Assent Therapy ABA

What happens to start ABA services?

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 20:31:23 GMT

WHAT TO EXPECT

Enrollment

Most insurance companies require a prior authorization to assess your child’s need for ABA services. This will require you to send a copy of your child’s insurance card and autism diagnostic paperwork. Your child’s BCBA will submit this request and update you along the way. This could take a few weeks to a month, depending on the provider. Once insurance approves (if they deny the request, we can appeal) services, you will be notified about services moving forward. This is when an initial meeting and assessment date would be scheduled. Typically we schedule it within a week of getting authorization. At this time, you’ll receive an email with all the intake paperwork and a preassessment questionnaire (required by insurance) that is required for your child’s assessment. Please complete this to the best of your ability, but all questions can be answered during

the initial assessment.

Initial Meeting

We will have a face-to-face meeting to discuss everything about your child. Various checklists, assessment tools, or rating scales may be completed during this time. The purpose of this meeting is to prepare the BCBA for your child’s assessment and begin gathering information to determine the need for services. This meeting is scheduled to last 60 minutes.

Assessment

The initial meeting can occur on the same day but will depend on logistical factors. Your child will receive an assessment to determine their amazing skills, areas where they need support, and determine what behavior barriers might impact their success in a classroom setting. This assessment will be done by a BCBA who specializes in assessing your child. They will take their time and move at your child’s pace, ensuring they are comfortable. You will be welcome to be present during this assessment or you can take a minute to yourself but cannot leave during this time. If you have specific questions, you can ask them during the assessment, but please give the BCBA time and space to complete the assessment. Typically, the assessment will last 60 minutes.

Post Assessment

Your BCBA will be completing all necessary documentation and paperwork for your child behind the scenes and submitting it. This will outline their personalized goals and plan for assisting with the behaviors that might be interfering with their learning. Completing the documentation typically takes around a week, then we wait for insurance approval. Hearing back from insurance will depend on the provider and if they require more information Typically, this takes around 2-3 weeks. Insurance approves ABA services in 6-month periods. So once approved, your child is allotted services for 6 months, then a reauthorization assessment happens. Your family and BCBA will essentially repeat the assessment process over for authorization to continue services or move toward a discharge if your child is ready to graduate from ABA (yay!).

Post Assessment Meeting

After the conclusion of the assessment and insurance authorization of services, you’ll receive an email and phone call about service recommendations and a proposed service outline. Your BCBA will review your child’s support plan (the goals the BCBA targeted based off the assessment) and any behavior protocols with you, as applicable. This is your time to make any adjustments before the start of services. We WANT to make sure your goals are being worked on and you are comfortable with everything. Service recommendations are at the discretion of the assessing BCBA; however, your family’s insurance provider ultimately has the final say on the hours approved. Proposed start dates and hours of service, scheduling, etc. will be laid out at this time as well. You will receive all the company policies and procedures at this time as well. This meeting can take 30-60 minutes.

Before Your Child’s First Day

Once staffing and scheduling is laid out, your child’s first day of services can occur. Before they can start services, the family handbook is expected to be read through and signed off on. Your child’s BCBA is happy to answer any questions you may have about the policies in the meantime.

First Day

Your child’s BCBA will be present. They will be working to train and implement the support plan with your child’s direct care team. For the first few weeks, your child will work on getting to know this new routine and new expectations. We are focused on fun, playing, and relationship building. We want to get to know you, your family, and your child. You’ll also be getting comfortable with the changes as well, so we like to take it slow in the beginning.

First Month

Your child’s care team will be focused on slowly implementing services and ensuring everyone is happy with the current goals and scheduling arrangements. This is the time for any kinks to be worked out. Behind the scenes, your child’s care team will be having ongoing meetings to discuss the client’s progress. If you have any concerns, you’ll be reaching out to your child’s BCBA. They will work to resolve any questions or concerns you may have. A parent support meeting will occur 2 weeks after your child’s first day of therapy to check in with you.

Ongoing expectations

You are expected to ensure your family is meeting all therapy policies and expectations such as attendance requirements, timeliness, attending meetings, communicating schedule changes, attempting to implement goals as needed, etc. Just as we expect our staff to be reliable and attentive, we expect the same from families. Your child’s services are incredibly important and can be intensive at times, depending on their needs

We understand that life will happen and barriers to progress will arise, we just require communication with these matters. The more information you can provide when your child needs to reschedule sessions or miss therapy, the better. Insurance companies have very high expectations for family participation, so they require documented rationale on services not being rendered to expectations.

Our attendance policy and caregiver support meetings are guided by insurance company participation expectations. Failure to comply with these expectations can result in termination of services, regardless of Assent Therapy’s policies or stance on the matter. Insurance companies hold the ultimate right to approve and authorize ABA services due to being the funder of these services. As stated before, we will do everything in our power to work with your family. We appreciate your understanding, flexibility, and communication.

ABA, Autism, & Puzzle Pieces

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 01:49:00 GMT

Listening to autistic voices is not something that ABA providers have historically done. Many providers still turn away from opposing views of ABA rather than hear them out. When you start listening, the voices are loud. There are many different opinions and strong variations, but most voices, especially autistic advocates, can agree on the puzzle piece topic.

What are autistics saying?

First, let’s talk about what the autistic community is saying about the puzzle piece symbolism.

According to an interesting article from Paula Jessop, an autistic advisor, (link is under resources) points out, they feel like the puzzle piece is an offensive way to describe or represent their autistic traits. The connotation is that the puzzle piece suggests that they are difficult to figure out, puzzling, something to be solved, mystery, etc.

Think about it.

The things you typically do when you go to solve a puzzle are to sort the pieces by characteristics (color, type of pieces) and manipulate them to get them to fit together. I am sure you can see how being associated with that representation can be harmful to one’s self-image and understanding of their autism.

Let’s reframe what autistics deal with.

Imagine you were struggling with components of your mental or physical health. You go to the doctor’s office and see a poster on the wall talking about how people with your condition are complex and difficult to solve. You are fun and loveable, but you’re broken.

You explain your mental and physical struggles to your doctor. He talks to you about how you cannot make it to work every day, you can’t keep all your dishes clean, your socks don’t match, and you stumble too much when you talk. He tells you that you need to figure these things out, to grow up, and JUST DO IT , but all you want to do right now is cry.

He puts all the things you struggle with on a paper and says, don’t worry I’ll fix you. Then tells you that you need to start doing those things or you won’t get paid at your job and won’t have friends.

Imagine if we took that example and put the supportive doctor in the room who says we can do this together, you may struggle with XYZ, that is okay, we all struggle with things. You are amazing at XYZ, you have the best skills doing this/that.

Instead of something that needs to be solved, you see a symbol of togetherness, a spectrum of variations, and acceptance, it would be different, right?

Disclaimer:

I do want to point out that not everyone in the autistic/autism community feels this way. Some parents and family members find the puzzle piece comforting and a symbol of their life. Some autistics do enjoy the puzzle piece. Many providers and members of the ABA community might even have puzzle pieces tattooed on their bodies due to their intense passion to represent their union with the autism community.

This discussion is not to discount those feelings or to instruct you to change your opinions. Symbolism is important to communities and bonding among members. We want to bring many different voices to these conversations, even those who are a catalyst to common practices.

Also, please remember that the identify first language of “autistic” is preferred by a majority of those with an ASD diagnosis. Autistic is not a bad word.

Why Do Companies Use It?

A very common place you’ll spot puzzle piece usage is often from ABA providers, Autism Speaks, and accessories/clothing. Again, there is nothing wrong with these being acceptable for your journey, if that works for you. Let’s respect and hear out the other side, too.

Many, many ABA companies use the puzzle piece symbol for their marketing and logos. This does not mean they are a bad company, but we should start asking questions.

The puzzle piece and the ideas behind autism are literally the opposite of what companies should be conveying. The logos are typically bright colors, very chaotic, and involve jumbled shapes. This is incredibly overwhelming for many autistics due to their struggles with sensory processing. We know this. Why do companies not care?

Bright, happy symbolic brand recognition sells the best.

I get it. It would be nearly “impossible” for many companies to rebrand for the purpose of autism acceptance, but I think it is something that should be strongly considered. Gasp at the idea of putting the population they serve ahead of profits, right? There is a serious issue here. Many companies are not properly representing the community they serve. They are clearly showing they are not listening.

Many companies have a name associated with finding a solution to a problem and them being the ones to solve “the puzzle”/problem. Here are some random examples: “Hope … ABA” “Overcoming … ABA” “The Perfect Child ABA” (the last one KILLS ME). I am sure you get what I am trying to say.

Acceptance. Listening. The basics should be expected from ABA providers.

Guys, this was the FIRST REPRESENTATION OF AUTISM ON GLOBAL SCALE. An autistic child crying, in a puzzle piece. Read further to see how it is described.

“And here’s how Helen Green Allison, one of the organization’s founders, described the reasons for the design in 1997:

I take it back, the rebrand is worth the slight dip in profits.

A Real Problem

Next, let’s talk about Autism Speaks.

If there is one organization you need to boycott, it is Autism Speaks. Good luck finding autistics that are proud to be represented by this organization. The organization was founded (and the puzzle piece) on the idea that we should be looking for that final cure to autism, pitying them.

From the resource created by Neuroclastic (they have a great Facebook page you can follow!), “The iconic Autism Speaks logo is a puzzle piece, and it’s often the only “authority” people recognize as a source of information about autism. Autism Speaks had caused irreparable harm to our community.”

I cannot write anything better than those personally impacted by Autism Speaks, so please refer to those resources. I have some links under resources.

Final Thoughts

I could go on for days. It is incredibly frustrating.

The puzzle piece is so ingrained in autism culture and some pop culture areas. This representation is controversial at best. On one hand, there is love and community in the symbol, but a lack of support from the very people it is supposed to identity to. I think there I incredible value in bringing together groups of people for a common cause.

The puzzle piece symbol will likely not go anywhere anytime soon. However, the media behind the clothes, symbols, and companies needs to be one that is doing its best to accommodate BOTH sides. Spreading messages of love, acceptance, and compassion is a good place to start. Let them be the ones who decide their message, we need to listen and be patient during this time of adjustment.

Resources:

https://neuroclastic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Heres-Why-Most-Autistic-People-Hate-the-Puzzle-Piece-Symbol.pdf

Autism Speaks Information:

https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AutismSpeaksFlyer2020.pdf

https://autisticmama.com/do-not-support-autism-speaks/

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