obligations during the decision-making process. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40617-021-00672-7.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2022 · doi:10.1007/s40617-021-00672-7