The CONNECT Clinical Intersection Model, presented by Amy Brownson, introduces an interdisciplinary skill acquisition framework designed to promote socially significant communication for Autistic learners. The model is distinguished by two foundational commitments: centering safety and connection as the primary conditions under which meaningful learning occurs, and honoring the Autistic perspective as a starting point for programming decisions rather than a variable to be managed.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis
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Join Free →This presentation introduces an innovative, interdisciplinary framework designed to promote socially significant skill acquisition for Autistic learners. Grounded in principles of safety and connection, the model centers the Autistic perspective and honors each individual's unique way of being. It aligns with the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder and incorporates developmental sequences from multiple disciplines to build meaningful social communication repertoires. Social communication is conceptualized as a behavioral cusp—unlocking access to reinforcement across diverse environments, activities, and relationships, thereby enhancing learner autonomy and choice (ASHA, 2025; CDC, 2024; Florida State University, 2025; Wetherby et al., 2004). Flexibility is cultivated across multiple dimensions using intermittent and unpredictable reinforcement schedules, promoting resilience and adaptability (CDC, 2025; Hanley et al., 2014). Safety and connection, social communication, and flexibility serve as the starting points for therapy, both supporting the learner and reducing barriers to acquiring higher level skills. Once these foundational skills are embedded into the learners' therapy, then higher-order skills traditionally found in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) curricula are introduced. This progression reduces reliance on restrictive teaching methods and supports more compassionate, responsive intervention (Penney et al., 2023; Rajaraman et al., 2022). References American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2025). Communication Milestones: Age Ranges. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved from Communication Milestones: Age Ranges Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). CDC's Developmental Milestones. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from CDC's Developmental Milestones | CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2025, May 8). Clinical Testing and Diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from Clinical Testing and Diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorder | Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) | CDC Florida State University (2025). Social Communication Growth Charts. Florida State University. Retrieved from SCGC – Baby Navigator Hanley, G.P., Jin, C.S., Vanselow, N.R., & Hanratty, L.A. (2014). Producing meaningful improvements in problem behavior of children with autism via synthesized analyses and treatments. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47, 16-36. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.106 Penney, A.M., Bateman, K.J., Veverka, Y., Luna, A., & Schwartz, I.S. (2023). Compassion: The eighth dimension of behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00888-9 Rajaraman, A., Austin, J.L., Gover, H.C., Cammilleri, A.P., Donnelly, D.R., & Hanley, G.P. (2022). Toward trauma-informed applications of behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55, 40-61. Wetherby, A.M., Woods, J., Allen, L., Cleary, J., Dickinson, H., & Lord, C. (2004). Early indicators of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the second year of life. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 34(5), 473-493. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-004-2544-y
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
| COA | 1 | — |
Amy Biography: Amy Brownson, M.A., BCBA Supervising Clinician Life Skills Autism Academy- Lawrence, IN PhD Special Education student- University of Idaho Amy Brownson, M.A., BCBA, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and currently serves as a Supervising Clinician at Life Skills Autism Academy. She has been practicing as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2017, working primarily with Autistic early learners. Her clinical and research focuses include developing social communication repertoires in early learners to build relationship-based language skills. She also focuses on building perspective-taking skills with therapists and clinicians to foster empathetic skill repertoires in their care with Autistic early learners. She is currently completing a PhD in Special Education through the University of Idaho. She has participated in the Utah Regional LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders) program as a trainee in 2024-2025, collaborating within an interdisciplinary team of doctoral students fusing leadership, research, and clinical practice for those with special healthcare needs. She was also chosen as a LEND Equity Scholar, completing training and research in building equitable systems of care for children and families with special healthcare needs. She has presented as an interdisciplinary team to early childhood educators through IdahoStars on “Inclusive Education Practices Across Developmental Domains”. She has also presented interdisciplinary research at the EHDI (Early Hearing Detection and Intervention) conference in 2025, promoting collaborative family-centered research practices for families whose children are deaf or hard of hearing. Lastly, she has presented to a multidisciplinary team at the PacWest LEND conference on supporting clinicians in empowering disabled parents in neurodevelopmental disorder care.
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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.