Are We Approaching a Crossroads in Behaviorally Based Intervention in Autism. The Intersection of Science, Money, Competency Training and Our Public Image is the kind of topic that looks straightforward until it collides with the speed, ambiguity, and competing demands of clinic sessions and day-to-day service delivery.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Louisiana Association for Behavior Analysis
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Join Free →As Behavior Analysts we are living in what are, arguably, unprecedented times. The field of insurance-funded ABA intervention has experienced, over the past two decades significant growth. Venture capital investment in these programs is now common where it was virtually nonexistent previously, leading to the growth of a new class of business-person-BCBA. At the same time there are a growing number of BCBAs, for whom measures of clinical competency would, arguably, fall along a bell curve with 50% of certificants finding themselves in the bottom half of that distribution. Add to that the fact of the reputation of behavior analysis as a humane and effective intervention science is being challenged from both within and outside of the field. This presentation will provide a quick overview of these conditions and their impact and offer some potential "fixes" to the field. Learning Objectives: Identify a minimum of three potential external threats to the practice of behavior analysis in ASD. Discuss the challenge(s) presented by the infusion of venture capital into the practice of behavior analysis in ASD. Identify up to 3, evidence-based practices that might help protect the scientific integrity of our field.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1.5 | General |
Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D., is the Executive Director of the EPIC Programs in Paramus, NJ. Dr. Gerhardt has over 40 years of experience utilizing the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis in support of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders in educational, employment, residential, and community-based settings. He has authored or edited several publications, including “Make it Meaningful: Creating Programs that Matter into Adulthood for Learners with Autism Spectrum and Related Disorders“ (Make it Meaningful Press, 2024) with Dr. Shanna Bahry, “Clinician’s Guide to Sexuality and Autism” (Academic Press, 2024) with Drs. Jessica Cauchi, Mary Jane Weiss, and Justin Leaf and “The Handbook of Quality of Life for Individuals with ASD” (Springer, 2022), on which he is a co-editor. He has presented nationally and internationally on these and related topics. Dr. Gerhardt serves as Co-Chairman of the Scientific Council for the Organization for Autism Research and is on numerous professional advisory boards, including the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. He serves as Affiliate Faculty in the Institute for Applied Behavioral Science at Endicott College. Dr. Gerhardt received his doctorate from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey’s Graduate School of Education.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.