How to choose the best behaviour analyst for your child with autism
Starting on April 1, 2021, all behavioural services purchased through the OAP Childhood Budget must be supervised by a Clinical Supervisor who meets the OAP’s qualification requirements, but what do you do until then?
How do you know you are investing your childhood budget and your own money into the right services for your child?
Why you need to be informed when searching for a behaviour analyst
While other health professionals are regulated, behaviour analysts are not yet a regulated health profession in Ontario, meaning there is no minimum standard to practice.
Regulation is important to protect the public by enforcing a minimum standard of practice and ethics.
“The lack of regulation and transparency about behaviour analysis is especially problematic since purchasing behavioural services from someone who fails to practice in accordance with best practices could be detrimental (or, at least not beneficial) for a child with autism.”
Ana Luisa Santo, Aamir Khan, Rosemary Condillac, Andria Bianchi - Health News
What you should know could happen if you don’t choose an appropriate behaviour analyst:
Poor or dangerous practices could harm your child’s development.
Ineffective interventions could waste valuable and often critical time in your child’s development.
Your child’s rights could be infringed upon if a provider isn’t aware of key legislation on things like privacy, confidentiality and consent, etc.
You could be subject to unfair billing practices.
You may not have effective means of recourse to file a grievance
The good news is many organizations offering applied behaviour analysis (ABA) operate under the standards and ethical code of the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB) which provides professional certification to behaviour analysts.
How to make an informed decision about where to spend your child’s OAP budget
When choosing a behaviour analyst for your child, don’t be afraid to ask questions and demand proof of a provider’s credentials.
What credentials should you be looking for?
Ideally, you want your child’s services to be supervised by a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA). A BCBA should be developing your child’s behaviour plan based on an assessment and supervising the staff working directly with you and your child.
A BCBA is a graduate-level certification in behaviour analysis from the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB).
There are several BCBA designations including:
BCaBA - undergraduate (provide services under the supervision of a BCBA)
BCBA - graduate
BCBA-D - doctoral level
Are all behaviour therapists BCBA?
Other people who may work directly with your child to implement their behaviour plan are Behaviour Consultants, Senior Therapists, Registered Behaviour Technician (RBT), Behaviour Technicians, Instructor Therapists and ABA Therapists.
Not all of these people will have certification and not all of them need it, but none the less you should be informed. RBTs are certified by the BACB and work under the close supervision of a BCBA to deliver your child’s behaviour plan.
Unfortunately, there are people who call themselves ‘Behaviour Consultants’ or ‘Senior Therapists’ but are not necessarily experts in ABA. They can do this because the industry is not regulated. The advantage of hiring a BCBA to develop and oversee your child’s ABA program is that they are required to have at least a master’s degree and are highly trained and versed in ABA. You can better rely on the team directly working with you and your child if they have supervision from a BCBA.
Where can I find qualified behaviour analysts?
Autism Ontario provides a list of “Clinical Supervisors” who meet the minimum standards required by the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) that can be a great place to start your search for individual practitioners and organizations in your community.
You can find Lake Ridge Community Support Services on the list as well as a number of our BCBAs listed with more coming on the list.
Find a provider on Autism Ontario’s OAP provider list here.
What questions should I be asking when I’m interviewing service providers?
There are some great questions you can ask to compare and contrast different providers. These questions will give you an idea of the value you’ll be getting in terms of BCBA supervision.
Will a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) oversee my child’s service?
How much time will the BCBA spend with my child and their team?
What are the qualifications of the direct therapy staff?
Are the direct therapy staff supervised by a BCBA?
How much supervision will the direct therapy staff receive during my child’s service?
How many staff will be working with my child?
Don’t be fooled by the brand.
Many large organizations offer behaviour analysis services but not all are cut from the same cloth. You don’t need to take anyone’s word for it. No matter where you’re looking ask about the qualifications of the clinical supervisor and the staff working with your child.
Resources:
Still, have questions? Reach out to our Service Navigator at 1-833-635-7277 ext. 500