ACTION Federal: The Autism Treatment Acceleration Act(s) of 2009

Recently, Autismvotes put out a shout out for action on the U.S. Senate and House versions of the Autism Treatment Acceleration Acts of 2009 (See below for status of the Resolutions and the text), and this is a reminder to any interested that to progress this Congressional session, these (and any other bills of interest) need phone calls, emails, and, if it can be done, visits to state delegations either in D.C., or in the district offices. Both resolutions allow expansion of ERISA, allow for evidenced treatments for autism, including behavior analytic, and support grants and pilot programs for coordination and expansion of transition and adult services.

Some "how to kits" for advocacy, which can be used for any policy issue or legislative matter:

Legistlative Advocacy Handbook from the ABA-I Governmental Affairs Committee

Legistlative Advocacy PowerPoint from the ABA-I Governmental Affairs Committee

And a resource not produced by ABA-I, but another good general guide to advocating at the Federal level,
A Psychologists Guide to Participation in Federal Advocacy Process; Abridged version.
The original text for this guide was written by Barbara J. Calkins and revised by the APA Public Policy Office in 1995.
[This is a pretty general run-down on the legislative process and how to advocate, so much of the information can be applicable to anyone and not just Psychologists]

About the Resolutions, from thomas.gov

[111st] S.819 : A bill to provide for enhanced treatment, support, services, and research for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families.
Sponsor: Sen Durbin, Richard [IL] (introduced 4/2/2009) Cosponsors (10)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 4/2/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

and

[111st] H.R.2413 : To provide for enhanced treatment, support, services, and research for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families.
Sponsor: Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Education and Labor; House Oversight and Government Reform; House Armed Services
Latest Major Action: 5/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Please see this page at Autismvotes to see summaries and bullet points on the legislation.

Thanks for taking action.

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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 and 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,

FYI: Ends June 5 - Public comment on APA Revision of the Model Act for State Licensure

If you haven't already done so and would like to submit comment for American Psychological Association (APA) request for public comment on their Revision of the Model Act for State Licensure, the deadline for such submission is June 5, 2009.

Revision of the Model Act for State Licensure

Frequently Asked Questions about the revision of APA’s Model Act for State Licensure of Psychologists

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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 and 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,

FYI: April 2009 report on proposed changes to PDD category in upcoming DSM-V

Just a heads-up on some of the changes being discussed for the DSM-V, in re: the Pervasive Developmental Disorders. The workgroup plans to run Requests for Information from professional and lay communities. FWIW, the release of the final, approved DSM-V is expected in May 2012, so the final product is several years down the road.

Report of the DSM-V Neurodevelopmental Disorders Work Group
April 2009
Susan Swedo, M.D.

The Neurodevelopmental Disorders Workgroup met in Arlington VA on April 21-22 [2009] and discussed the following recommendations for potential changes to DSM-V diagnostic criteria. No final decisions have been made about the changes and feedback will be sought from professional and lay communities before the Workgroup finalizes their recommendations.

PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS (PDD)

1) The Workgroup is considering a change in DSM-V that would replace the Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) category with the title “Autism Spectrum Disorders” (ASD). The change would utilize a single diagnosis for the disorders currently entitled: Autism, PDD-NOS and Asperger disorder. Several factors support making this change: ..."

FULL ARTICLE
http://www.psych.org/MainMenu/Research/DSMIV/DSMV/DSMRevisionActivities/DSM-V-Work-Group-Reports/Neurodevelopmental-Disorders-Work-Group-Report.aspx

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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 and 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,

NEWS: What's going on in Wisconsin

An FYI on what's going on in Wisconsin
Post from the parent blog, Elvis Sighting: Life with Joy, Her Family & Her Autism

Friday, May 29, 2009
WI Autism Insurance - Excellent News!
Insurance coverage for autism in the state of Wisconsin moved a big step closer to becoming a reality last night...

Skimmingthe clauses in AB 75/Motion 700
See clause 25., "Coverage of Autism Services", which notes providers, and

"...Require the Commissioner to, by rule, define "paraprofessional" and "qualified" for the putposes of providing services under the provisions of this motion...",

which on read seems to say that BACB certificants , equivalent, or other as determined, would potentially fall under the category of supervised paraprofessionals, depending on the decision-making by the Commissioner in establishing regulation.

As Yogi Berra said, it ain't over til the fat lady sings, or in this case mid-June which is the deadline to finalize the budget, but this move to attach the insurance reform language to the budget bill seems to have revived hope of obtaining insurance coverage of autism and behavioral interventions in Wisconsin.

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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 and 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,

Journal: Behavior Analysis in Practice

At the ABA International Annual Convention, I had a chance to pick up two issues of Behavior Analysis in Practice, and as a personal recommendation, if you have not read the journal it may well be of interest--eminently practical and readable.

Flyer with index of the most recent issue:

Publish at Scribd or explore others:

Description of the Journal and audience from the ABA International website,

"Behavior Analysis in Practice (ISSN 1998-1929) presents empirically validated best practices in an accessible format that describes not only what works, but also the challenges of implementation in practical settings. The journal is of special interest and relevance to front-line service workers and their supervisors, scientist-practitioners, and school personnel. Types of articles and topics to be found between its pages include empirical reports describing the application and evaluation of behavior-analytic procedures and programs; discussion papers on professional and practice issues; technical articles on methods, data analysis, or instrumentation in the practice of behavior analysis; tutorials on terms, procedures, and theories relevant to best practices in behavior analysis; and critical reviews of books and products that are aimed at practitioners or consumers of behavior analysis."

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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 and 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,

ADVOCACY: Opportunities on Capitol Hill

From the May APA Spin Insider,

An FYI for those who might not know is that ABA International is a member society in the Federation of Behavioral, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences , and was in that way a sponsoring organization for this event.

Capitol Hill Poster Session Showcases NIH-Funded
Behavioral and Social Science Research

Staff from the American Psychological Association (APA), Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA), and other scientific and advocacy organizations recently organized a combined poster session and reception on Capitol Hill, called National Institutes of Health: Improving the Nation’s Health through Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. Held on April 28, the reception drew 43 posters from 19 of the NIH institutes, centers, and offices that fund behavioral science. In addition to federal scientists and research administrators, some NIH units brought in extramural scientists to discuss their research in person.

More than 200 people attended the event, including congressional staff from both the House and Senate, representatives of advocacy organizations in the Washington area, as well as NIH staff. U.S. Representatives Tim Murphy (R-PA) and David Price (D-NC) also took in the posters and talked with NIH leaders, which included the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, Tom Insel, and the Acting Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, Alan Guttmacher.

The event was targeted to congressional staff who might not know much about behavioral and social sciences research, or the extent to which it is supported by NIH. In an essay in the program introducing the event, Christine Bachrach, Acting Director of the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences wrote,

“Behavioral research is an integral part of the NIH Mission: NIH is the steward of medical and behavioral research for the Nation. Its mission is science in pursuit of fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. An astounding 47% of all deaths have a preventable behavioral cause, including tobacco, poor diet and physical inactivity and sexual behaviors. NIH-funded behavioral and social scientists are working to improve the health of our nation by studying how biology, behavior and the social and physical environments dynamically interact and impact our health. Their research contributes to reducing tobacco use and smoking-related diseases, developing effective behavioral treatments for mental health disorders, preventing type II diabetes, and much more.”

Every event that occurs in Congressional space must have a Congressional sponsor. For this event, Representative Lois Capps (D-CA) was the working sponsor, helping with logistical details such as security clearances. Other sponsors who helped publicize the event to their congressional colleagues included Representative Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA). Thirty outside organizations sponsored the event – that is, they made contributions so the event could take place. In addition to APA and COSSA, those organizations included the

• Association of American Medical Colleges,
• Research! America,
• American Heart Association/American Stroke Association,
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing,
• American Educational Research Association,
• American Sociological Association,
• Federation of Behavioral, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences [ABA International is a Federation Member]
• Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research,
• Population Association of America,
• Society for Research in Child Development, and
• Society for Behavioral Medicine.

As the posters are made available, they will be posted on the websites of the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research and the Coalition for the Advancement of Health Through Behavioral and Social Sciences Research.

The following organizations provided posters for the event:

• The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research,
• Office of Research on Women’s Health,
• National Cancer Institute,
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute,
• National Human Genome Research Institute,
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases,
• National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering,
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development,
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research,
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases,
• National Institute of Mental Health,
• National Institute of Nursing Research,
• National Institute on Aging,
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism,
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders,
• National Institute on Drug Abuse,
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine,
• National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and
• National Center for Research Resources.

Click here to view pictures from the briefing.

FYI: Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism — AFAA Initiative

Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism — AFAA Initiative

Events

November 13, 2009 - National Town Hall Meeting

The National Town Hall will be hosted by The Autism Program Service Network (“TAP”) in Chicago, with participants joining the national discussion via webcasts from at least 14 national satellite sites.

2010 Washington D.C. , Autism Congress

The Autism Congress will build a consensus statement outlining the existing challenges and providing cost effective, evidence-based solutions. This statement will serve as a national agenda from which an action plan will be devised. Participants will include individuals with autism, autism advocates, policy experts, elected public officials, public policy experts and university professors/researchers.

Among familiar groups participating, Autismspeaks, Easter Seals, the Organization for Autism Research (OAR), SARRC, and others.

They are also looking for other organizations to participate in the AFAA

For more information,
http://www.afaa-us.org/

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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 and 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,