ABAI NEWSFLASH: Reminder of deadlines around the Association for Behavior Analysis International annual convention

An email reminder arrived today on some fast-approaching deadlines regarding the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)'s 36th Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, May 28 - June 1, 2010 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
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"As the ABAI 2010 Annual Convention approaches, we thought it might be helpful to send a reminder of deadlines that are coming up soon!

Friday, January 29, 2010 is the deadline for any changes to be included on the convention web site and in the convention program book. Changes should be sent to convention@abainternational.org. It is very important to list the title and ID of your submission in the subject line of the email. You may view your submission by signing onto the ABAI portal.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 is the last day to register for the annual convention at the "early bird" pre-registration pricing. You can save over 30% by registering today instead of paying on-site!

If you have not done so already, we recommend that you make your hotel reservations soon. Rooms are still available at the Hyatt Regency, located within walking distance of the convention center. Please visit the hotel information page  to make your reservation on-line.

We hope these reminders are helpful for you. We thank you in advance for contributing to the success of the 2010 ABAI Annual Convention.

Best,
ABA International Team
Association for Behavior Analysis International
...

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Website: Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG
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Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org

ABAI NEWSFLASH: ABA International Announces Model Licensing Act for Behavior Analysts

This morning the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) announced that posted online at the ABAI website is a new Model Licensing Act for Behavior Analysts. This is the product of a recent large-scale International Strategic Development Survey of stakeholder members in which such a licensure initiative was supported by a strong majority of respondents .

A prefacing article by current ABAI President Raymond G. Miltenberger, Ph.D., BCBA,  describes the background of the purpose, development and content of the Model Licensing Act under the points,

• Why Licensing?
• Risks Associated with Licensure
• How Does Licensure Differ from Certification?
• What is ABAI’s Model Licensing Act?
• What are the Points of Similarity between the BACB® and ABAI Model Acts?
• How do the BACB® and ABAI Model Licensing Acts Differ?
• Rational for Grandfathering Clause
• What are ABAI’s Criteria for Education Requirements?
• How Will ABAI’s Accreditation Program Meet the Needs of Licensed Behavior Analysts?
• What Will ABAI Do for Those Outside of the USA?
• Where Can You Receive Guidance and Support?

This article then links to the Act itself,
ABAI Model Licensing Act for Behavior Analysts

In the article ABAI members are invited to review the Model Licensing Act, and under, "Where Can You Receive Guidance and Support?", information is given on how to give input, if wished, on the Model Licensing Act and to discuss chapter training and presentations support by the ABAI Practice Board.

References or for further reading

The ABAI Model Licensing Act, Educational Standards, and the Protection of the Profession
Raymond G. Miltenberger, Ph.D., BCBA; ABAI President

ABAI Model Licensing Act for Behavior Analysts

Practice (Practice Board and Other Committees)

Practice Resources

ABA International Strategic Plan

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Website: Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG
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Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org

ABAI NEWSFLASH: Expansion of the Practice Board and Board Member Activities

Expansion of the Practice Board and Board Member Activities

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) Practice Board has been very active over the past six months. Membership and the focus of the Board has been expanded; this was done to address issues ABAI members have identified as critical to their support needs in the practice of applied behavior analysis...

Included in this expansion of the Practice Board membership are the following,
 
Chair: Michael  F. Dorsey, Ph.D., BCBA

Committees  and respective committee chairs:

• Governmental  Affairs: Thomas Zane,  Ph.D., BCBA
• Licensing:  Michael Weinberg, Ph.D., BCBA
• Insurance:  Doreen Granpeesheh, Ph.D., BCBA
• Insurance  Billing: Travis Thompson, Ph.D., and Wayne Fisher, Ph.D., BCBA
• Science  to Practice: Jennifer Zarcone, Ph.D., BCBA
• Education:  R. Douglas Greer, Ph.D.
• Practitioner  Hotline: Jon Bailey, Ph.D., BCBA
• Administrators:  Bob Littleton, Ed.D., and Rita Gardner, MPH, BCBA
• Student  Practitioners: Josh Pritchard, MS, BCBA
  

Members of the ABAI Practice Board have attended or are scheduled to attend a number of ABAI affiliated state chapter and related conferences this year, including:

• New Jersey ABA
• Tennessee ABA
• Missouri ABA
• Four  Corners ABA
• The  Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy
  
• Autism  New Jersey
• Minnesota Northland ABA
• Texas ABA
• Pennsylvania ABA
• Behavior  Analysis Association of Michigan

Practice Board members are available to present at state conferences on subjects related to practice or to consult with chapters on issues such as the development of state licensing laws or third party insurance billing. Recently, Thomas Zane, Michael Weinberg, and Michael Dorsey were invited to meet with the Board of Directors of New Jersey ABA and consult on the potential development of a state licensing law.

Please feel free to contact the ABAI office to request an appearance or meeting with Practice Board members.

Billing Committee Update

Travis Thompson, Ph.D., Co-Chair of the ABAI Practice Board’s Insurance Billing Committee reported on December 22, 2009 that his committee recently forwarded a "Letter of Intent" to submit a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Billing Code proposal covering ABA services for children diagnosed with Autism to the American Medical Association for consideration. Dr. Thompson noted that a representative from AMA contacted him today and that they confirmed receiving our letter of intent. Further, the AMA representative commented that the AMA thought the committee appropriately involved a cross-section of constituencies and organizations, and they noted that it was a good step that the Chair of the Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (which oversees ADHD and autism) of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has offered to assist with the effort. AAP is the major professional organization for all pediatricians. Dr. Thompson noted that the ABAI proposal is anticipated to be submitted to the AMA Committee June 2010. The AMA representative noted that, if our request is acted on favorably at the June 2010 meeting, the new codes could be in place by June 2012.
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Related links and posts:

Practice Resources, ABA International

Sunday, December 20, 2009
Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG Blog
December 2009 notes on recent activities of the ABAI Practice Board

Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG Blog 
ABAI NEWSFLASH: New Practice Resources at ABA International!

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Website: Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG

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Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org

December 2009 notes on recent activities of the ABAI Practice Board

[Note -  This is a reminder that while a Special Interest Group of ABA International, statements of the Practitioner's Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG (PIBA-SIG) do not represent, nor claim to represent,  formal policy of the Association for Behavior Analysis, International (ABAI). The below notice is just a summing up/an FYI of that information currently available publicly on the ABA International website, and readers are encouraged to go to the primary sources for full and definitive information]
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The ABA International newsletter, Inside Behavior Analysis 1(2), December 2009 reported some interesting and useful updates on developments within ABA International by the ABAI Practice Board.
Inside Behavior Analysis states that this is a followup to an earlier email communication sent to members in September.

Below is a summary of what was reported in the newsletter on Practice Board activities and focus at the current time. Please refer to Inside Behavior Analysis 1(2), December 2009 for the full article, and consult the Practice Board pages at ABA International.

Insurance coverage

• Two new committees are in development to assist practitioners with insurance billing questions.
• An insurance summit is planned for the national convention in San Antonio bringing together representatives of ABAI, the BACB, insurance companies, Autism Speaks, and other advocacy groups.
  

Licensure

• Descriptions are given of state licensure acts that have already passed and initiatives in progress or proposed, as well as progress on a model licensing act

Governmental affairs

• Members of the Practice Board have been meeting with some of the affiliated chapters to assist with governmental advocacy, and will be expanding in the future to international efforts.
• Information is given on members of the Practice Board to contact should an affiliated chapter or organization be considering bills that would affect practitioners of behavior analysis
  

Affiliated Chapter support

• A full-day session for affiliated chapter training is being planned to immediately precede the ABAI Autism Conference in Chicago on Friday, January 22, 2010. 
• Another meeting for all affiliated chapters of ABAI is planned for the 2010 Annual Convention in San Antonio
  

A New Practitioner Hotline

• A practitioner hotline has been created to give access to consultation services and advice to behavior analysis practitioners on pressing professional issues.
  

Agency Management

• A committee is forming for those behavior analysts who have positions of responsibility in the private or public sector as CEO/COO of large agencies, Special Education Director or in service to school boards or state committees. The purpose of this committee is provide a forum for ABAI members in such roles and to provide a mentor service for new to such positions. 
• There is currently an invitation offered for those who would be interested in participation on such a committee
  

Task Forces

• Position Statements
• A task force with joint participation of the Science and Practice Boards has been formed on the question of seclusion and restraint. The charge of the task force is to develop and recommend a position statement on the appropriate use of restraint and seclusion to be submitted to ABAI Full Members for consideration.
  

• Code of Ethics
• A task force is currently being assembled to study the implications of revising a code of ethics for behavior analysts that will represent and support scientists and researchers, educators, and practitioners.

Higher Education Accreditation and improvements

• Various initiatives are in progress, headed by the ABAI Education Board, to develop or improve criteria related to higher education standards in the training of behavior analysts.
  

For other updates, also see the below pages of which may contain additional details or elaborations of the above summaries, and additional information, such as contact people and Board Members within ABA International,

A Letter From the ABAI President
By Raymond G. Miltenberger, Inside Behavior Analysis 1(2), December 2009

Practice Board Page at ABA International,

Practice Resources page at ABA International
Which has news you can use in aid of advocacy on a variety of issues, and the formal Position Statements of ABA International

ABAI Education Board
By Charles T. Merbitz, Inside Behavior Analysis 1(2), December 2009

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Website: Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG

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Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org