Senate File 2349: An Act requiring certain group health insurance plans established for employees of the state to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorders for certain persons, requiring certification of behavior specialists, and providing an applicability date.SF 2349 defines "applied behavioral analysis" and classifies it as "rehabilitative care".
The bill would also define a "Behavior Specialist" certification, with that designation stated to mean:
"...an individual, certified by the board of medicine, who designs, implements, or evaluates a behavior modification intervention component of a treatment plan, including those based on applied behavioral analysis, to produce socially significant improvements in human behavior or to prevent loss of attained skill or function, through skill acquisition and the reduction of problematic behavior."The rules providing for that Behavior Specialist certificate would be adopted by the Iowa Board of Medicine. Additional conditions for Behavior Specialist application including education and coursework, experience, and prohibitions to issuance are stated in the bill.
An "autism service provider" is also specified in SF 2349, and is stated as the entity to provide "rehabilitative care", including "applied behavioral analysis".
In its current form, SF 2349 would apply on or after after Jan 1, 2011.
For further reading
Autism bill would pay for Iowa state employees’ children
Blog post by Jennifer Jacobs • jejacobs@dmreg.com • February 23, 2010
Past blog post
Monday, February 15, 2010
State legislation: Iowa - Committee substitute SF 2349 replaces autism insurance bill SF 1; retains certified "behavior specialists"
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
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