ABAI Practice Board Blog

If you are going to ABAI 36th Annual Convention...

2010-05-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

...don't miss the Practice Board's "Autism Insurance Summit"

This event will be held on Sunday, May 30th from 7:30pm-10:30pm in Room 216 A(CC).

This year we are honored to have an extremely distinguised group presenting. The group includes:
LORRI UNUMB (Autism Speaks)
ERIC BILLINGTON (United Health Group)
MARY JANE WEISS (Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
GERALD L. SHOOK (Behavior Analyst Certification Board)
SUSAN BUTLER (South Carolina Early Autism Project, Inc.)
GINA GREEN (Association for Professional Behavior Analysts)
DOREEN GRANPEESHEH (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.)
RHONDA ROBINSON BEALE (United Behavioral Health

The Practice Board Chair, Michael Dorsey, will chair this unique and informative event.

Looking forward to seeing all of you there!

ABAI Practice Board Sponsored Events at the 2010 ABAI Annual Convention

2010-05-23T02:00:00.000-07:00

The descriptions below provide a brief overview of currently listed Practice Board Sponsored Events at the ABAI 36th Annual Convention, San Antonio, TX, May 28 - June 1, 2010.

For full and most current information, please consult the 2010 Annual Convention Home, and find "ABAI Practice Board Sponsored Events" under "Program Scheduling and Workshop Registration".

SATURDAY, 5/29/2010

# 103 Business Meeting
7:30 PM - 8:20 PM
217B (CC)
ABAI Practice Board Open Meeting: This Ain't Your Daddy's ABA!
Chair: Michael F. Dorsey (Endicott College)

The ABAI Practice Board Open Meeting is a forum for ABAI members to meet the members of the Practice Board and its' various committees. The organizational philosophy of the Practice Board is a “Bottoms-Up” approach to member service, soliciting from the practitioner members of ABAI what they need from ABAI to be more successful in their day-to-day professional roles. The members of the Practice Board will review for the audience the steps completed this year toward this end and will seek to gain a better understanding of additional areas of need.

# 114 ABAI Expo
8:30 PM - 11:00 PM
Exhibit Hall A (CC)

50. The ABAI Education Board
CHARLES T. MERBITZ (Chicago School of Professional Psychology)

51. The ABAI Practice Board—Meeting the Needs of Practitioners
MICHAEL WEINBERG (Orlando Behavior Health Services, LLC), Thomas L. Zane (The Center for Applied Behavior Analysis at The Sage Colleges), Jennifer R. Zarcone (University of Rochester Medical Center), Travis Thompson (University of Minnesota), R. Douglas Greer (Teachers College, Columbia University), Michael J. Dougher (University of New Mexico), Jon S. Bailey (Florida State University), Josh Pritchard (University of Nevada, Reno)

52. ABAI Practice Board: Licensure Committee–Current Status and Developments
MICHAEL F. DORSEY (Endicott College)

53. The Practice Board Governmental Affairs Committee
Eric Billington (United Health Group), Jonathan J. Tarbox (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Megan Guidi (Vinfen Corporation), Amy Kenzer (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), R. WAYNE FUQUA (Western Michigan University)

54. ABAI Membership Board
PHILIP N. HINELINE (Temple University), Jay Moore (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Edward K. Morris (University of Kansas)

55. ABAI Program Board: An Overview of the Program Convention System
RAMONA HOUMANFAR (University of Nevada, Reno), Raymond C. Pitts (University of North Carolina, Wilmington)

56. ABAI Student Committee
Erick M. Dubuque (University of Nevada, Reno), Sarah M. Dunkel-Jackson (Southern Illinois University), JOSH PRITCHARD (University of Nevada, Reno)

57. ABAI's Board of Affiliated Chapters
GORDON BOURLAND (Trinity Behavioral Associates)

SUNDAY, 5/30/2010

# 261 Symposium
3:00 PM - 4:20 PM
201 (CC)
OTH; Service Delivery
ABAI Practice Board Presents a Symposium for Parents: How to Get Medical Insurance Funding for Your Child’s Applied Behavior Analysis Program
Chair: Amy Kenzer (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.)

History of Funding for Applied Behavior Analytic Services: Background Perspective for Parents of Children on the Autism Spectrum
DOREEN GRANPEESHEH (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Michael F. Dorsey (Endicott College)
What Every Parent of a Child With Autism Needs to Know: Current Status of Medical Insurance Legislation Requiring Coverage for Applied Behavior Analytic Services in 15 States
DOREEN GRANPEESHEH (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Jonathan J. Tarbox (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.)
Not All Insurance is Created Equal: Distinguishing Between Good and Bad Insurance Plans for Autism
AMY KENZER (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Bryce Miler (Center for Autism and Related Disorders)
A Practical Tutorial for Parents on How to Get and Maintain Insurance Funding for Your Child’s Applied Behavior Analysis Program
BRYCE MILER (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Doreen Granpeesheh (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.)

# 296 Symposium
4:30 PM - 5:50 PM
201 (CC)
OTH; Service Delivery
ABAI Practice Board Presents Advice for Professional Behavior Analysts: How to Access and Maintain Medical Insurance Coverage for Your Behavioral Services
Chair: Arthur E. Wilke (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.)

A Behavior Analyst’s Perspective on the History of Third Party Funding for Applied Behavior Analytic Services for Children With Autism
DOREEN GRANPEESHEH (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Michael F. Dorsey (Endicott College)
Legislation Requiring Insurance Coverage for Applied Behavior Analytic Services in 15 States: What Every Behavior Analyst Should Know
DOREEN GRANPEESHEH (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Jonathan J. Tarbox (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.)
How to Get Approved by Insurance Companies Who Fund Behavioral Services: Practical Advice for Behavior Analysts
BRYCE MILER (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.)
Navigating the Maze of Billing Medical Insurance for Behavioral Services
DENNIS DIXON (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.), Bryce Miler (Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc.)

MONDAY, 5/31/2010

# 453 Panel Discussion
3:00 PM - 4:20 PM
Seguin (Grand Hyatt)
CSE; Service Delivery
BACB CE Offered. CE Instructor: Michael Weinberg, Ph.D., BCBA
Behavior Analyst Licensure: Current Status in States With Licensure Laws
Chair: Michael Weinberg (Orlando Behavior Health Services, LLC)

KIMBERLY NIX BERENS (Center for Advanced Learning, Inc.)
JIM BOUDER (The Vista School)
MICHAEL F. DORSEY (Endicott College)
JOHN SCIBAK (Massachusetts House of Representatives; The Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies and the Co-Chair of the Oral Health Legislative Caucus)
MICHAEL WEINBERG (Orlando Behavior Health Services, LLC)

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

IN THE NEWS: Alan E. Kazdin - "Parenting Expert Warns Against Physical Punishment"

2010-05-22T02:00:00.000-07:00

An opinion interview piece was released by the American Psychological Association on the use of corporal punishment in parenting.

Alan E. Kazdin, Ph.D., former APA president, John M. Musser professor of psychology at Yale University and director of Yale's Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic, discussed the effectiveness of the use of some common parenting practices, such as spanking, in changing behavior in desired directions.
Dr. Kazdin suggested that while momentary suppression might occur, that the effects do not have permanence, do not teach desirable behavior, and can be responsible for developing collateral behaviors.

He suggested alternative methods and in the interview explicitly credited the research field of applied behavior analysis in identifying these more effective methods,

"...Dr. Kazdin. Positive reinforcement for alternative behaviors is extremely effective. This is not just rewards or points but the use of antecedents (what comes before behavior), behavior (shaping and gradually developing, repeated practice), and consequences (e.g., specially delivered praise).There is a whole area of research (applied behavior analysis) devoted to this and some parenting books, too..."

At the 36th ABA International annual convention in San Antonio, Texas, Dr. Kazdin will be one of the recipients of the 2010 Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis (SABA) awards; he will be presented with the Award for Effective Presentation of Behavior Analysis in the Mass Media, and his presentation will be, "Integrating Behavior Analysis Into Psychology and Public Life".

For further reading
Parenting Expert Warns Against Physical Punishment
Released: 5/5/2010 11:00 AM EDT
Source: American Psychological Association (APA)

Some of the Slate "Family" articles by Alan E. Kazdin, and Alan E. Kazdin and Carlo E. Rotella

Tiny Tyrants: How to really change your kid's behavior. Apr 10, 2008

Family Feuds: How to make "timeouts" less like bar fights. Jun 27, 2008

Spare the Rod: Why you shouldn't hit your kids. Sep 24, 2008

Why Can't Johnny Jump Tall Buildings?:Parents expect way too much from their kids. Nov 07, 2008

No, You Shut Up: What to do when your kid provokes you into an inhuman rage. Feb 05, 2009

Plan B: What to do when all else has failed to change your kid's behavior. Sep 17, 2009

Like a Rat: Animal research and your child's behavior Nov 12, 2009

If You're Good, I'll Buy You a Toy: The difference between bribing your child and rewarding your child. March 26, 2010

Kazdin, A. E. (2011). Single-case research designs: Methods for clinical and applied settings. New York: Oxford University Press.

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State news: Michigan to hold public meetings on autism insurance; Monday May 24, 2010 meeting in Ysilanti

2010-05-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

AIM Michigan and Autism Votes announce that there will be a legislative task force meeting on autism insurance reform hosted by Michigan Senators Randy Richardville and Tupac Hunter. Although Michigan's House in June 2009 passed two autism insurance bills,

HB 4476 : insurance; health care corporations; coverage for certain treatments related to autism; provide for. Amends 1980 PA 350 (MCL 550.1101 - 550.1704) by adding sec. 416e.
and
HB 4183: Insurance; health; coverage for certain treatments related to autism; provide for. Amends 1956 PA 218 (MCL 500.100 - 500.8302) by adding sec. 3406s.

that proposed to cover ABA and other evidenced treatments, the bills have subsequently stalled in the Senate's Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee. Autism Votes states that these meetings represent the Michigan Senate's effort to determine what would best meet the needs of Michigan's families and children impacted by autism spectrum disorder.

Monday, May 24, 2010, 2:30-4:30 pm. EDT
Autism Collaborative Center
Eastern Michigan University
1055 Cornell Road, Fletcher School Building, Ypsilanti, Michigan

Among those stated to be speaking will be

Lorri Unumb, Senior Policy Advisor for Autism Speaks
Catherine Lord, Ph.D., Director of the University of Michigan Autism & Communication Disorders Centers;
Pamela Lemerand, Ph.D, Project Director for EMU's Autism Collaborative Center;
Eileen Weiser, former State Board of Education member and Civic Leader,
Brooke Ingersoll, Ph. D, Michigan State University Autism Laboratory.

The second in the series of task force meetings has been set for Friday, June 4, from 12:00 - 2:00 pm EDT at the Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI.

For further reading
Autism Votes Michigan

Autism Insurance Michigan Blog

Draft Position Statement on Autism Insurance
Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan(BAAM)

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Behavior Analysis Digest International describes how CA school district hiring of Behavior Analysts as employees provides cost effective service delivery

2010-05-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

An article in the Volume 22, No. 1, Spring 2010 issue of Behavior Analysis Digest International describes a service delivery model in which the hiring of Board Certified Behavior Analysts® as full-time employees of school districts, rather than on a contract basis for the equivalent services, resulted in substantial cost savings. The article is reprinted in its entirety, and any changes are purely for typesetting purposes.

" School districts Hire Behavior Analysts, Save Money - Lots of Money.

Eric Burkholder, Dublin Unified School District; Chelsea J. Wilhite, University of Nevada, Reno; Rebecca Peck, Livermore Unified School District; Carla A. Epps, and Julia H. Fiebig, San Ramon Valley Unified School District; Lorien Quirk and Joel Vidovic, Mount Diablo Unified School District.

San Francisco - In the current financial climate, states are cutting funding to public school districts. Districts are investigating service delivery models in attempts to determine cost-effective ways to provide services to students, including those eligible for special education. School districts' critical examination of costs extends to services historically provided by behaviorally-oriented, non-public agencies. Now some California districts have hired board certified behavior analysts to provide behavior analytic services as full-time district employees, rather than contracting the same service, and money is being saved.

The addition of a full-time behavior analyst as a school district employee can have many impacts on the service delivery system within a school district. The impact of having an in-house behavior analyst may increase staff ability to manage students' behaviors, increase capacity to serve students with autism and other disorders and allow better service delivery of services using scientifically validated techniques and it saves cash. Three school districts in California have found that the addition of full-time behavior analysts is a cost effective approach to delivering these services.

The three suburban school districts are located in California's San Francisco Bay Area. Dublin United States School District, Mount Diablo Unified School District and San Ramon Valley Unified School District. All three, prior to hiring behavior analysts, had significant expenditures for behavioral consultants and behavioral non-public agencies that serve special education students. The services took several forms, including individualized consultation services written into students' IEPs, class-wide consultation as part of ongoing service delivery, individual educational evaluations and staff training. As part of cost control and quality control all three schools decided to hire board certified behavior analysts (BCBA's) full-time.

All three school districts reported an average reduction in costs compared to when they had contracted behavioral services: $244,108 per behavior analyst hired! "

Reprinted with permission from Behavior Analysis Digest International.

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Research News: University of Rochester Study finds gluten-free casein-free diet does not significantly improve symptoms in autism

2010-05-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

The most tightly controlled study to date on the gluten-free casein-free (GFCF) diet found that application of the diet resulted in no significant change in autistic behavior or improvement in symptoms.

The results are being reported On Saturday, May 22, 2010 in a presentation at the International Meeting for Autism Research. The presentation title is,

Hyman, S., et al. (2010, May). The Gluten Free and Casein Free (GFCF) Diet: A Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Challenge Study. Presented at International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), Philadelphia, PA.

ABC News Medical Unit reports,

"...The researchers undertook a randomized, double-blinded (meaning neither the participants nor the researchers knew which treatment anyone received), placebo-controlled study.

Fourteen children who were put on the diet for at least four weeks were then given snacks containing gluten, casein, both or neither. The researchers evaluated the children for changes in attention, sleep, stool patterns and characteristic autistic behavior. The study did not show significant changes in any of these symptoms for any of the groups..."

Video: URMC researcher discusses findings on popular autism diet [5:49]
University of Rochester Medical Center Newsroom

Video: URMC nutritionists discuss gluten-free, casein-free diet [4:46]
University of Rochester Medical Center Newsroom

Again from ABC News,

"Dr. Leonard Rappaport, chief of the Division of Developmental Medicine at Children's Hospital in Boston, called the findings 'disappointing.'

'Even though I did not believe it really made a difference, I was hoping I was wrong,' Rappaport said. "
...
" 'Actually, I don't think that many parents will be disappointed," Amaral [David Amaral, president of the International Society for Autism Research and professor at the University of California at Davis] said. 'On the contrary, it is very difficult to maintain children on the [GFCF] diet. Some parents who may have failed in maintaining the diet may feel relieved to hear that it might not be a benefit to their child even if they had persisted.' "
...
"[From Dr. Stefani Hines, a development-behavioral pediatrician at William Beaumont children's hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan] 'So far the research that has been the most promising has been aimed at applied behavioral analysis,' she said. 'We still have much to learn regarding best treatment practices for children with autism.' "

For more information
Popular Autism Diet Does Not Demonstrate Behavioral Improvement
(video and more indepth description)
University of Rochester Medical Center Newsroom
May 19, 2010

Hyman, S., et al. (2010, May). The Gluten Free and Casein Free (GFCF) Diet: A Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Challenge Study. Presented at International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), Philadelphia, PA.

A Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet No Remedy for Autism
DAN CHILDS, LARA SALAHI and PAM MAZZEO, M.D.
ABC News Medical Unit
May 19, 2010

Past related posts
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Opportunity: Autism Science Foundation offers grants for parents and stakeholders to attend the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR)

Thursday, January 7, 2010
Pediatrics publishes two significant reports on evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in individuals diagnosed with ASD

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Health Reform.gov; Live Webcast on 5/20/10 to answer questions on Affordable Care Act benefit to Americans with disabilities.

2010-05-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

HealthReform.gov, managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is online to answer consumer and stakeholder questions about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - H.R. 3590, signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010; now Public Law No: 111-148 (text of P.L. not yet posted at the Government Printing Office).

Besides answers to FAQs, there is also a map to check status reports on health reform implementation in each U.S. state, and the Health Reform Blog with a variety of posts by officials and administrators in the federal government on how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will proceed on such as state management of high risk pools, as well as corrections or explanations of items in the press .

There is also a weekly live web chat to answer questions and address various aspects of the law. Past chats are also archived for any unable to make the live chat.

"This Thursday, May 20, 2010 1PM EDT, the web chat topic is how the Affordable Care Act will benefit Americans with disabilities. Submit questions for the chat to healthreform@hhs.gov. You can watch the web chat live at: http://www.hhs.gov/live.

Do you have a disability or have someone close to you who does? Do you wonder if and how the Affordable Care Act can really help you? We'll be taking your questions about how the Affordable Care Act will benefit people with disabilities, or those with loved ones affected by a disability. Join our WebChat this upcoming Thursday, May 20, at 1:00 P.M EDT at www.hhs.gov/live.

Henry Claypool, the Director of the Office of Disability at HHS, Jeffrey Crowley, Senior Advisor on Disability Policy at the White House and Meena Seshamani, Deputy Director in the Office of Health Reform at HHS will discuss and answer YOUR questions about how the Affordable Care Act will help those who have a disability.

Send your questions to healthreform@hhs.gov and we'll answer as many as possible during Chat. We will also take questions live from twitter using our handle @HHSGOV.

This week's show is the eighth in the Affordable Care Act WebChat series. Tune in each week as we continue to talk about different aspects of the new health reform bill so that you, your family and friends can stay informed. You can find previous WebChats on healthreform.gov and browse the site to find all the latest information available from HHS on the new law. Thanks for participating, and stay tuned to get your questions answered."

For further reading or reference
HealthReform.gov

H.R. 3590
Certified by Superintendent of Documents
United States Government Printing Office

Past blog post
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Evidence-based practice: New Zealand release of "Technical review of published research on applied behaviour analysis interventions for people with autism spectrum disorders"

2010-05-19T02:00:00.000-07:00

The New Zealand Association for Behaviour Analysis announced the public release by the New Zealand Ministries of Education and of Health of a comprehensive technical review of the evidence concerning the effectiveness of applied behaviour analytic intervention methods for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

The report is,

Mudford, O., Blampied, N., Phillips, K., Harper, D., Foster, M., Church, J., Hunt, M., Prochnow, J., Rose, D., Arnold-Saritepe, A., Peters, H., Lie, C., Jeffrey, K., Messick, E., Sumpter, C., McEwan, J., & Wilczynski, S. (2009). Technical review of published research on applied behaviour analysis interventions for people with autism spectrum disorders: Auckland Uniservices Ltd. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.

Among those receiving acknowledgement for advice and input to the report are: Dr. Gina Green, Ph.D., BCBA-D; the Directors of the May Institute; Dr. Susan M.Wilczynski, Ph.D., BCBA, Executive Director of the National Autism Center's National Standards Project; and author colleagues at the University of Auckland, University of Waikato, Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington, the Open Polytechnic, and University of Canterbury.

Those interested in the report are directed to the Executive Summary page, where that summary and the full 126 page report can be directly accessed, respecting the note,

"Reports from Auckland UniServices Limited should only be used for the purposes for which
they were commissioned. If it is proposed to use a report prepared by Auckland UniServices
Limited for a different purpose or in a different context from that intended at the time of
commissioning the work, then UniServices should be consulted to verify whether the report is
being correctly interpreted. In particular it is requested that, where quoted, conclusions given
in UniServices reports should be stated in full."

For further information
"Technical Review of Published Research on Applied Behaviour Analysis Interventions for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder"
Executive Summary and links to full report
Education Counts
Author: Mudford, O., Blampied, N., Phillips, K., Harper, D., Foster, M., Church, J., Hunt, M., Prochnow, J., Rose, D., Arnold-Saritepe, A., Peters, H., Lie, C., Jeffrey, K., Messick, E., Sumpter, C., McEwan, J., & Wilczynski, S. (2009).
Date Published: 15 January 2009 - Revised 16 January 2009
Released on Education Counts: April 2010

REVIEW OF RESEARCH ON ABA INTERVENTIONS FOR AUTISM NOW PUBLISHED
New Zealand Association for Behaviour Analysis
May 6, 2010

Related past posts
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Evidence-based practice: Maine issues evidence-based report on autism interventions

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

U.S. Research Policy: HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appoints five new public members to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)

2010-05-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

At the April 30, 2010 full meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) - the Federal advisory committee mandated by The Combating Autism Act (CAA) of 2006 (P.L. 109-416 – ) to coordinate research activities within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - and the Office of Autism Research Coordination (OARC), five new public members appointed by Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius were added to the Committee.

"The new members will bring additional points of view and expertise to the IACC...'By adding new voices to the IACC and expanding the number of organizations represented on the committee, we hope to broaden our perspectives and increase coordination efforts,' said Dr. Thomas Insel, IACC Chairman and director of the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)."

New Members of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee:

Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D.
Chief Science Officer, Autism Speaks

Dr. Dawson is the Chief Science Officer for Autism Speaks, working with the scientific community and stakeholders to shape and expand the foundation's scientific vision. She also is a licensed clinical psychologist with a research focus on early detection and intervention, early patterns of brain dysfunction and the identification of biological markers for autism genetic studies. Dr. Dawson also serves as Research Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at University of Washington.

Gerald D. Fischbach, M.D.
Scientific Director, Simons Foundation

Dr. Fischbach is the Scientific Director for the Simons Foundation, where he oversees the Autism Research Initiative. He has spent his career as a neuroscientist studying the formation and maintenance of synapses, the junctions between nerve cells which allow signals to be transmitted. Before joining the Simons Foundation, Dr. Fischbach served as the Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) from 1998 to 2001 and as the Executive Vice President of Columbia University Medical Center and Dean of the faculties of medicine from 2001 to 2006.

Ari Ne'eman
Founding President of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN)

Mr. Ari Ne'eman is the Founding President of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, where he works to increase the representation of autistic people in public policy discussions. He is an adult on the autism spectrum and a leading advocate in the neurodiversity movement. Mr. Ne'eman has served on the New Jersey Adults with Autism Task Force and the New Jersey Special Education Review Commission, where he authored a minority report advocating legislative action against the use of aversives, restraint and seclusion. He is a board member of TASH, an advocacy group for people with disabilities, and is involved with the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education.

Denise D. Resnik
Co-founder of the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center; President of Denise Resnik & Associates

Denise Resnik is the co-founder and Board Development Chair of the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC). She is the mother of an 18-year-old son with autism. Ms. Resnik serves on the Autism Speaks Family Services Committee and Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism (AFAA) Steering Committee. She participated in the 2006 NIMH Autism Matrix Review and the IACC Scientific Workshops to develop the IACC Strategic Plan and subsequent updates.

Marjorie Solomon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of California, Davis

Dr. Marjorie Solomon is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, Davis. She serves on the faculty of the Medical Investigation of Neurological Disorders (MIND) Institute and the Autism Research Training Program, where she conducts research on a social skills training intervention for high-functioning children with ASD, incorporating parents and siblings in the research. In addition to her clinical research work, Dr. Solomon studies cognition and learning in high-functioning individuals with ASD.

These five new members join those Public members already on the IACC,

Lee Grossman
President and CEO
Autism Society
Bethesda, MD

Yvette M. Janvier, M.D.
Medical Director
Children's Specialized Hospital
Toms River, NJ

Christine M. McKee, J.D.
Rockville, MD

Lyn Redwood, R.N., M.S.N.
Co-Founder and Vice President
Coalition for SafeMinds
Tyrone, GA

Stephen M. Shore, Ed.D.
Executive Director
Autism Spectrum Consulting
Newton, MA

Alison Tepper Singer, M.B.A.
President
Autism Science Foundation
New York, NY

and the Federal Members who represent different agencies.

For further information

HHS Secretary Sebelius Appoints Five New Members to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
Friday, April 30, 2010

Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Member Roster

Past post
Thursday, April 29, 2010
April 30, 2010 Meeting of the Full Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC); Live videocast available

Saturday, February 6, 2010
U.S. Research Policy: Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee releases the 2010 IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Delaware - May 21, 2010, SB 204 Info and Advocacy Session

2010-05-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

Autism Votes Delaware and the Autism Delaware Facebook group have announced an info and letter writing opportunity to get up to speed on the legislative bill

SB 204, AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS COVERAGE.

currently in the Senate Finance Committee. SB 204 defines applied behavior analysis, includes it for coverage under the "habilitative or rehabilitative care" category, and includes among those denoted as an "Autism services provider", "practitioners with the national certification of board-certified behavioral analyst",or any person, entity, or group meeting the standards set by the Department of Health and Social Services.

Meeting information:

Date: Friday, May 21, 2010
Time: 1:00pm - 6:00pm (hourly sessions)
Location: Autism Delaware Newark Office
Street: 924 Old Harmony Road, Suite 201
City/Town: Newark, DE
View Map
RSVP at Facebook and/or to Kim Siegel, kim.siegel@delautism.org

Attendees will able to learn more about the latest information on SB 204 and write letters to legislators. Talking points, contact information, sample letters, paper, envelopes, and refreshments will be provided.

Every hour there will be a review of the legislation and what it will (and will not) accomplish and answer questions before beginning letter writing. The first hourly session starts at 1:00pm, sessions will continue through the afternoon, with the last session beginning at 5:00pm and ending at 6:00pm.

Again, please RSVP at Facebook and/or to Kim Siegel, kim.siegel@delautism.org to sign up for a time slot so that organizers can ensure that there will be enough volunteers, supplies, and snacks during the session.

For more information
Autism Votes Delaware

Autism Delaware Facebook group

Autism Delaware

Past post
Friday, March 19, 2010
State legislation: Delaware - Senate Bill 204 autism insurance bill would provide reimbursement for ABA

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Legislation - Roundup of licensing, autism insurance and other state and Federal bills and statute of interest

2010-05-16T00:36:00.000-07:00

Summary of some state and Federal legislation and statute
May 16, 2010

Note: While this is a best effort to track and report legislation for the purposes of education and reference, no claim is made of comprehensiveness, completeness or accuracy, and posting does not constitute legal advice.
Readers are urged to consult noted references and relevant governmental sources to obtain exact legislative and statutory language.

Red dots = states with passed licensing law (7)
Yellow=states with passed autism insurance law
Green = states with autism insurance legislation in progress
Gray= states with autism insurance legislation that failed to pass in 2010.

Licensing legislation - passed (red dots)
(BACB)=BACB certification alone is competency for license
(BACB+) = BACB and additional requirements
(other) = other requirements

Arizona (2008)/January 1, 2011 - Note: this is year delay, via HB 2207 (2009) which specified certain deposits and accounting changes to enact Laws 2008, Chapter 288. (other). State Board of Psychologist Examiners
Kentucky (2010)/January 1, 2011 HB 159 - (BACB). Kentucky Applied Behavior Analysis Licensing Board. [blogpost]
Missouri (2010)/ HB 1311 - (BACB). Behavior Analyst Advisory Board under the State Committee of Psychologists [blogpost] 5/16/10 awaiting signature of Governor Jay Nixon.
Nevada (2009)/May 29, 2009 for purpose of establishing licensing and certification requirements. July 1, 2011 for all other purposes. Language of AB 162 as enrolled. Ch. 331. (BACB). Board of Psychological Examiners, adding 2 more members, one of whom is a licensed behavior analyst. Also certifies autism behavior specialists.
Oklahoma (2009)/November 1, 2009 - license and training program. Licensing Act language at the BACB. (BACB). Licensed by the Developmental Disabilities Services Division of the Department of Human Services.
Pennsylvania (2008)/ 1 year from effective date of regulations promulgated or July 1, 2012 - license is for "Behavior Specialist". Licensing requirements as outlined in Act 62 from PA DPW (other). State Board of Medicine
Wisconsin (2010)/30 days after publication date; Publication date May 25, 2010. SB 667/2009 Wisconsin Act 282 - (BACB). Department of Regulation and Licensing; an advisory committee may be appointed to advise on regulation. [blogpost]

Licensing legislation - in progress (open red dot)

Massachusetts HB 181 & S. 47 (BACB +) [blogpost]

Stated to be considering licensing

New Jersey
Tennessee

Autism insurance legislation - passed (yellow on map) - red below indicates also a license in that state.
NB- legislation does not affect ERISA self-insured plans or may have other state specific coverages, restrictions or exclusions depending on state's statute and regulation.

Arizona (2008)/July 1, 2009 -Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 20-826.04, § 20-1057.11, § 20-1402.03 and § 20-1404.03 (2008 Ariz. Sess. Laws, Chap. 4; HB 2847 of 2008).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
Colorado (2009)/July 1, 2010 - Colo. Rev. Stat. § 10-16-104 (1.3)(g), § 10-16-104 (1.4) and § 25.-5-8-107 (a)(IV) (2009 Colo., Sess. Laws, Chap. 391; SB 244, Fiscal Note). Colo. Rev. Stat. §10-16-104.5 (1993 Colo., Sess. Laws, Chap. 211, amended by 2009 Colo., Sess. Laws, Chap. 391, SB 244).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
Connecticut (2009)/January 1, 2010 - Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-514b (2009 Conn. Acts, P.A. 115; SB 301 of 2009, Summary).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
Florida (2008)/April 1, 2009; April 1, 2010 to be in compliance -Fla. Stat. § 627.6686 and § 641.31098 (2008 Fla. Laws, Chap. 30; SB 2654).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
Illinois (2009)/December 30, 2009 - Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 215, § 5/356z.14 (2008 Ill. Laws, P.A. 95-1005, SB 934 of 2008; and 2009 Ill. Laws, P.A. 95-1049, SB 101 of 2008). amended in 2009 by 2009 Ill. Laws, P.A. 95-1049 (SB 101 of 2008).
See NCSL Summary, Illinois' fact sheet on insurance coverage for autism, FAQ at Autism Votes
Indiana (2001) - Ind. Code § 27-8-14.2-1 et seq. and § 27-13-7-14.7 (HB 1122 of 2001; Fiscal Impact Statement).
See NCSL Summary, Indiana Resource Center for Autism's webpage., FAQ at Autism Votes; Bulletin 126 dated March 30, 2006.
Iowa (2010)/January 1, 2011. Standings Appropriations Bill HF 2531 - Limited to certain state employee group health insurance plans; pilot to inform possible future expansion.
See Autism Votes Iowa [blogpost]
Kansas (2010)/upon publication in the Kansas Statute Book. SS for HB 2160. Limited pilot program under Kansas State Employees Health Care Commission for evaluation for future possible expansion. (BACB + additional conditions)
See Autism Votes Kansas [blogpost]
Kentucky (2010)/January 1, 2011- HB 159; creates separate licensing board. (BACB).
See Autism Votes Kentucky [blogpost]
Louisiana (2008)/January 1, 2009 - La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22:1050 (2008 La. Acts, P.A. 648; HB 958 of 2008: Fiscal Note).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
Maine (2010)/January 1, 2011 - LD 1198; up to age of 5.
See Autism Votes Maine [blogpost]
Missouri (2010)/January 1, 2011 or after, when new plan issued. HB 1311 Behavior Analyst Advisory Board to Board of Psychologist Examiners. (BACB). 5/16/10 awaiting signature of Governor Jay Nixon.
See Autism Votes Missouri, [blogpost]
Montana (2009)/January 1, 2010 - Mont. Code Ann. § 33-22-515 (2009 Mont. Laws, Chap. 359, SB 234 of 2009, Fiscal Note).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
Nevada (2009)/January 1, 2011 - Nev. Rev. Stat. § 689A.0435 (2009 Nev. Stats., Chap. 331, AB 162 of 2009, Health and Human Services Fiscal Note | Public Employees' Benefits Program Fiscal Note).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
New Hampshire HB 569-FN (2010)/January 1, 2011 - . Bill is clarification of existing statute. 5/16/10 awaiting signature of Governor John Lynch.
See Autism Votes New Hampshire [blogpost]
New Jersey (2009)/February 9, 2010 or when new plan issued -
N.J. Rev. Stat. § 17:48-6ii, § 17:48A-7ff, § 17:48E-35.33, § 17B:26-2.1cc, § 17B:27-46.1ii, § 17B:27A-7.16, § 17B:27A-19.20, § 26:2J-4.34, § 52:14-17.29p and § 52:14-17.46.6b (2009 N.J. Laws, Chap. 115, AB 2238 of 2009). N.J. Rev. Stat. § 17:48-6v, § 17:48A-7u, § 17:48E-35.20, § 17B:26-2.1s, § 17B:27-46.1v, § 17B:27A-7.5, § 17B:27A-19.7 and § 26:2J-4.20
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
New Mexico (2009)/June 19, 2009 - N.M. Stat. Ann. § 59A-22-49, § 59A-23-7.9, § 59A-46-50 and § 59A-47-45 (2009 N.M. Laws, Chap. 74, SB 39 of 2009, Fiscal Impact Report).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
Pennsylvania (2008)/July 1, 2009 - Pa. Cons. Stat. tit. 40, § 764h (Pa. Laws, Act 2008-62, HB 1150 of 2008).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
South Carolina (2007)/July 1, 2008 - S.C. Code Ann. § 38-71-280 (2007 S.C. Acts, Act 65; SB 20 of 2007: Fiscal Impact Statement).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
Texas (2008)/January 1, 2010 - Tex. Insurance Code § 1355.015 (2007 Tex. Gen. Laws, Chap. 877; HB 1919 of 2007:, Fiscal Note).
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes
Vermont S. 262. (2010)/July 1, 2011 but no later than July 1, 2012. Limited to children age 18 mos. to 6 yrs. Law includes feasibility study for expansion to older minors, other programs and coverage of BCBAs. 5/16/10 awaiting signature of Governor Jim Douglas.
See Autism Votes Vermont [blogpost]
Wisconsin (2009)/November 1, 2009 - Wis. Stat. § 632.895(12m) and Wis. Stat. § 609.87 (Assembly Bill 75 of 2009; Act 28 of 2009). Wis. Stat. § 51.01(5a) . Admin. Code, Insurance Commissioner 6.54(3)(a) et seq.
See NCSL Summary, FAQ at Autism Votes [blogpost]

Autism insurance legislation - active at the time of this post (green on map)

Delaware SB 204- recognizes BCBAs or approved by DHS. Delaware legislature adjourns June 30. 2010.
Autism Delaware Facebook Group , Autism Votes Delaware [blogpost]
District of Columbia B18-0528 Introduced on November 19, 2009. Last hearing on March 24, 2010. May be inactive, but status is unclear.
Autism Votes District of Columbia
Massachusetts H3809 . Would cover ABA and BCBAs.
AFAM , Autism Votes Massachusetts.
Michigan HB 4476 and HB 4183. Passed Michigan House June 24, 2009. On hold in the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Regulatory Reform..
Autism Insurance in Michigan (AIM), Autism Votes Michigan.
New York S.7000A & A.10372 . Neither bill explicitly states ABA nor provider competencies. Both bills passed initial committees in March 2010, have not progressed since.
Autism Votes New York. [blogpost on S.7000A] [blogpost on A.10372]
North Carolina (subject to change by conference committee) HB 589 = S 375 - specifies "behavioral therapy, including but not limited to ABA. Service provider not specified. Legislative session commenced May 12, 2010 runs through mid July, dependent on adjournment resolution.
Autism Society of North Carolina, Autism Votes North Carolina. [blogpost]
North Dakota (?) - per news story; no further reference at this time. Listed in NCSL 2010 Legislative Session Calendar as no regular session in 2010.
Autism Votes North Dakota [blogpost]
Ohio HB 8. ABA included under habilitative or rehabilitative care. Provider not specified. Passed House on 12/8/09; in Senate Insurance, Commerce & Labor Committee since 12/9/09.
Autism Society of Ohio, Autism Votes Ohio
Rhode Island HB 7260. Covers ABA. Bill being held for further study; Rhode Island legislature adjourns late June. S.2422. Does not cover ABA. Instructs higher ed to evaluate increasing preparation programs for PT, OT, nursing program and financial and scholarship incentives.
Autism Votes Rhode Island [blogpost];

Autism insurance legislation - failed to pass or modified (M) from original purpose in 2010 (gray on map)

Alaska HB 187; (May be on hold pending task force review) Did not specify competencies of "autism service provider". Legislature adjourned 4/18/10. [blogpost]
(M) Georgia SB 161 - Insurance; require certain coverage for autism spectrum disorders; provide definitions. Modified by House Committee on Insurance to appoint a task force for study of education and services. Legislature adjourned.
Maryland HB 1091 & SB 1028; Legislature adjourned before significant action taken [blogpost]
Minnesota HF 359; language transferred to House HHS Omnibus Health Care bill; excised in Conference Committee [blogpost]
Mississippi SB 2055, SB 2129, SB 2175, SB 2363, SB 2607, HB 1496. All "Died" in House and Senate Insurance Committees.
Missouri SS/SB 618. Similar bill HB 1311&1341 passed in 2010 legislature. [blogpost]
Virginia SB 464; reduced amount and age of coverage. Tabled by House Commerce and Labor committee. [blogpost]
Washington HB 1210 & SB 5203; Carried over from 2009. No significant action taken in special session. [blogpost]
West Virginia SB 145, HB 2858, HB 4410, HB 4215; No significant action. Legislature adjourned. [blogpost]

Other significant legislation passed

Connecticut HB 5425 (passed legislature 5/6/10)"An Act Concerning Special Education". [blogpost]

Other significant legislation in progress

California SB 1282 Applied behavior analysis services: California Behavioral Certification Organization. [blogpost]
Massachusetts S. 45 Level IV Treatment Interventions & S. 46 Special Commission on Behavior Modification. [blogpost]
Massachusetts S 2293, formerly S. 223 "An Act to improve augmentative and alternative communication opportunities for children with disabilities" Bill History. Problematic reference is inclusion of "facilitated communication" as communication modality.
New York S.03676 Provides an exemption for individuals performing behavior analysis. [blogpost]

Other significant legislation on hold or "failed".

Alaska HB 425 (On hold pending task force study). Would have created intervention system for ABA and provided supervised experience towards BACB certification. Legislature adjourned 4/18/10. [blogpost]
Mississippi SB 2457 ("Died" in Education; Appropriations Committees). would have phased in training of personnel and routine school use of "applied behavior science" for the state's students with ASD.
Missouri SB 1030 Creation of Behavior Analyst Advisory Board and licensure. Language rolled into autism insurance bills SS/S. 618 and passed HB 1311&1341. [blogpost]

*Federal legislation in progress
Restraint and seclusion legislation

H.R. 4247 "Keeping All Students Safe Act . [blogpost]
S. 2860 "A bill to protect students from inappropriate seclusion and physical restraint, and for other purposes". [blogpost]

Note: Many states are currently in the process of reviewing regulation or creating legislation issue of restraint and seclusion under the urging of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and prompting of this Federal legislation. Please refer to your state legislature or Department of Education for the status of such actions.

Other Federal laws which may impact practice

For more information/further reading
Insurance Coverage for Autism
February 2010
National Conference of State Legislatures

National Conference of State Legislatures/NCSL
For autism legislation database and Legislative Session Calendar

Autism Votes

Frequently Asked Questions About the State Autism Insurance Reform Laws
Autism Votes

2009 State Autism Profiles
Easter Seals

Buckner, Marcy M "States Enact Insurance Mandates To Cover OT for Autism". OT Practice. FindArticles.com. 20 May, 2010.

Thomas.gov (Search engine of the Library of Congress)

Federal Register: Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Part IV:
Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, 26 CFR Part 54
Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, 29 CFR Part 2590
Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 45 CFR Part 146
Interim Final Rules Under the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008; Final Rule
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-2167.pdf

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

FYI: The Association for Science in Autism Treatment Spring 2010 Newsletter is now available online

2010-05-15T02:00:00.000-07:00

The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT)'s Spring 2010 newsletter, Science in Autism Treatment is now online and available for download at their website.

ASAT has a request that those who find these newsletters and other resources offered by ASAT of value, help spread the word to families and colleagues about ASAT, the resources offered, and the newsletter so that as many as possible know where to go to get good information on evidenced treatments and interventions for autism spectrum disorders.

To sign up for future issues of Science in Autism Treatment when they are issued,

Some of the contents in the Spring 2010 Science in Autism Treatment,

"Facilitate This": Part I of a Two-Part Interview with Dr. James Todd
Message from ASAT President, David Celiberti, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Science in Autism Treatment (SIAT) Team
ASAT Committee Members
Clinical Corner: Discussing Concerns with Family Members
Book Review on Blessed with Autism : A Parent’s Guide to Securing Financial Support for the Treatment of Children with Autism.
AAP Position Statement on Vision Therapy
ASAT Board of Directors
Consumer Corner: "Resources for Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice"
Parent Survey Opportunity
Science Corner: "Interventions for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum and How Best to Evaluate their Effectiveness"
Letter from the Co-Editor : Josh Pritchard, MS BCBA
Research Review: "Multiple Effects of Joint Attention Intervention for Children with Autism"
Research Review: "Joint Attention Training for Children with Autism using Behavior Modification Procedures"
"Treatment Summary: Developmental Therapy"
Announcement: ASAT on Facebook

Past posts
Friday, March 26, 2010
Reminder from the Association for Science in Autism Treatment to sign up for free Spring newsletter

Sunday, January 24, 2010
Evidence-based practice: Maine issues evidence-based report on autism interventions

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

FYI: Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies Spring newsletter online; CCBS seeking feedback on beta-version of its new website

2010-05-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

The Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies has announced that the Spring 2010 issue of the Center's newsletter, The Current Repertoire, is available online.

About The Current Repertoire,
"The Current Repertoire is the newsletter of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. Published three times a year, The Current Repertoire features news about the Center, the science [of behavior analysis] and its members."

Current Issue - Spring 2010, Volume 26, Issue 2
In this issue:

From the Executive Director
President of Italian Republic gives AARBA support medal
15th Annual Behavioral Safety NOW Conference, October 12-14
Dr. Roger McIntire, CCBS trustee & behavioral expert in parenting
A Unified Principle ~ John Donahoe, Ph.D., CCBS advisor
Welcome Steve Fortado, new business manager
Introducing CCBS intern Jason Rubino
News about Mary Burch & Thomas Zane
CCBS Annual Meeting of the Trustees, November 12-14, Buckhead, Atlanta
CCBS ABA Conference in Los Angeles a success!
CCBS Happenings at ABAI 36th Annual Convention & Behavioral Events Calendar

Of additional note in the issue is, "A new beginning for behavior.org", which unveils the future updated version of the site.

The blurb states,

"Our new website is almost ready for release! We welcome you to take a look behind the scenes of our beta site and give us your feedback. Email Phil Chase [the CCBS Executive Director] at pnchase@gmail.com with your thoughts."

Nice work Cambridge Center!

Past post:
Thursday, January 28, 2010
FYI: Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies Winter 2010 newsletter online

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: North Carolina to bring autism insurance bills to the General Assembly

2010-05-13T01:19:00.000-07:00

A news report indicates that North Carolina is poised to bring autism insurance bills for legislative consideration,

"On Tuesday [May 11, 2010], Joint Study Committee voted to move the bill from the study phase to the legislative approval process.

North Carolina now joins a growing list of states where autism insurance reform is underway. Nineteen states have enacted autism insurance reform since 2007 and with this action North Carolina becomes the eleventh additional state to introduce autism insurance reform legislation. The legislation now moves to House and Senate subcommittees for review and recommendation."

The General Assembly website shows that the referenced bills which were postponed since August 7, 2009 , and are currently listed under conference committee study are,

House Bill 589 (= S375) (2009 Title): An act to require health benefit plans and the state health plan to cover hearing aids and replacement hearing aids; and to require the state health plan for teachers and state employees to provide coverage for autism treatment disorders.

The most recent version of the legislation stated coverage for "behavioral therapy" including, but not limited to applied behavior analysis, classified under habilitative and rehabilitative care, with treatment including care provided or ordered by a licensed medical doctor or a licensed psychologist who determines the care to be medically necessary. The service provider or competencies of the delivery of behavioral therapy or applied behavior analysis is not defined.

For further reading
Family Pushes For NC Autism Insurance Coverage
Bill In NC House, Senate Could Relieve Financial Burden
POSTED: 6:18 pm EDT May 12, 2010
UPDATED: 6:53 pm EDT May 12, 2010

Autism Insurance Bill Moves Forward In NC
Chelsi Zash WFMY News 2

Created: 5/11/2010 1:21:47 PM Updated: 5/11/2010 1:39:57 PM

Autism Society of North Carolina Blog

Autism Votes North Carolina

North Carolina General Assembly

Past post
Saturday, May 8, 2010
State Advocacy: North Carolina - Advocacy day planned for May 10, 2010 meeting of the Joint Study Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Public Safety

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation : Missouri legislature passes Conference Committee Substitute for HB 1311&1341 autism insurance bill; Governor Nixon expected to sign

2010-05-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

Update, 5/12/10, 6:20PM PDT - The Missouri Senate newsroom reports that the licensing provisions for Behavior Analysts have been retained in the final passed bill,

"In addition, a state Behavior Analyst Advisory Board is established under the State Committee of Psychologists within the Division of Professional Registration. The new board is charged with establishing and overseeing licensure and registration requirements for behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts who provide therapies for children with autism spectrum disorders."

On Tuesday, May 11, 2010 a joint House-Senate conference committee of the Missouri Legislature drafted a Committee Substitute for the Senate Committee Substitute for House Committee Substitute for House Bill Nos. 1311 & 1341 .

On Wednesday, May 12, 2010 this Conference Committee Substitute was adopted and passed by both the House (144-16) and the Senate (27-6) of the Missouri Legislature.

News stories report that the coverage for autism spectrum disorders is $40,000/year for ABA up to age age 18, but the full and exact language of the Conference Committee Substitute, or whether any changes were made to the licensing conditions for Behavior Analysts is unavailable at this time. It is expected that Missouri Governor Jay Nixon will sign the passed legislation.

For further reading
Legislature sends autism insurance bill to governor
By Virginia Young
Post-Dispatch Jefferson City Bureau
05.12.2010 1:12 pm

Autism insurance mandate passes Mo. Legislature
May 12, 2010
Insurancenews.net

General Assembly Endorses Autism Insurance Coverage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 12, 2010
Missouri Senate newsroom

Autism insurance mandate passes Mo. Legislature
By: The Associated Press | 12 May 2010 | 01:02 PM ET

Autism Votes Missouri

Past posts
Monday, May 10, 2010
State legislation: Missouri takes the autism insurance bills down to the wire as General Assembly eyes May 14, 2010 adjournment; both insurance bills now contain language for licensing of Behavior Analysts

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Minnesota's autism insurance bill excised from passed final version of HHS Omnibus bill

2010-05-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Despite concerted last minute actions by interested stakeholders, the final version of the Minnesota HHS Omnibus bill determined by Conference Committee and passed in the Minnesota Legislature did not contain the insurance provisions for autism treatment which were contained in the House version. The Committee split on this inclusion, with all of the House members voting in favor of inclusion and those in the Senate opposed. While discussion of this Conference Committee version was allowed on the floors of the Legislature, amendment was not, so that the reported version was in essence the final version.

This legislation now goes to Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. It is reported that he may veto it in its current form because of Medicaid changes; this would send it back to the Legislature, but re-inclusion of the insurance coverage even in that eventuality seems a distant possibility.

For further reading
Omnibus Healthcare Bill is Done — Autism Insurance Reform is Out
May 12th, 2010
Autism Law Center Blog

The Fate of the Autism Healthcare Protection Act
May 11th, 2010Autism Law Center Blog

Health and Human Services (HHS) Conference Committee Finishes Omnibus Bill
May 12, 2010
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities blog

Past post
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
State legislation: Legislative conference on Minnesota Health and Human Services (HHS) Omnibus bills to decide autism insurance coverage

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Legislative conference on Minnesota Health and Human Services (HHS) Omnibus bills to decide autism insurance coverage

2010-05-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

**5:35 PM PDT, Tuesday 5/11/10 - Minnesota Northland Association for Behavior Analysis (MNABA) has posted on Facebook the latest update, which is that the Senators on the conference committee voted against adoption of the autism insurance language. There may still be time to weigh in, but the word is that deliberation is in the evening of 5/11
Please see their action alert at Facebook for the specific information action to be taken. **

The Autism Advocacy Law Center blog is currently following closely the legislative conference on the House (HF2614) and Senate (S2337) versions of the Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill. That blog, and a perusal of the bills' comparative language indicates that the House version of the Omnibus Bill contains the language originally found in the House bill, HF 359, the Autism Healthcare Protection Act, and the Senate version does not.

**2:15 PM PDT, Tuesday 5/11/10 - The Autism Votes Facebook group has issued an action alert on the bills**

Comparison of House v. Senate language as of May 6, 2010
S2337 HF2614
Health and Human Services

Some clauses of interest,

Coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorders
Under, Miscellaneous
House Language h2614-3
94.22 Sec. 2. [62A.3094] COVERAGE FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS.

p.2,

94.31 (c) "Board-certified behavior analyst" means an individual certified by the Behavior 94.32 Analyst Certification Board as a board-certified behavior analyst.

p.3,

96.3 (b) A health plan must provide coverage for the diagnosis, evaluation, assessment,
96.4 and medically necessary care of autism spectrum disorders that is evidence-based,
96.5 including but not limited to:
(...)
96.8 (2) applied behavior analysis and intensive early intervention services, including
96.9 service package models such as intensive early intervention behavior therapy services
96.10 and Lovaas therapy;

p. 4,

97.13 (5) services must be provided by a mental health professional or, as appropriate, a
97.14 board-certified behavior analyst, a qualified mental health practitioner, or a qualified
97.15 mental health behavioral aide.
97.16 (e) Providers under this section must work with the commissioner in implementing
97.17 evidence-based practices and, specifically for children under age 21, the Minnesota
97.18 Evidence-Based Practice Database of research-informed practice elements and specific
97.19 constituent practices.

page 5,

A mental health professional who uses the services of a qualified mental health
97.29 practitioner, board-certified behavior analyst, or qualified mental health behavioral aide for
97.30 the purpose of assisting in the provision of services to patients who have autism spectrum
97.31 disorder is responsible for functions performed by these service providers. The qualified
97.32 mental health professional must maintain clinical supervision of services they provide
97.33 and accept full responsibility for their actions. The services provided must be medically
97.34 necessary and identified in the child's individual treatment plan. Service providers must
97.35 document their activities in written progress notes that reflect implementation of the
97.36 individual treatment plan.
(...)
98.13 EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2010, and applies to
98.14 coverage offered, issued, sold, renewed, or continued as defined in Minnesota Statutes,
98.15 section 60A.02, subdivision 2a, on or after that date.

Please see full documents for full and specific language. Please also note, that this is legislative language in conference and is subject to change as a result of that process.

For further reading
Will Autism Insurance Reform Survive?
May 11th, 2010
Amy Dawson, Autism Advocacy Law Center blog

Autism Votes Facebook page

Bills in conference

Minnesota Legislation & Status

Autism Votes Minnesota

MN House of Representatives releases its Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill
April 26, 2010
Minnesota Consortium for citizens with Disabilities

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Missouri takes the autism insurance bills down to the wire as General Assembly eyes May 14, 2010 adjournment; both insurance bills now contain language for licensing of Behavior Analysts

2010-05-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

Although Missouri was one of the first state legislatures to forward autism insurance legislation in this session, with the support of Governor Jay Nixon and the stated support of the Speaker of the Missouri House - as a Friday, May 14, 2010 adjournment for the General Assembly approaches it may come down to the wire whether one of the bills passes. One news story reported that the Senate President Pro Tem was optimistic that an autism insurance bills would pass before the week ends.

The bill with potentially the highest probability of passage is,
the Senate Committee Substitute for HB 1311 & 1341, which was listed on the House Calendar under the heading of

BILLS CARRYING REQUEST MESSAGES
SCS HCS HB 1311 & 1341, (request Senate recede/grant conference) -- Handler: Scharnhorst (093)
Title:AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER COVERAGE

In lay terms, the House refuses to concur with the passed Senate version and requests that the Senate recede from that version or, failing to do so, to grant the House a conference. **As of 6:00PM PDT, May 10, 2010 the Senate refused to recede and a Conference has been granted.**

The related,

Senate bill, SS/SB 618 Requires health carriers to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders under certain conditions

was passed on March 18, 2010 in the Senate and sent to the House where it received relatively little action until the end of April. At the current time, SS/SB 618 has been reported with a Do Pass with
House Committee Substitute, but is not showing on the House Calendar.

One of the clauses of the House Committee Substitute for SS/SB 618 was to change the reimbursement condition in the perfected Senate version from reimbursement for Board Certified Behavior Analysts to reimbursement for licensed practitioners and to include language specifying establishment of a Board and other relevant details.

At this point, both SS/S 618 and HB 1311& 1341 both have clauses for the,

Establishment of the Behavior Analyst Advisory Board under the State Committee of Psychologists within the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration to establish licensure and registration requirements for behavior analysts, assistance behavior analysts, and line therapists who provide applied behavior analysis therapies for children with autism spectrum disorders. The board shall consist of the following 7 members:

1) 3 licensed behavior analysts;
2) 1 licensed behavior analyst holding a doctoral degree;
3) 1 licensed assistant behavior analyst;
4) 1 professional member of the committee; and
5) 1 public member.,

and defines function, duties and conditions of licensing.

As stated in the summary of the House Committee Substitute sumamary, "the licensing provisions are similar to those contained in the perfected version of HB 1311 and 1341 (2010)."

These clauses mirror the language of the now defunct SB 1030, which was a standalone licensing bill.

For more information
Missouri General Assembly

Missouri Association for Behavior Analysis/MOABA

Autism Votes - Missouri

Tax credits among battles in Legislature’s final week
BY TONY MESSENGER
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/10/2010

Past posts

Friday, April 9, 2010
State legislation: Missouri - Compromise requested on SS/SB 618 autism insurance bill; licensing highlighted as pivotal issue

Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Vermont - Insurance coverage for ABA for early intervention restored to S. 262; bill reported as passed by the legislature and on the way to the Governor

2010-05-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

On Friday, May 7, 2010 Autism Votes reported that the Vermont Senate concurred with the passed House version of,

S. 262 “An act relating to insurance coverage for autism diagnosis and treatment”, reverted to original title upon passage from ~~AN ACT RELATING TO A STUDY OF COVERAGE OF APPROPRIATE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS~~

With this concurrence, S. 262 has passed the legislative hurdle and the next step is approval by Vermont Governor Jim Douglas .

S. 262 as introduced called for health insurance coverage of autism spectrum disorders. The Senate on March 23, 2010 passed a modified version which excised the insurance clauses in favor of creating a study committee. On consideration in the Vermont House, the House Committee on on Health Care and Wellness restored language specifying insurance coverage for a covered age range of 18 months to 6 years of age or entry to first grade, whichever is earlier. This amended version would also extend coverage to state employees. With some additional amendment, this House version was approved by the Vermont House on Thursday, May 6, 2010.

Some language of interest relating to behavior analysis and behavior analysts (readers are advised to read entire text for full and definitive language),

Sec. 2. 8 V.S.A. § 4088i is added to read:

§ 4088i. COVERAGE FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

(a) A health insurance plan shall provide coverage for the diagnosis and
treatment of autism spectrum disorders, including applied behavior analysis
supervised by a nationally board-certified behavior analyst, for children,
beginning at 18 months of age and continuing until the child reaches age six or
enters the first grade, whichever occurs first.
(...)
(d) As used in this section:
(1) “Applied behavior analysis” means the design, implementation, and
evaluation of environmental modifications using behavioral stimuli and
consequences to produce socially significant improvement in human behavior.
The term includes the use of direct observation, measurement, and functional
analysis of the relationship between environment and behavior.

(2) “Autism services provider” means any licensed or certified person
providing treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
(...)
(5) “Habilitative care” or “rehabilitative care” means professional
counseling, guidance, services, and treatment programs, including applied
behavior analysis and other behavioral health treatments, in which the covered
individual makes clear, measurable progress, as determined by an autism
services provider, toward attaining goals the provider has identified.

(6) “Health insurance plan” means Medicaid, the Vermont health access
plan, and any other public health care assistance program, any individual or
group health insurance policy, any hospital or medical service corporation or
health maintenance organization subscriber contract, or any other health
benefit plan offered, issued, or renewed for any person in this state by a health
insurer, as defined in 18 V.S.A. § 9402. The term does not include benefit
plans providing coverage for specific diseases or other limited benefit
coverage.

Sec. 3. APPLICABILITY AND EFFECTIVE DATE

(a) Sec. 2 of this act shall take effect on July 1, 2011, and shall apply to all
health insurance plans on and after July 1, 2011, on such date as a health
insurer offers, issues, or renews the health insurance plan, but in no event later than July 1, 2012.

(b) This section and Secs. 1 and 4 of this act shall take effect upon passage.

Sec. 4. EVALUATION OF COVERAGE FOR SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN; IDENTIFICATION OF SAVINGS AND EFFICIENCIES

(a) The agencies of administration and of human services and the
department of education shall evaluate the feasibility and budget impacts of
requiring health insurance plans, including Medicaid and the Vermont health
access plan, to provide coverage of autism spectrum disorders, including
applied behavior analysis supervised by a nationally board-certified behavior analyst for children under the age of 18 who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. The agencies and department shall also assess the
availability of providers of services across Vermont for individuals with autism
spectrum disorders. No later than January 15, 2011, the agencies and
department shall report their findings and recommendations regarding
expanding coverage of treatment for autism spectrum disorders to school-age
children and the availability of providers to the house committees on health
care and on appropriations and the senate committees on health and welfare
and on appropriations.
(...)
(d) If the report required by subsection (c) of this section or the findings of
the committees of jurisdiction indicate that sufficient funds will not be
available to offset the state’s share of expenditures related to the coverage
requirement established in Sec. 2 of this act in fiscal year 2012, it is the intent of the general assembly to consider whether to proceed with implementation of such coverage requirement.

For further reading
Autism Votes Vermont

pp. 2901-2905 Senate Calendar, Friday May 7, 2010
(Text of amended S. 262 considered by the Senate on May 7, 2010).

VT House Considers Bill Mandating Better Insurance Coverage for Autistic Children
Local Matters
By Andy Bromage [05.05.10]

Unfinished and disputed bills may stall Legislature's adjournment
Louis Porter and Peter Hirschfeld Vermont Press Bureau - Published: May 7, 2010

Report to the Legislature to Address Services for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
January 2008
Recommendation for specification of competencies of behavior analysis service providers referenced on page 23 , and insurance coverage referenced on pages 1,5,31, 32, 34 -34

Past blog post
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
State legislation Quicktake: Vermont autism insurance bill as amended passes state Senate, sent to the House

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State Advocacy: North Carolina - Advocacy day planned for May 10, 2010 meeting of the Joint Study Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Public Safety

2010-05-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

On Monday, May 10, 2010 there will be a meeting of the Joint Study Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Public Safety at 1:00 p.m. in Room 643 of the Legislative Office Building.

News reports are that North Carolina families will be converging on the capitol on Monday to meet with legislators and weigh in to Committee on the need for helath care reform and financial relief.

The Autism Society of North Carolina Blog gives instructions for advocates and stakeholders who wish to attend this meeting at the Capitol.

Video: "Parents fight for autism insurance reform" (May be an ad before story plays)

For more information
Monday, May 10, 2010: THE PLAN
Posted on May 5, 2010 by momof3au
Autism Society of North Carolina Blog

Joint Study Committee on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Public Safety (2009)
(Member list and to sign up for meeting notices by email)

Triad Parents Fight For Autism Insurance Reform
Chelsi Zash Created: 5/7/2010 12:01:11 PM Updated: 5/7/2010 12:31:32 PM

Autism Votes North Carolina

North Carolina General Assembly

Past post
Sunday, March 7, 2010
State advocacy news - North Carolina studies autism insurance coverage including applied behavior analysis

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: New Hampshire HB 569-HN passed in state Senate.

2010-05-08T02:15:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, May 5, 2010 New Hampshire

HB 569-FN - As amended by the Senate: AN ACT clarifying insurance coverage for diagnosis and treatment of pervasive developmental disorder or autism.

passed in the New Hampshire Senate and is anticipated to receive Governor John Lynch's signature. The passage came after some delay from its passage in the New Hampshire House on January 6, 2010.

Some language of interest from the bill text,

(...)
2 New Section; Coverage for Treatment of Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Autism. Amend RSA 417-E by inserting after section 1 the following new section:
417-E:2 Coverage for Treatment of Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Autism

I. For the purposes of this chapter, treatment of pervasive developmental disorder or autism as required under RSA 417-E:1, III(h) shall include the following:

(a) Professional services and treatment programs, including applied behavioral analysis, necessary to produce socially significant improvements in human behavior or to prevent loss of attained skill or function. To be eligible for coverage, applied behavior analysis must be provided by a person professionally certified by the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board or performed under the supervision of a person professionally certified by the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board.
(...)
(d) III. The policy, contract, or certificate may limit coverage for applied behavior analysis to $36,000 per year for children 0 to 12 years of age, and $27,000 from ages 13 to 21. An insurer may not apply payments for coverage unrelated to autism spectrum disorders to any maximum benefit established under this paragraph.

V. The commissioner shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to the insurance coverage requirements established under this section.
(...)

3 Applicability. This act shall apply to all group policies, contracts, and certificates issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2011.

4 Effective Date.

I. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2011.

For more information
Text of HB 569-FN

Autism Votes New Hampshire page

Connor's Law - background page

Insurance Reform Across the States
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
By: Jeff Sell
Autism Society of America

Lawmakers' Dilemma: Who Pays Autism's High Costs
By Elaine Grant on Tuesday, April 13, 2010.
New Hampshire Public Radio

Past post
Sunday, April 4, 2010
State legislation: New Hampshire HB 569-FN autism insurance bill to have Senate Committee hearing on Tuesday, April 6, 2010

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Connecticut - HB 5425 passed by Senate, next stop is the Governor's office

2010-05-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

On May 5, 2010 the Connecticut Senate unanimously passed in the final hour of the final day of the regular legislative session, the Substitute for Raised H.R. 5425: "An Act Concerning Special Education"

The measure had previously passed the Connecticut House on April 27, 2010.

As previously reported in this blog, the most current bill analysis states that among the provisions,

"Starting July 1, 2012, the bill requires school districts to use only behavior analysts licensed or certified in accordance with its requirements to provide applied behavior analysis for students with autism spectrum disorders who require the services (1) according to a special education individualized education program (IEP) or (2) under an educational plan established under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The bill also establishes standards for people who may provide applied behavioral analysis services if the education commissioner finds there are not enough licensed or certified personnel available...*House Amendment “A” (1) specifies that a teacher or paraprofessional may implement the behavior analysis services under the supervision of a licensed or certified person;..."

H.R. 5425 now requires Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell's signature of approval before being declared law.

For further reading and information
Connecticut Association for Behavior Analysis Legislative Action Page

Connecticut H.R. 5425

Autism bill awaits governor's signature after passing senate last night
Danielle Capalbo, Hour Staff writer
Posted on 05/06/2010

Past blog post
Monday, May 3, 2010
State Legislation Quicktake: Connecticut H.B. 5425 passes Connecticut House, goes to Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: California - Amended SB 1282 to certify California behavior analysts reported from Senate committee with a "do pass" recommendation

2010-05-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

On May 3, 2010 the amended California SB 1282 was reported with a "do pass" recommendation from the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee by a vote of 5 to 3.

Bill No: SB 1282 Author:Steinberg

SUBJECT: Applied behavior analysis services: California Behavioral Certification Organization.

SUMMARY: Creates the California Behavioral Certification Organization (CBCO) and provides for the certification of applied behavior analysts and applied behavior analyst assistants by the CBCO.

The analysis for the Committee describes in lay-friendly language the current version of SB 1282 itself, current state regulation, relevant history, rationale for the legislation, prior legislation, and those who currently support and those in opposition to SB 1282.

Within the analysis, the distinction is made that SB 1282 would establish a title act; authorizing use of the title of "certified applied behavior analyst" or "certified applied behavior analyst assistant" by those who engage in the defined activities of applied behavior analysis, meet the stated education and other criteria, and are certified by the California Behavioral Certification Organization (CBCO), a non-profit corporation. It prohibits non-certified persons from use of those titles. (One area of potential conflict noted is the specific titles, which may conflict with those used by BACB certificants; potentially amendment may be required to prevent infringement on the BACB terms.) This is distinct and separate from a practice protection act, which would confer along with licensure the exclusive right to practice a given profession.

As noted, the CBCO would be a non-profit corporation with authority, composition and responsibilities as defined in SB 1282, and not a state-operated certification or program under a state agency. The CBCO would be prohibited from issuing certificates prior to September 11, 2011, and a "sunset review process" would be imposed for January 1, 2017. One means of granting of the certificate by the CBCO would be previous certification by the BACB as well as other requirements of fees and background checks.

For full analysis and specific language, see the posted legislative documents.

For further reading
Bill Analysis dated 29 April 2010
Bill No: SB 1282 Author:Steinberg
As Amended:April 28, 2010
04/29/10 - Sen. Business, Professions And Economic Development

Bill Documents - SB 1282

Past post
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
State legislation: California - SB 1282 would regulate the practice of applied behavior analysis

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Iowa autism insurance bill signed into law; ABA and BACB certificants covered

2010-05-04T00:15:00.000-07:00

On April 29, 2010, Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed into law the Standing Appropriations Bill, HF 2531, which contains an amendment specifying insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders - including applied behavior analysis and recognizing BCBAs as approved providers for that treatment modality. The coverage in the enacted law is restricted to certain state employee group health insurance plans; the purpose is to provide a pilot to inform real implementation costs and potential future expansion to other health care plans.

Some specific language of the amendment, as stated in the House Journal for March 30, 2010 is,

"...As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Applied behavioral analysis" means the design, implementation, and evaluation of environmental modifications, using behavioral stimuli and consequences, to produce socially significant improvement in human behavior or to prevent loss of attained skill or function, including the use of direct observation, measurement, and functional analysis of the relations between environment and behavior.

"Autism service provider" means a person, or group providing treatment of autism spectrum disorders. An autism service provider that provides treatment of autism spectrum disorders that includes applied behavioral analysis shall be certified as a behavior analyst by the behavior analyst certification board or shall be a health professional licensed under chapter 147.

"Rehabilitative care" means professional services and treatment programs, including applied behavioral analysis, provided by an autism service provider to produce socially significant improvement in human behavior or to prevent loss of attained skill or function...."

For more information
Pages 1494-1498, State of Iowa House Journal
March 30, 2010
(Text related to autism insurance coverage)

Who were the winners and losers of the 2010 Iowa Legislature?
Blog post by Jennifer Jacobs • jejacobs@dmreg.com • March 30, 2010

Autism Victory Doesn't Benefit Father Advocate
Posted: Apr 01, 2010 7:07 PM PDT
KCAU-TV, Sioux City IA

Beall’s autism bill heads to the governor: Only state employees are included in measure
By BILL SHEA, Messenger staff writer
April 2, 2010

Autism Votes Iowa

Past posts
Monday, March 29, 2010
State legislation: Iowa - Wild and wooly ride for autism insurance bill as General Assembly prepares to adjourn

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State Legislation Quicktake: Connecticut H.B. 5425 passes Connecticut House, goes to Senate

2010-05-03T00:52:00.000-07:00

On April 27, 2010, the Connecticut House passed
Substitute for Raised H.B. No. 5425 by a 126 to 14 vote and transmitted it to the Senate, where it is listed on the Senate Calendar as ready for action by that chamber with favorable reports from the House Education and Appropriations Committees.

The most current bill analysis states that among the provisions,

"Starting July 1, 2012, the bill requires school districts to use only behavior analysts licensed or certified in accordance with its requirements to provide applied behavior analysis for students with autism spectrum disorders who require the services (1) according to a special education individualized education program (IEP) or (2) under an educational plan established under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The bill also establishes standards for people who may provide applied behavioral analysis services if the education commissioner finds there are not enough licensed or certified personnel available...*House Amendment “A” (1) specifies that a teacher or paraprofessional may implement the behavior analysis services under the supervision of a licensed or certified person;..."

The website of the Connecticut General Assembly shows the 2010 Regular Session adjourning Wednesday, May 5, 2010.

For further information
Connecticut Association for Behavior Analysis

Bill status and history for Substitute for Raised H.B. No. 5425
Session Year 2010

Bill safeguarding autistic children passes House
(Access may require registration)
Posted on 04/30/2010
By DANIELLE CAPALBO
Hour Staff Writer

Past post
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
State legislation Quicktake: Connecticut H.B. 5425 receives strong approval in Appropriations Committee and is sent to CT House

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State news: California - State Supreme Court denies review of District Court decision in Arce v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.

2010-05-02T16:47:00.000-07:00

Prefacing note: While this report is being shared as a "news item of interest" as a public event in progress, it seems relevant at this time to state that this report is not taking an editorial position on the legal aspects or allegations of this case nor the specific claimants, nor does this constitute legal interpretation. Please see the court documents for relevant specifics.

On Wednesday, April 28, 2010, the Supreme Court of California denied a request to review a January 27, 2010 decision of the Court of Appeals of California, Second District, Division Seven in the matter of ARCE v. KAISER FOUNDATION HEALTH PLAN, INC. This decision allows the case to go forward as decided by the Court of Appeals.

One analysis of the Court of Appeals decision notes that some central questions that the case turns on are,

"...does Kaiser's health plan contract exclude from coverage Applied Behavior Analysis therapy or speech therapy for autism spectrum disorders on the grounds that such therapies are “non-health care services,” “academic or educational interventions,” or “custodial care”? Second, assuming that the therapies are excluded from coverage by the health plan contract, does the Mental Health Parity Act allow Kaiser to categorically apply such exclusions on the basis that the therapies are not health care services, or are provided by persons not licensed or certified by the state?..."

For further reading
Court of Appeal reverses trial court order sustaining demurrer to class allegations for lack of commonality
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 5:58PM
The Complex Litigator

All posts on Arce v. Kaiser at
Kaiser Permanente Thrive Exposed

Past blog post
Sunday, January 31, 2010
State news: California - District Court decision revives Arce v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

April 30, 2010 Meeting of the Full Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC); Live videocast available

2010-04-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) - the Federal advisory committee mandated by The Combating Autism Act (CAA) of 2006 (P.L. 109-416 – ) to coordinate research activities within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - and the Office of Autism Research Coordination (OARC), will be holding a full meeting of the Committee on Friday, April 30, 2010.

Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Full Committee Meeting Agenda
Friday, April 30, 2010
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern (6:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Pacific)

The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center Rotunda Room
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004

This meeting will also be available to the public by live videocast.
Schedule subject to change. Meeting may end prior to or later than 5:00 p.m. depending on the needs of the committee.
See the agenda website for full schedule and link to the videocast

Of particular interest may be,
Research Update: Autism Treatment Network
Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D.
Chief Science Officer, Autism Speaks

Research Update: Autism in the DSM-V
Susan E. Swedo, M.D.
Senior Investigator, Behavioral Pediatrics Section
Pediatrics and Developmental Neurospsychiatry Branch, NIMH

Research Update: NIH Nonverbal ASD Workshop
Helen Tager-Flusberg, Ph.D.
Director, Laboratory of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston University
Ann Wagner, Ph.D.
Chief, Neurobehavioral Mechanisms and Mental Disorders Branch, NIMH

Research Update: Building the Infrastructure for Comparative Effectiveness Research on Disability Issues
Rosaly Correa-de-Araujo, M.D., MSc, Ph.D.
Deputy Director, Office on Disability, Office of the Secretary

Past posts
Sunday, April 4, 2010
U.S. Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee issues, "2009 Summary of Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research"

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: California - SB 1282 would regulate the practice of applied behavior analysis

2010-04-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

An early May hearing is scheduled in the California legislature's Senate Committee for Business, Professional and Economic Development for a bill that among its requirements would regulate the practice of applied behavior analysis and establish a California Behavioral Certification Organization.

The hearing is set for Monday, May 3, 2010 in the Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development, 1:30 p.m. or upon adjournment of session - Room 3191, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA.

The hearing will be on the March 23, 2010 amended version of

SB 1282: An act to add Chapter 5.2 (commencing with Section 2529.50) to Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.

"LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1282, as amended, Steinberg. Applied behavior analysis services: California Behavioral Certification Organization

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing arts practitioners, including, but not limited to, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, educational psychologists, and professional clinical counselors, by the Board of Behavioral Sciences in the Department of Consumer Affairs.

This bill would provide for the certification or registration of specified applied behavior analysis
practitioners by a California Behavioral Certification Organization, which would be a nonprofit organization meeting specified requirements, and would impose certain duties on the organization.

The bill would specify which individuals would be considered as qualified to practice applied behavior analysis services, and would prohibit an individual from holding himself or herself out as a practitioner unless he or she has complied with the act or another applicable licensing provision or is otherwise certified by certain nationally recognized entities. The bill would authorize the organization to establish specified curriculum and continuing education standards, and establish a certification and registration process, in conjunction with the California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA). The bill would require CalABA to implement the certification or registration process until the organization is established. The bill would set forth other disciplinary standards and hearing requirements."

For specific language and full details of SB 1282, see the full text and history at the legislative website.

For further reference
Official California Legislative Information

California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA)

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Wisconsin - SB 667 which allows behavior analyst reimbursement for autism treatment and creates license passes legislature and goes to the Governor

2010-04-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, April 21, 2010 the Wisconsin State Legislature after a rapid fire turnaround passed,

S.B. 667: AN ACT to renumber subchapter III of chapter 440 [precedes 440.41], subchapter IV of chapter 440 [precedes 440.51], subchapter V of chapter 440 [precedes 440.60], subchapter VI of chapter 440 [precedes 440.70], subchapter VII of chapter 440 [precedes 440.88], subchapter VIII of chapter 440 [precedes 440.90], subchapter IX of chapter 440 [precedes 440.96], subchapter X of chapter 440 [precedes 440.97], subchapter XI of chapter 440 [precedes 440.98], subchapter XII of chapter 440 [precedes 440.9805] and subchapter XIII of chapter 440 [precedes 440.99]; to amend 157.055 (2) (intro.), 441.15 (2m), 448.03 (2) (a) and 632.895 (12m) (b) 4.; and to create 440.03 (13) (b) 15m., 440.08 (2) (a) 20m., subchapter III of chapter 440 [precedes 440.310] and 632.895 (12m) (b) 3m. of the statutes; relating to: licensure and regulation of behavior analysts, insurance coverage of the services of behavior analysts for autism treatment, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule−making authority, and providing a penalty.

S.B. 667 was introduced on April 5, 2010 and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue; the public hearing held on April 14, 2010. The bill was reported with passage recommendation by the Committee on April 19, 2010, and submitted to the Senate where it passed on April 20, was messaged to the House, where it was read and concurred in on April 21. The next step is Governor Jim Doyle's signature.

From the Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

"This bill provides for licensure and regulation of behavior analysts. Under the bill, no person may engage in the practice of behavior analysis unless the person has been granted a license by the Department of Regulation and Licensing (department). [definition of practice of scope of practice of behavior analysis] The bill provides that the licensure requirement may not be applied to restrict the practice of behavior analysis within the scope of practice of a licensed professional who is not a behavior analyst, if the professional does not represent that he or she is a behavior analyst. An unlicensed person who practices behavior analysis is subject to a fine up to $250, up to three months in jail, or both.

The department must grant a license to an applicant who submits an application, an initial credential, and evidence that the applicant is certified as a behavior analyst by the private organization Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc. (board), except that the department may not grant a license to an applicant who has been convicted of certain crimes specified in the bill.

The bill authorizes the department to promulgate rules regarding the practice of behavior analysis, including rules authorizing the issuance of temporary permits to practice behavior analysis, but any rules must be consistent with standards established by the board. The department may not promulgate rules that impose additional educational requirements; that require a behavior analyst to practice under supervision by, or in collaboration with, another health care provider; that require a behavior analyst to enter into an agreement with another health care provider; or that limit the location where a behavior analyst may practice.

Under current law, health insurance policies and self-insured governmental and school district health plans are required to cover a specified amount of intensive-level services and nonintensive-level services provided to an insured for the treatment of autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified as long as the treatment is prescribed by a physician and provided by any of the following providers who are qualified to provide intensive-level services or nonintensive-level services:[list of current providers] The bill provides that the coverage must also apply to services provided by a behavior analyst who is licensed to practice behavior analysis by the department or by a paraprofessional working under the supervision of such a behavior analyst, if the behavior analyst or paraprofessional is qualified to provide intensive-level services or nonintensive-level services."

The intensive-level and nonintensive-level services referenced relate to the Wisconsin autism insurance reform law (§12m) coverage passed in 2009 that specifies a four year minimum of intensive services and thereafter nonintensive services. S.B. 667 is similar to the House measure, A.B. 789, however after amendment AB 789 was tabled in the House on April 20.

For more information
Kenosha County heavily vested in various new laws, proposals
BY JOE POTENTE Kenosha News
April 21, 2010 | 11:39 p.m.

Past blog post
Friday, April 16, 2010
State legislation: Wisconsin - AB 789 would allow reimbursement for autism services by behavior analysts and create a behavior analyst license

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Federal: U.S. House Ed & Labor Subcommittee takes testimony on corporal punishment in U.S. schools; legislation may be planned

2010-04-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

On April 15, 2010 the the Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Education & Labor heard testimony on the topic of

Corporal Punishment in Schools and its Effect on Academic Success

Among the four witnesses to the Subcommittee was Donald E. Greydanus, M.D., FAAP, of Michigan State University's Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies, who stated in his written testimony,

"...Research notes that corporal punishment [defined as the intentional application of physical pain as a method of behavior change - see testimony for specific named practices and citations] constructs an environment of education that can be described as unproductive, nullifying, and punitive. Children become victims, and trepidation is introduced to all in such a classroom. There is a limited (if any) sense of confidence and security; even those children who witness this type of abuse are robbed of their full learning potential...
It is critical that teachers receive adequate training and resources to help them effectively maintain classroom control without resorting to violent or aggressive techniques.2 One way to accomplish this is to provide teachers, both during pre-service and in-service training, with the ability to employ behavior management techniques that promote pro-social classroom interactions among the students; this would also promote a positive learning environment for those students..."

Video of Dr. Greydanus' testimony 7:41

The other witnesses were Jana Frieler, President-Elect of the National Association of Secondary School Principals; Wynell Gilbert, a high-school teacher testifying on behalf of the Jefferson County Federation of Teachers; and Linda Pee, a Mississippi parent. All of the witnesses testified against the use of corporal punishment.

It is reported that currently there is no U.S. federal regulation on corporal punishment in schools although thirty states have prohibited the practice. The twenty remaining states are primarily in the South. A recent Washington Post article reports that the Chairperson of the Subcommittee, Representative Carolyn McCarthy, plans to introduce in a matter of weeks a resolution to ban the use of corporal punishment in U.S. Schools.

Among the citations and references supplied to the Subcommittee by Dr. Greydanus were,

Cameron, J, & Pierce, W.D. (1993). Reinforcement, reward, and intrinsic motivation: A meta-analysis. Reviews of Educational Research, 64(3), 363-423.
Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G. R. (1977). Applying behavior-analysis procedures with children and youth. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G. R. (1986). Achieving educational excellence: Using behavioral strategies. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

For further information
Corporal Punishment in Schools and its Effect on Academic Success
Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee Hearing 10:00 AM, April 15, 2010 2175 Rayburn H.O.B
Washington, DC

You Tube channel of the House Committee on Education & Labor

ACLU/HRW Statement on Corporal Punishment in Public Schools for Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee Hearing
April 15, 2010

Past related posts
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Federal news: Congressional Committees focus on ESEA overhaul; advocates warming up to urge passage of Restraint & Seclusion bills in Senate HELP Committee

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: Maine - Governor Baldacci signs LD 1198 into law; provides insurance coverage of early intervention including ABA

2010-04-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

Autism Votes reports that Maine Governor John Baldacci signed LD 1198 into law on April 12, 2010. The bill was passed by the legislature on April 7, 2010.

The version passed and signed into law provides insurance coverage of autism spectrum disorders, including applied behavior analysis to a limit of $36,000 per year, up to the age of six. This version was amended from the introduced version of the bill, which would have set an age limit of 21. The law will take effect January 1, 2011.

As written, the new law provides coverage for applied behavior analysis as a "habilitative and rehabilitative service"; however it does not explicitly state the provider of these services, nor does it specify the BACB certification or competencies for delivery of applied behavior analysis service.

For more information
Autism Votes Maine

Past posts
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
State legislation - Maine SP 446/LD 1198 passes with amendment in Committee; changes result in mixed feelings by advocates

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Kansas - Governor Parkinson signs autism insurance bill S. Sub for HB 2160 into law

2010-04-20T03:11:00.000-07:00

On Monday, April 19, 2010 Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson signed the

Senate Substitute for HB 2160: An act concerning insurance; providing coverage for autism spectrum disorder; amending K.S.A. 2009 Supp. 75-6501 and repealing the existing section.

into law. The bill takes effect upon publication in the Kansas Statute Book. S.Sub HB 2160 passed in the legislature on ~~April 2, 2010~~ March 30, 2010.

New law and amendment of existing law will require the Kansas State Employees Health Care Commission (administers the State health care benefits program for state employees and other qualified entities) to provide for the coverage of services for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in any covered individual whose age is less than 19 years. Coverage would be no greater than $36,000/year for children from birth to 7, and no greater than $27,000/year for those age 7 through 18, with certain conditions applying to prescription, and services as recognized in the peer reviewed literature as providing a medical benefit.

Applied behavior analysis must be included if prescribed by a licensed physician, licensed psychologist or licensed specialist clinical social worker.

Reimbursement would be allowed only for services by

a provider licensed, trained , and qualified to provide such services or

by an autism specialist [includes BCBAs with experience and other state conditions]

or an intensive individual service provider, [individuals who work under the direction of an autism specialist]

as such terms are defined by the department of social and rehabilitation services Kansas autism waiver as it exists on July 1, 2010. [See Kansas Early Autism Services for more information on the Kansas autism waiver.]

The bill also would require the Health Care Commission, pursuant to the requirements of the Insurance Code regarding mandated health insurance benefits, to submit on or before March 1, 2012, a report to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report is to include information pertaining to the mandated ASD benefit coverage provided during the 2011 Plan Year. The information
is to include:
The impact that the mandated coverage has had on the State health care benefits program;
Data on the utilization of coverage for autism spectrum disorder by covered individuals and the cost of providing such coverage; and,
A recommendation on whether such mandated coverage should continue for the State health care benefits program.
The Legislature is permitted to consider (in the next session following the receipt of the report) whether or not to require the coverage for autism spectrum disorder to be included in any individual or group health insurance policy, medical service plan, HMO, or other contract which provides for accident and health services and which is delivered, issued for delivery, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2013.

For further reference:
Kansas Legislature

SESSION OF 2010
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 2160
As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole
[Summary of the bill and history]

04.19.10 : Governor signs legislation to insure Kansas children with autism
Office of the Governor of the State of Kansas

Governor signs autism bill
By MATTHEW CLARK
The Morning Sun
Posted Apr 19, 2010 @ 11:42 PM

Kansas Legislature Approves Pilot Program Mandating Autism Insurance Coverage
Elana Gordon (2010-04-02) KCUR-FM

Past blog posts
Saturday, March 27, 2010
State legislation Quicktake: Kansas S. Sub. for HB 2160 autism insurance bill put into Conference Committee

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: North Dakota - Introduction of autism insurance bill scheduled for April 27, 2010

2010-04-20T02:00:00.000-07:00

The Dickinson Press reports that Nick Gates of Dickinson, North Dakota, father of Noah - a 7 year old with autism - will be at the North Dakota state Capitol on April 27, 2010 to help the sponsoring State Senators introduce the insurance reform bill dubbed "Noah's Law".

The bill's sponsors are Senator Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, and Senator Carolyn Nelson, D-Fargo, and "Noah's Law" will be introduced to the Employee Benefits Programs Committee in the Harvest Room at the state Capitol on April 27 at 9 a.m. CDT. After that introduction the Committee will determine whether to recommend the bill for further action.

"Noah's Law" would require insurance companies to cover behavior analytic treatment of autism; besides the direct treatment benefit to children the hope is that an increased pool of certified practitioners would be attracted to serve North Dakota children.

For further reference
Bill seeks autism coverage
Published April 16 2010
By: Lisa Call, The Dickinson Press
Note: Free registration may be required to view the article

Autism center in the works
Source: The Dickinson Press | January 22, 2010

North Dakota Legislative Branch Home Page

2009 State Autism Profiles NORTH DAKOTA
Easter Seals
November 2009

Autism Votes - North Dakota
(No info at this time)

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: Connecticut H.B. 5425 receives strong approval in Appropriations Committee and is sent to CT House

2010-04-20T01:40:00.000-07:00

On April 19, 2010, the Connecticut General Assembly's Appropriations Committee approved by a vote of 48 to 1 to send

Joint favorable substitute for HB 5425: An Act Concerning Special Education

to the floor of the Connecticut House. In a previous vote on March 19, 2010 by the Education Committee, the Joint favorable substitute was passed unanimously on a bipartisan vote of 32 to 0.

One effect of passage of the bill would be the regulation of practice of applied behavior analysis in schools by verifying the appropriate qualifications and credentials of practitioners, and the recognition of Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) certificants and the competencies of the BACB for delivery of ABA services to children with autism.

"...Attorney General Richard Blumenthal drafted Section 2 of the bill in response to mounting concern about Stacy Lore's credentials, said Suzanne Letso, an advocate of the bill and CEO of the Connecticut Center for Child Development.

Lore, a former autism therapy consultant, is accused of forging her identity as a certified behavior analyst and swindling schools and parents throughout Fairfield County. Letso said this bill could prevent a repeat of Lore's hire.

The regular legislative session concludes May 5, leaving about two weeks for the bill to become law..."

For further reference
Bill to certify autism workers sent to House
Posted on 04/20/2010
NORWALK
By DANIELLE CAPALBO
Hour Staff Writer

Past blog posts
Thursday, April 15, 2010
State legislation Quicktake: Connecticut Attorney General urges adoption of legislation to verify credentials before hiring applied behavior analysts for autism services in schools

Saturday, April 3, 2010
Former consultant to Norwalk, CT school district under multiple criminal charges; one outcome is legislation to establish formal competency to deliver behavior analysis

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

West Virginia University Behavior Analysis for Teachers Program will graduate first class this summer

2010-04-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

The state of West Virginia may be in line to almost double the number of BACB certificants above the state's current number of nine when West Virginia University (WVU) graduates its first class from the Behavior Analysis for Teachers program in the summer of 2010.

This collaborative project between Monongalia Couny Schools and WVU aims to provide working teachers with graduate level training in behavior management principles and strategies and qualify them at completion to to sit for Behavior Analyst Certification Board examination, either at the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) level; the program is unique in that the instructors go to the enrolled students rather than a typical university enrollment model. The focus of training is core behavioral principles and those related to the classroom - such as Functional Behavior Assessments and applying that information to the development of function-based interventions for students.

The first class of eight Monongalia County teachers began program in the summer of 2009 and at completion in the summer of 2010 will have gone through four semesters of graduate-level academic training and a year-long supervised practicum.

While the program is potentially open to all teachers in the Monongalia County Schools, only top candidates from competitive application are chosen for admission.

The program was created by the West Virginia University Department of Psychology and is currently coordinated by Claire St. Peter Pipkin, Ph.D.

For more reading
New WVU program trains teachers to help children with autism
By Ryan Tegeder, WVU School of Journalism student; audio story by Emily Corio
March 31, 2010

WVU works to increase the state's resources in behavior analysis
March 9th, 2010

Teachers Go to “BAT” for Effective Behavior-Management Skills
Psychology Department News
West Virginia University

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

IN THE NEWS: Caldwell College receives $550K for Applied Behavior Analysis program.

2010-04-18T02:00:00.000-07:00

The Progress (NJ) reports that Caldwell College was recently awarded over half a million dollars in federal funding for the Applied Behavior Analysis program, which currently offers a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, an M.A. program, and a new Ph.D. program. The funding was obtained with the help of New Jersey Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, who worked with Sharon A. Reeve, Ph.D., BCBA, Caldwell's Program Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis, to approach U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez for support of the new program.

Senator Lautenberg has assisted the program in the past by securing federal funding to help to support the startup of Caldwell's ABA doctoral program.

The college plans to begin construction this summer for an on campus facility for the ABA program; it will serve as a center for workshops and programs for K-12 teachers and parents.

For more information

Sen. Frank Lautenberg brings $550,000 for autism programs
By Steve Galante Jr., Staff Writer, The Progress
Published: Apr 16th, 7:09 AM

Caldwell College launches Ph.D. program in autism treatment
By Nic Corbett/For The Star-Ledger
November 17, 2009, 7:50PM

Graduate Programs in Applied Behavior Analysis
Caldwell College

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Wisconsin - AB 789 would allow reimbursement for autism services by behavior analysts and create a behavior analyst license

2010-04-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

Wisconsin currently has an amended substitute bill that was reported on April 14, 2010 from the Assembly Committee on Insurance with a do pass recommendation sent to the Committee on Rules, and is currently listed as "made a special order of business at 11:13 A.M. on (Tuesday) April 20, 2010 persuant to Assembly Resolution 23".

ASSEMBLY BILL 789: An Act to amend 632.895 (12m) (b) 4.; and to create 632.895 (12m) (b) 3m. of the statutes; relating to: insurance coverage of the services of behavior analysts for autism treatment.

Analysis by the legislative reference bureau of the introduced bill,

"Under current law, health insurance policies and self-insured governmental and school district health plans are required to cover a specified amount of intensive-level services and nonintensive-level services provided to an insured for the treatment of autism, Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified as long as the treatment is prescribed by a physician and provided by any of the following providers who are qualified to provide intensive-level services or nonintensive-level services: a psychiatrist; a psychologist; a social worker who is certified or licensed to practice psychotherapy; a paraprofessional working under the supervision of any of those three types of providers; a professional working under the supervision of an outpatient mental health clinic; a speech-language pathologist; or an occupational therapist.

This bill provides that the coverage must also apply to services provided by a behavior analyst, excluding an assistant behavior analyst, who is certified to practice behavior analysis by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc., or by a paraprofessional working under the supervision of such a behavior analyst, if the behavior analyst or paraprofessional is qualified to provide intensive-level services or nonintensive-level services."

The bill history shows that AB 789 was introduced on March 3, 2010, with the public hearing held March 11, 2010. An offered substitute and amendments to the substitute extends insurance coverage to Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors who meet specifications, and upgrades the certification requirement for Behavior Analysts to a licensing requirement. This license would be granted by the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing and specifies the certification of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) (excluding Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBAs)). Among the stipulations would be: prohibition of rules requiring additional coursework conditions beyond those required for BACB certification, prohibition of requiring a licensed behavior analyst to practice behavior analysis under the supervision of, or in collaboration with, another health care provider. An advisory group could be appointed to advise the Department of Regulation and Licensing on matters relating to the regulation of behavior analysts. Other prohibitions, conditions and regulation of practice are described in the full bill text and amendments.

For more information
History and text page of AB 789

Wisconsin Legislative Council Amendment Memo
Summary of AB 789 with substitute and amendments
Current as of 4/14/10

Wisconsin State Legislature

Wisconsin legislative notification system (bill tracking)

Past post
Thursday, March 11, 2010
State news: Wisconsin - Office of the Commissioner of Insurance Autism Treatment Working Group hammers out details of insurance implementation

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

April 2010 release of "Digest of Education Statistics, 2009"

2010-04-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

The Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Statistics has recently released the Digest of Education Statistics, 2009, NCES 2010013

This 732 page document lists numbers and trends related to those enrolled and employed in education - preschool through graduate school.

"The 45th in a series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest's primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, and federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons."

A mini-digest is also available
Mini-Digest of Education Statistics, 2009

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: Connecticut Attorney General urges adoption of legislation to verify credentials before hiring applied behavior analysts for autism services in schools

2010-04-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

In related events, on Wednesday April 14, 2010 Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal urged the Connecticut General Assembly to adopt legislation requiring that local school boards verify professional certification before hiring applied behavior analysts for special education of children with autism, while in the Stamford, Connecticut Superior Court, Stacy Lore pleaded not guilty at her arraignment for multiple counts of forgery, larceny and criminal impersonation related to charges of false representation of credentials, including that of being a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, to the Norwalk, Connecticut School District.

While not named, the legislation referenced by Attorney General Blumenthal is likely the joint favorable substitute for,

CT HB 5425: An Act Concerning Special Education.

Other states noted in the news article as relying on Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) certification are Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota and Montana.

For further reading
Schools Need To Require Certification Of Behavior Analysts
Apr 14, 2010
ctwatchdog.com

Woman pleads not guilty to bilking Norwalk schools
John Nickerson, Staff Writer
Stamford Advocate.com
Published: 11:07 p.m., Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Past posts
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Former consultant to Norwalk, CT school district under multiple criminal charges; one outcome is legislation to establish formal competency to deliver behavior analysis

Wednesday, March 24, 2010
State legislation Quicktake:Connecticut H.B. 5425 passes from Education Committee with joint favorable substitute

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: Kentucky - Governor Beshear signs autism insurance law which also creates Kentucky Applied Behavior Analysis Licensure Board

2010-04-15T01:28:00.000-07:00

News reports and the press release from Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear's Office has announced that on April 14, 2010 Governor Beshear signed into law HB 159 which will increase the amount of coverage health insurers must provide for autism spectrum disorders to insured individuals in large and small group plans, as well as the state employee health benefit plan. The bill passed unanimously by the Kentucky Senate on its 3rd reading April 1, 2010.

The new law, which goes into effect January 1, 2011, will also creates the Kentucky Applied Behavior Analysis Licensure Board for practitioners of applied behavior analysis.

For further reading
Gov. Beshear signs expanded autism health insurance coverage legislation
Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Press Release Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Gov. Signs Autism Coverage Bill
kypost.com
Web Produced: Jessica Noll
Email: Jessica.Noll@kypost.com
Last Update: 4/14 7:25 pm

Text and history of HB 159

Past posts
Saturday, April 3, 2010
State legislation: Kentucky - HB 159/HCS licensing behavior analysts and creating autism insurance coverage passes legislature on April 1, 2010, headed for Governor's signature

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: Rhode Island - autism insurance bill receives hearing on April 14, 2010; Committee decides to hold measure for further study

2010-04-14T23:07:00.000-07:00

A report from the Providence Journal describes the hearing held Wednesday in the Rhode Island legislature's Committee on Health Education and Welfare regarding

H.7260 ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

The legislative history for 4/14/2010 for the meeting shows that the Committee has recommended that the measure be held for further study

For further reading
Parents push for autism coverage
01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, April 15, 2010
By Gina Macris
Journal Staff Writer. The Providence Journal

Past blog post
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
State legislation: Rhode Island - autism insurance bill HB 7260 scheduled for Committee hearing on Wed. April 14, 2010

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Federal news: Congressional Committees focus on ESEA overhaul; advocates warming up to urge passage of Restraint & Seclusion bills in Senate HELP Committee

2010-04-14T04:01:00.000-07:00

The two bills that would establish Federal regulation of the use of restraint and seclusion in U.S. Schools and their prohibition in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), are currently in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP). The House Committee on Education and Labor is examining the use of corporal punishment in schools and the effect on academic achievement.

Both H.R. ~~4742~~ 4247and S. 2860 are assigned to the HELP Committee. H.R. 4247: "Keeping All Students Safe Act " was passed in the U.S. House March 3, 2010; the similar S. 2860 "A bill to protect students from inappropriate seclusion and physical restraint, and for other purposes" was also introduced by Senator Chris Dodd (CT) in December 2009 and assigned to HELP at that time, but has not yet been heard by the Committee.

With the Senate returning from its 2-week break, advocacy groups have begun "phone-in" days for S. 2860, urging Committee action for passage in the current Congress.

On a related note, the House Committee on Education and Labor will be holding a Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee meeting on Thursday, April 15, 2010, 10:00 AM, 2175 Rayburn H.O.B Washington, DC. Witness to be announced.

The topic of the hearing is "Corporal Punishment in Schools and its Effect on Academic Success".

Both Committees are also actively taking testimony in the overhaul and re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as "No Child Left Behind".

Past blog post
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
U.S. House approves H.R. 4247: The Keeping All Students Safe Act - bill to restrict use of restraint and seclusion in U.S. schools

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation : Alaska HB 187 and HB 425 may be stalled pending task force study

2010-04-13T22:27:00.000-07:00

A news article reports that Alaska autism bills HB 425 and HB 187 may be on hold pending a task force review. HB 187 is one of the two autism insurance reform bills in the legislature (the other being SB 250), and HB 425 is a bill which would create set up an early intervention system to deliver evidence based treatments, including applied behavior analysis, coordinated by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. HB 425 would also include a system for supervised experience for those seeking certification in applied behavior analysis.

According to the article, Representative Wes Keller, who Co-chairs the Health and Social Service Committee and from whose office HB 425 was issued, stated that there were concerns that HB 187 would cover only a relative minority of Alaskans and would not address those who have public sector insurance, are not insured or fall under ERISA. A "task force" was said to be currently studying the issue, however it was not clarified if the task force is the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, which produced a policy analysis in 2007. However, the Governor's Council has been considering HB 187 as part of its meeting agenda as recently as February 2010.

Last week, Representative Pete Peterson, the sponsor of HB 187, authored an article expressing his disappointment in lack of progress of his bill which has been in Committee for over a year and has received two hearings since its introduction and original Committee referral in March 2009.

The Alaska state legislature website states that the regular session for 2010 will conclude on April 18.

For further reading
Alaska autism bill put on hold
Christopher Eshleman / ceshleman@newsminer.com
Fairbanks Daily-News Miner
April 11, 2010

Bill to provide coverage for autism treatment bottled up
Editorial Anchorage Daily News
Published: April 13th, 2010 06:26 PM
Last Modified: April 13th, 2010 06:27 PM

Treating autism early will save us special ed funds later
By REP. PETE PETERSEN
Anchorage Daily News
Published: April 9th, 2010 10:28 PM
Last Modified: April 9th, 2010 10:28 PM

Report - Early Intensive Intervention Services for Alaska Children with Autism: A Policy Analysis
The Governor’s Council on Disabilities & Special Education
August 2007

Past blog posts
Sunday, April 11, 2010
State legislation : Alaska - HB 425 would establish ASD services including applied behavior analysis and provide supervised experience for those seeking certification

Monday, January 25, 2010
State legislation: Alaska - HB 187 Autism insurance bill; committee session scheduled for Thursday, January 28, 2010

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

April 19, 2010 Conference Call/Webinar on IACC Planning for updates to 2010 Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

2010-04-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

Conference Call and Webinar of the Subcommittee for Planning the Annual Strategic Plan Updating Process Monday, April 19, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET. The agenda is to discuss plans for updating the 2010 IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research.

The public is welcome to participate and no registration is required.

Conference Call Access
USA/Canada Phone Number: 888-577-8995
Access code: 1991506

Webinar Access
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/455522202

Please visit the IACC Events page for the latest information about the conference call, including access information, as well as all other IACC events.
For more information about the IACC.
To follow the IACC on Twitter

The Contact Person for this conference call is:
Ms. Lina Perez
Office of Autism Research Coordination
National Institute of Mental Health, NIH
6001 Executive Boulevard, NSC
Room 8185a
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 301-443-6040
IACCpublicinquiries@mail.nih.gov

Past blog posts

Saturday, February 6, 2010
U.S. Research Policy: Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee releases the 2010 IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Sunday, April 4, 2010
U.S. Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee issues, "2009 Summary of Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research"

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation : Alaska - HB 425 would establish ASD services including applied behavior analysis and provide supervised experience for those seeking certification

2010-04-11T02:57:00.000-07:00

A bill newly introduced in the Alaska State Legislature would charge the state Department of Health and Social Services to create a coordinated early intervention system which would deliver evidence based interventions, including applied behavior analysis, for Alaska's children with autism.A clause of interest is the specification of providing supervised experience to students completing requirements towards "certification in applied behavior analysis".

The bill introduced on April 7, 2010 and referred to the House Health & Social Services Committee is,

HB 425, TITLE: "An Act establishing a program for the provision of autism services within the Department of Health and Social Services."

The stated purpose of HB 425 is "to create and implement a statewide program to provide and coordinate home-based services for children who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and to prevent, reduce, and ameliorate the effects of autism spectrum disorders in the state."

This statewide program designed by the Department of Health and Social Services would be a data-base demonstration of evidence-based early interventions including home-based services: screening, caregiver training in applied behavior analysis, assessment and planning of direct services by a "board certified autism specialist" (unclear if this is synonymous with "board certified behavior analyst", although no "certified autism specialist" is locatable in Alaska government listings), other services, care coordination and an centralized database. The Department of Health and Social Services would coordinate with public and private entities to implement the program and provide direct services.

On a related note, Alaska also currently has two autism insurance bills in the legislature; HB 187 and SB 250.

For more information
The Alaska State Legislature

House Bill 425

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Missouri - Compromise requested on SS/SB 618 autism insurance bill; licensing highlighted as pivotal issue

2010-04-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

In the Tuesday April 6, 2010 hearing on SS/SB 618/ the autism insurance bill currently in the House Special Standing Committee on Health Insurance, insurance industry representatives requested that the Senate bill as it stands be rejected in preference to House bill HB 1311&1341, which has a lower age and annual treatment cap. HB 1311&1341 would also establish a licensing requirement for supervision of applied behavior analysis service delivery and practice of applied behavior analysis, which the Senate bill does not contain. The Committee did not take action on SS/SB 618 on Tuesday, although compromises were discussed.

From the Missourian news article, in reference to concerns about lack of a licensing provision,

"David Smith, a lobbyist for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, also opposed the Senate bill and expressed concerns about its lack of licensing requirements for therapists.

'There needs to be a background check, at least,' Smith said. 'These people are part of the day-to-day operation in the lives of those kids.'

Qualms regarding licensing and training regulations resurfaced later in the hearing, when the government affairs director for the insurance company Coventry Health Care, Cheryl Dillard, testified against the bill.

'Many of (the therapists) will be alone with very vulnerable children,' Dillard said. 'Licensing is terribly important.' "

Unstated in the news article, although covered by this blog, is that Missouri currently has a separate licensing bill submitted in the 2010 legislature which would license the profession of applied behavior analysis,

SB 1030: AN ACT To amend chapter 337, RSMo, by adding thereto ten new sections relating to the licensure of the profession of applied behavior analysis, with penalty provisions.

SB 1030 has had no movement since its assignment on March 4, 2010 to the Senate Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee

For more reading
Missouri House committee looks for compromise with Senate autism bill
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 | 12:01 a.m. CDT
Missourian

Past blog posts
Sunday, April 4, 2010
State legislation: Missouri - SS/SB 618 autism insurance bill scheduled for House Committee hearing on Tuesday, April 6, 2010; HB 1311 & 1341, and SB 1030 in holding pattern

Saturday, March 13, 2010
State legislation - Missouri SB 1030 - Creates the Behavior Analyst Advisory Board and requires licensing to engage in applied behavior analysis

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Rhode Island - autism insurance bill HB 7260 scheduled for Committee hearing on Wed. April 14, 2010

2010-04-07T02:00:00.000-07:00

The Rhode Island Legislative Committee Calendar shows

H. 7260 ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
(would require coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders)
{LC106/1}

as scheduled for hearing on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 in the House Committee on Health, Education & Welfare.
TIME: Rise of the House
PLACE: Room 135 - State House

H.7260 defines applied behavior analysis, includes coverage of applied behavior analysis within "habilitative or rehabilitative care", however the delivery of applied behavior analysis is not defined nor are such as BACB certificants or of equivalent competency defined. A statement is made that an "Autism services provider" means any person, entity, or group that provides treatment.

Another bill which proposes autism treatment coverage but does not include behavioral treatment, SB 2422, is currently in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. SB 2422 shows no movement since its introduction and referral to that Committee.

For more information
The State of Rhode Island General Assembly

Autism Votes Rhode Island

Past post
Saturday, March 27, 2010
State legislation: Rhode Island - Two autism insurance bills in the legislature; House bill explicitly identifies ABA, Senate bill not

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Reminder: 2 weeks until deadline for submitting comment to DSM-5 revisions

2010-04-06T02:00:00.000-07:00

April 20, 2010 is the deadline for submitting public comment to the initial draft recommendations to the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, aka DSM-5.

After April 20, the draft will still be available for viewing, but comments will no longer be taken.

The anticipated release of the completed DSM-5 is May 2013 to coordinate with the scheduled U.S. implementation on October 1, 2013 of the International Classification of Diseases-10-Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) (World Health Organization/WHO) codes for all Medicare/Medicaid claims reporting. Chapter V of the ICD-10-CM is Mental and behavioral disorders. A related development is that the ICD is also in revision to ICD-11 - that revised version is expected to be released in 2014 or 2015.

Past post
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Initial draft revision of the DSM-V unveiled Wednesday, February 10, 2010; comments requested until April 20, 2010

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Missouri - SS/SB 618 autism insurance bill scheduled for House Committee hearing on Tuesday, April 6, 2010; HB 1311 & 1341, and SB 1030 in holding pattern

2010-04-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

Missouri SS/SB 618 Requires health carriers to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders under certain conditions,
is currently scheduled for a hearing in the House Special Standing Committee on Health Insurance, at 1:30PM, Tuesday, April 6, 2010 in Hearing Room 5.

Missouri SS/SB 618 passed the Senate by a 26 to 6 vote on March 18, 2010.

The related House bill, HB 1311 & 1341 , which passed the Missouri House by a 135-18 vote on February 18, 2010 had its 2nd reading in the Senate and is currently in the Senate Small Business, Insurance & Industry Committee. No hearing date nor calendar schedule has been set as of today.

The non-insurance bill SB 1030, which would establish a license to engage in the practice of applied behavior analysis, administered under the Board of Psychologist Examiners, was assigned to Senate Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee and also does not show a hearing scheduled at this time.

For more information
Missouri Legislature

Past posts
Friday, March 19, 2010
State legislation: Missouri SS/SB 618 passes Senate & HCS HB 1311&1341 also progresses in the Missouri legislature

Saturday, March 13, 2010
State legislation - Missouri SB 1030 - Creates the Behavior Analyst Advisory Board and requires licensing to engage in applied behavior analysis

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: New Hampshire HB 569-FN autism insurance bill to have Senate Committee hearing on Tuesday, April 6, 2010

2010-04-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

An April 6, 2010 hearing in the New Hampshire Senate Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection Committee is scheduled for,

HB 569-FN - As amended, aka "Connor's Law": clarifying insurance coverage for diagnosis and treatment of pervasive developmental disorder or autism

The April 6 hearing is currently set for 8:30AM in LOB 210-211.

As previously reported, the purpose of this bill is to clarify already existing statute and coverage of autism spectrum disorders in alignment with American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations. While applied behavior analysis is referred to in this legislation, BACB certificants or competencies of "pervasive developmental disorder or autism service provider" to deliver behavior analytic services are not defined within the bill.

HB 569-FN was passed in the New Hampshire House on January 6, 2010, and was referred to its current Senate Committee on March 3, 2010.

For more information
The New Hampshire General Court

Autism Votes New Hampshire page

Past post
Sunday, March 28, 2010
State legislation: New Hampshire HB 569-FN autism insurance bill stuck in Senate Committee

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

U.S. Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee issues, "2009 Summary of Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research"

2010-04-04T02:00:00.000-07:00

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), the body established in accordance with the Combating Autism Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-416), and whose charge is to

"coordinate all efforts within the Department of Health and Human Services concerning autism spectrum disorder to combat autism through research, screening, intervention and education. The Committee’s primary mission is to facilitate the efficient and effective exchange of information on autism activities among the member agencies, and to coordinate autism-related programs and initiatives"

has issued a new report,

2009 Summary of Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

in which the IACC identifies what they have selected as the twenty top studies from the peer-reviewed literature of 2009 providing significant insight into prevalence, biology, potential risk factors and possible interventions related to autism spectrum disorders.

The current report has a somewhat different format than the prior reports of 2008 and 2007 in being more of a list of articles than a background document.

The twenty articles selected for 2009 from the 63 nominated are,

Aman, M.G., McDougle, C.J., Scahill, L., Handen, B., Arnold, L.E., Johnson, C,, et al. (2009).. Medication and parent training in children with pervasive developmental disorders and serious behavior problems: results from a randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(12),1143-1154.
Atladóttir, H.O., Pedersen, M.G., Thorsen, P., Mortensen, P.B., Deleuran, B., Eaton, W.W., et al.(2009). Association of family history of autoimmune diseases and autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics, 124(2):687-94.
Bucan, M., Abrahams, B.S., Wang, K., Glessner. J.T., Herman, E.I., Sonnenblick, L.I., et al. (2009). Genome-wide analyses of exonic copy number variants in a family-based study point to novel autism susceptibility genes. Public Library of Science Genetics., 5(6):e1000536.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network Surveillance Year 2006 Principal Investigators.(2009). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders - Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, United States, 2006. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summaries, 58(10), 1-20.
Glessner, J.T., Wang, K., Cai, G., Korvatska, O., Kim, C.E., Wood, S., et al. (2009). Autism genome-wide copy number variation reveals ubiquitin and neuronal genes. Nature, 459(7246), 569-73.
Gregory, S.G., Connelly, J.J., Towers, A.J., Johnson, J., Biscocho, D., Markunas, C.A., et.al. Genomic and epigenetic evidence for oxytocin receptor deficiency in autism. BMC Medicine, 7:62.
Grether JK, Anderson MC, Croen LA, Smith D, Windham GC. (2009). Risk of autism and increasing maternal and paternal age in a large North American population. American Journal of Epidemiology, 170(9):1118-26.
Haswell, C.C., Izawa, J., Dowell, L.R., Mostofsky, S.H., & Shadmehr, R.(2009). Representation of internal models of action in the autistic brain. Nature Neuroscience,12(8),970-2.
Ibrahim, S.H., Voigt, R.G., Katusic, S.K., Weaver, A.L., & Barbaresi, W.J.(2009). Incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autism: a population-based study. Pediatrics,124(2), 680-6.
King M, Bearman P. Diagnostic change and the increased prevalence of autism. International Journal of Epidemiology, 38(5),1224-34.
Klin, A., Lin, D.J., Gorrindo, P., Ramsay, G.,& Jones, W. (2009). Two-year-olds with autism orient to non-social contingencies rather than biological motion. Nature. 459(7244), 257-61.
Kogan, M.D., Blumberg, S.J., Schieve, L.A., Boyle, C.A., Perrin, J.M., Ghandour, R.M., et al. (2009). Prevalence of parent-reported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder among children in the US, 2007. Pediatrics, 124(5), 1395-403.
Mandell, D.S., Wiggin,s L.D., Carpenter, L.A., Daniels, J., DiGuiseppi, C., Durkin, M.S., et al. (2009). Racial/ethnic disparities in the identification of children with autism spectrum disorders. American Journal of Public Health, 99(3), 493-8.
Nakatani, J., Tamada, K., Hatanaka, F., Ise, S., Ohta, H., Inoue, K., et al (2009). Abnormal behavior in a chromosome-engineered mouse model for human 15q11-13 duplication seen in autism. Cell, 137(7),1235-46.
Ramocki, M.B., Peters, S.U., Tavyev, Y.J., Zhang, F., Carvalho, C.M., Schaaf, C.P., et al. (2009). Autism and other neuropsychiatric symptoms are prevalent in individuals with MeCP2 duplication syndrome. Annals of Neurology. 66(6),771-82.
Shattuck, P.T., Durkin, M., Maenner, M., Newschaffer, C., Mandell, D.S., Wiggins, L., et al. (2009). Timing of identification among children with an autism spectrum disorder: findings from a population-based surveillance study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(5), 474-83.
Tropea, D., Giacometti, E., Wilson, N.R., Beard, C., McCurry C., Fu, D.D., et al. (2009). Partial reversal of Rett Syndrome-like symptoms in MeCP2 mutant mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U S A., 106(6), 2029-34.
Wang, K., Zhang, H., Ma, D., Bucan, M., Glessner, J.T., Abrahams, B.S., et al. (2009). Common genetic variants on 5p14.1 associate with autism spectrum disorders. Nature. 459(7246),528-33.
Weiss, L.A., Arking, D.E., Gene Discovery Project of Johns Hopkins & the Autism Consortium, Daly, M.J., & Chakravarti, A. (2009). A genome-wide linkage and association scan reveals novel loci for autism. Nature, 461(7265),802-8.
Zwaigenbaum, L., Bryson, S., Lord, C., Rogers, S., Carter, A., Carver, L., et al. (2009). Clinical assessment and management of toddlers with suspected autism spectrum disorder: insights from studies of high-risk infants. Pediatrics, 123(5),1383-91.

Previous post
Saturday, February 6, 2010
U.S. Research Policy: Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee releases the 2010 IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Kentucky - HB 159/HCS licensing behavior analysts and creating autism insurance coverage passes legislature on April 1, 2010, headed for Governor's signature

2010-04-03T03:54:00.000-07:00

As anticipated, Kentucky bill HB 159/HCS passed with no obstacle and unanimous passage on April 1, 2010 in the state Senate and now proceeds to Governor Beshear for signing into law. It would take effect January 1, 2011.

KY HB 159/HCS establishes the titles of Licensed behavior analyst and Licensed assistant behavior analyst; regulates and defines the scope and practice of applied behavior analysis; creates the Kentucky Applied Behavior Analysis Licensing Board as an agency of state government, and articulates the initial set-up, collection of fees, composition, duties, powers, terms of office and operations of the licensing board.

For the purposes of this license as specified, the requirements of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, including coursework, supervision, and maintenance of certification status are stated to meet the licensing requirement. A person under supervision to complete the experience requirement for BACB certification is allowed a temporary license for that purpose. Other sections and clauses relate to application, renewal, ethical practices, complaint, penalties, fines and reinstatement of license.

In relation to reciprocity, the Board would have the power to issue a license to a person in good standing who holds a valid license or certificate from another state and meets the requirements of license in Kentucky.

The passed bill also contains a section relates to informed client consent and confidentiality when telehealth is used or facilitated by a treating Licensed Behavior Analysts or Licensed assistant behavior analysts; "telehealth" meaning the use of interactive audio, video, or other electronic media to deliver health care, including the use of electronic media for diagnosis, consultation, treatment, transfer of health or medical data, and continuing education. The Board would be responsible for developing regulations relating to fraud prevention and ethical use by Licensees utilizing telehealth.

The other major matter addressed in the bill is provision of health insurance coverage to those diagnosed with autism under treatment prescribed by a physician ; the coverage under large group plans (greater than 50 employees) being $50,000/year/ child age 1 through the 7th birthday, and thereafter, $1000/month through age 21. Applied behavior analysis would be covered under the category of "habilitative or rehabilitative care" and is also specified separately in the bill as prescribed or ordered by a licensed health or allied health professional.

Health benefit plans in the individual and small group market have a reduced benefit, with stated coverage of $1000 maximum per month.

Other sections and clauses provide definition and scope of coverage for state employee insurance, including, but not restricted to autism services.

For further reading

Autism bill puts Kentucky at forefront
Sunday, Apr. 04, 2010
By Beth Musgrave - bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

Ky. bill requires coverage for autism services
Bloomberg.com Business Week
April 2, 2010

Autism Votes Kentucky

Past post
Friday, March 26, 2010
State legislation Quicktake: Kentucky HB 159 set to go to the Kentucky Senate for vote as early as March 29, 2010; Projections are for passage

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Former consultant to Norwalk, CT school district under multiple criminal charges; one outcome is legislation to establish formal competency to deliver behavior analysis

2010-04-03T00:53:00.000-07:00

Three years after being hired by the Norwalk School District, Norwalk, Connecticut to provide behavior analysis services to its students with autism, Stacy Lore, who operated a business called Spectrum Kids, LLC, is being held under $200,000 bond after multiple indictments for forgery, larceny and criminal impersonation. Ms. Lore is accused of falsely representing herself as holding a Doctorate in Psychology and certification by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board to the Norwalk School Board, which on that basis contracted her services in March of 2007; Ms. Lore was also contracting out her services on a private-pay basis to local families, and to other Connecticut and New York School districts. By August of 2008 multiple complaints related to accounting, service delivery, professional behavior, and lack of progress and regression in some children was reported, leading parents within the district to demand investigation and action. Even after receiving notification from the BACB that Ms. Lore was not a BACB certificant, the district did not immediately terminate her contract resulting in parents to eventually direct their inquiries to the state Attorney General and file Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to discover the extent of background checking that was done before Ms. Lore's hire.

As events have unfolded under investigation with the involvement of the Norwalk School Board, the Attorney General, the legal counsel of Norwalk Public Schools, and the Norwalk Police Department, it has come to light that Ms. Lore's credentials were not checked before her hiring. Discovery has been made that not only is she not a BACB certificant holder nor a Psychology Doctorate, but her highest level of education appears to be that of a Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) awarded from BOCES in New York State.

Ms. Lore is currently charged with three counts each of second-degree forgery, first-degree larceny and criminal impersonation. The amount in question is $170,000. This case has been transferred to the Part A dockett at Stamford, Connecticut Superior Court, with her next court appearance scheduled for April 14, 2010. Civil suits have been filed by parents against Lore and the City of Norwalk.

One outcome from this situation is that legislation was crafted by the Connecticut Attorney General and Suzanne Letso, M.A., BCBA, Co-founder and CEO of the Connecticut Center for Child Development to require certain competencies from those delivering behavior analytic services in Connecticut; the bill, CT HB 5425: An Act Concerning Special Education, is currently in the 2010 legislature.

The case involving Ms. Lore bears similarity to that of the 2006 case of Nancie Fisher in New Jersey, who also claimed false credentials and was indicted and eventually convicted of fraud involving over $200,000.

For more information
Lore case sparks new legislation to ensure therapists are qualified
Posted on 03/31/2010
By STEVE KOBAK. Hour Staff Writer. The Hour Online
[May require registration to read]

'Autism Expert' Arrested for faking credentials (VIDEO) 2:06
April 01, 2010. 6:24 p.m. ET

Lore Held on $200K Bond, Parents React
Moira Noor
The Daily Norwalk, April 1, 2010

Phony Autism Therapist, Stacy Lore, Arrested
Joan Gaylord, The Daily Norwalk
March 31, 2010

A Norwalk Public School scandal shows that Connecticut has no idea how to teach children with autism
Lauri Brett
November 20, 2009

Final Decision in the Matter of a Complaint by Margaret Bustell agains Superintendent of Schools, Norwalk Public Schools; and Norwalk Public Schools
Freedom of Information Commission of the State of Connecticut
May 13, 2009

Legal counsel confirms Lore lacked credentials to serve Norwalk schools
Posted on 02/10/2009,
Joan Gaylord, Hour Staff Writer. The Hour Online
[May require registration to read]

Duff assures Spectrum Kids clients on FOI case
Joan Gaylord, Hour Staff Writer. The Hour Online
Posted on 10/19/2008
[May require registration to read]

Special Ed Company Snagged In Accounting Audit
October 7, 2008

Update: Fake New Jersey behavior therapist is indicted for impersonating nurse.[On Nancie Fisher case]
May 14, 2006; updated May 17--Behavior News
Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan (BAAM)

Behavior Analyst Certification Board

Consumer Guidelines for Identifying, Selecting, and Evaluating Behavior Analysts Working with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders [pdf]
Autism Special Interest Group of ABA International

Connecticut Superior Court

Past posts
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
State legislation Quicktake:Connecticut H.B. 5425 passes from Education Committee with joint favorable substitute

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Great articles from the March organization for Autism Research e-newsletter

2010-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Under the header of "Science, Fads, and Behavior Analysis", the March Organization for Autism Research (OAR) newsletter, The OARacle, reprinted an article from the Autism Spectrum News, Winter 2010, 2(3), p. 21, by Dr. Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-D

A Review of Relationship Development Intervention: Is It An Evidence-Based Effective Treatment?

While the conclusions of Dr. Zane's examination of RDI is informative, there is at least equal value in the description of the process starting from literature review through comparison to accepted criteria in determining validity as an evidenced-based practice.

Another interesting article of practical value is,
"How to: Keeping your child safe"

Take Practical Steps to Ensure Your Child’s Safety
Kate Britton, M.S.Ed., M.A., BCBA and Bridget A. Taylor, PsyD, BCBA-D,

Readers are encouraged to browse the entire March issue, as well as the OAR website to become acquainted with OAR's activities, and funded research and scholarship programs.

For more information and to sign up for an e-newsletter subscription to The OARacle
The Organization for Autism Research

Past blog post
Friday, February 26, 2010
Organization for Autism Research (OAR) publishes new resource for U.S. Military Families

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Iowa - Wild and wooly ride for autism insurance bill as General Assembly prepares to adjourn

2010-03-29T03:59:00.000-07:00

**Clarifying note that the "Standings Bill" is HF 2531, [successor to HSB 741]. The author would like to apologize for prior typos on this bill number, which have now been corrected**

With the Iowa General Assembly rapidly winding up its business for the 2010 session, the major focus of Friday, Saturday and continuing into the upcoming week is HF 2531, the "Standings bill", which by addition of last minute amendments and additions is sometimes referred to as the "Christmas tree" or "Catch-all" bill. HF 2531 contains the state budget, corrections and changes to bills passed earlier in the session and bills that one body may have passed but never reached vote in the other.

Among the bills which passed in one body but not the other is

SF 2349 A bill for 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. (Formerly SF 1.), which was amended to recognize Board Certified Behavior Analysts and other licensed health professionals as service providers of applied behavior analysis.

SF 2349 was unable to come to the House floor to be deliberated as a separate bill, but as of Saturday, March 27 was active as an amendment added in the Iowa Senate to the Standings Bill, with the provision recognizing BACB certificants added as an amendment to that amendment. The amended HF 2531 also contained a budget provision for implementation of the insurance reform amendments, which strongly suggested that the autism insurance clauses would be retained in the final passed HF 2531

Although this is a positive development, on Sunday March 28, 2010, Autism Votes put out an action alert that three Iowa Representatives who had previously supported the autism insurance bill were wavering on reversing their vote, which would jeopardize approval of the amendment in the House.

Any further amendment in the House will force HF 2531 back to Senate for final concurrence.

The Iowa House is currently scheduled to resume at 10:00AM CDT, and the Senate at 2:00PM CDT. Predictions for the end of the session are imprecise, with some forecasting the final vote on the Standings bill to come as early as Monday night, and others extending through the March 31, 2010 end date originally posted on the legislative calendar.

For further reading
Iowa Legislators hope to catch all issues before sessions end
By Alex Halfmann Heartland Connection.com
Sunday, March 28, 2010 at 7:53 p.m.

Adjournment eludes Iowa legislature
Rod Boshart
Quad City Times
Posted: Saturday, March 27, 2010 10:11 pm

Iowa General Assembly

Autism Votes Iowa

Past post
Saturday, March 20, 2010
State legislation: Iowa - Autism insurance bill SF 2349 down to the wire; bill now explicitly names BCBAs as providers of ABA

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: New Hampshire HB 569-FN autism insurance bill stuck in Senate Committee

2010-03-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

On January 6, 2010,

HB 569-FN - As amended, aka "Connor's Law": clarifying insurance coverage for diagnosis and treatment of pervasive developmental disorder or autism

passed in the New Hampshire State House by a roll call vote of 213-147.

After some delay, the bill went to the Senate of the New Hampshire General Court and on March 3, 2010 was assigned to the Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection Committee. Since that time the legislative website has not shown any movement of HB 569-FN

The purpose of the bill is to clarify existing statute which presumes to cover autism treatment, however claims are commonly denied. A legislative study determined that applied behavior analysis as well as speech and occupational l therapies are necessary services that should be covered, in alignment with American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations; the purpose of HB 569-FN is to clarify that requirement. In other aspects it would not change educational or existing insurance law. While other professions are explicitly identified within the bill, the applied behavior analysis provision was inferred to be under service delivery by "provided by a pervasive developmental disorder or autism service provider"; BACB certificants or other equivalent not referenced.

-----------------
For further reading/past blog posts
Connor's Law website

Autism Votes New Hampshire page

LEG. NEWS: New Hampshire autism insurance bill on the calendar for 2010
Friday, December 18, 2009
Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG blog

Bill Docket HB 569

The New Hampshire General Court

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Rhode Island - Two autism insurance bills in the legislature; House bill explicitly identifies ABA, Senate bill not

2010-03-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

The Rhode Island General Assembly is entertaining two autism insurance bills - one, House Bill 7260, would define and cover applied behavior analysis as an autism treatment; the other, Senate Bill 2422, does not state either - it includes a provision to increase training and numbers of related personnel such as nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and occupational therapist assistants.

House Bill No.7260 BY Palumbo, Naughton, Corvese, Jackson, Caprio D

H. 7260 ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
(would require coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders)
{LC106/1}

01/28/2010 Introduced, referred to House Corporations
03/10/2010 Committee transferred to House Committee on Health, Education & Welfare
03/31/2010 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
03/31/2010 Committee postponed at request of sponsor

H.7260 defines applied behavior analysis, includes coverage of applied behavior analysis within "habilitative or rehabilitative care", however the delivery of applied behavior analysis is not defined nor are such as BACB certificants or of equivalent competency defined. A statement is made that an "Autism services provider" means any person, entity, or group that provides treatment.

Senate Bill No.2422 BY O`Neill E, Pinga, Cote, Raptakis, Maher

S.2422 ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE RHODE ISLAND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT
(would direct the departments of health and human services to prepare an accelerated intervention plan for dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and would further provide that health insurance policies must cover ASD treatment)
{LC1432/1}

02/11/2010 Introduced, referred to Senate Health and Human Services

S. 2422 does not identify applied behavior analysis, nor does it specify it as a treatment modality. The bill does direct the state institutions of higher education to evaluate whether nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs offer preparation for those who interact with ASD patients and families and present a plan, including financial and scholarship incentives to encourage study in these fields.

For more information
Bill would require R.I. insurers to cover autism treatment
01:00 AM EDT on Friday, March 26, 2010
By Gina Macris Journal Staff Writer
The Providence Journal

The State of Rhode Island General Assembly

Autism votes Rhode Island

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: Kansas S. Sub. for HB 2160 autism insurance bill put into Conference Committee

2010-03-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

On Monday, March 22, 2010 Senate Substitute for HB 2160, an autism insurance bill that would cover applied behavior analysis and recognize BCBAs who meet state definitions and conditions for designation as "autism specialists", ran into a stumbling block upon presentation to the Kansas House. The bill previously passed unanimously on March 18, 2010 in the Kansas Senate.

In the Kansas House, on motion of Representative Shultz, the House nonconcurred in Senate amendments to S. Sub. for HB 2160 and asked for a Conference Committee. Speaker O’Neal thereupon appointed Representatives Clark Shultz, Virgil Peck and Dale Swenson as conferees on the part of the House.[House Journal 3/22/10 page1193]

On the same day, on motion of Senator Teichman, the Senate acceded to the request of the House for a conference on Senate Substitute for HB 2160. The President appointed Senators Ruth Teichman, Karin Brownlee and Chris Steineger as conferees on the part of the Senate. [Senate Journal 3/22/10 p. 1231]

As of Friday, March 26, 2010, the Kansas legislative website shows that S.Sub HB 2160 was still in Conference Committee.

For more information
Kansas Legislature

Past post
Thursday, March 18, 2010
State legislation quicktake: Kansas Senate Substitute for HB 2160 (S Sub HB 2160) passes with amendment in Kansas Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: Kentucky HB 159 set to go to the Kentucky Senate for vote as early as March 29, 2010; Projections are for passage

2010-03-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

The Kentucky State Senate appears poised to pass as early as Monday, KY HB 159, a bill that would both provide coverage for applied behavior analysis for Kentucky children with autism and, in a recent version, establish a license and licensing board for Behavior Analysts. Autism Votes earlier today announced that HB 159 had passed unanimously in the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee, and a news story followed up that the bill is on the Senate Consent Calendar,

"...The Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee approved HB 159 and placed it on the consent calendar — a spot reserved for legislation without opposition that is likely to pass with no discussion.

“We’re going to pass it,” [Senate President David] Williams said.

[Rep. Jeff] Greer said he was pleased that the bill could win final approval as early as Monday. “It’s going to change children’s lives — no doubt about it,” he said..."

The Kentucky Legislative calendar does not have specific bills posted but does show business being conducted in the Senate on Monday, March 29, 2010 commencing at 12:00 Noon EDT.

HB 159 previously passed by unanimous vote in the Kentucky House on March 16, 2010, so voting in the Senate would determine whether the bill would go to the Kentucky Governor for signature into law.

For more information
House backs new rules for KACo, League of Cities
By Joseph Gerth • and Deborah Yetter • March 26, 2010

Past blog post
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
State legislation - Kentucky HB 159/CS autism insurance and licensing of behavior analysts scheduled for House Floor on Tuesday March 16, 2010

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Federal legislation: H.R. 4872 Reconciliation Act rapidly passed by U.S. Senate and House on March 25, 2010 - goes to President for signature

2010-03-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

An amended reconciliation bill H.R. 4872 passed in the U.S. House Thursday night, March 25, 2010 by a vote of 220 to 207 on the motion to concur with the Senate amendments after its return from the Senate earlier in the day. In the Senate, the vote was 56 to 42. The vote split approximately down political party lines, with Republicans in both chambers unanimously opposed.

H.R. 4872 now goes to the President for signature for implementation into law. The companion bill, which H.R. 4872 amends, H.R. 3950, was signed into law on Tuesday, March 23, 2010.

National Public Radio reports that the first task resulting from the new laws would be establishment of a federally funded "high-risk pool" program to cover those turned down for preexisting conditions by private insurance. Currently the law would call for 90 days to do so. NPR also describes some of the related details.

Among some of the questions still circulating is the cost of the laws.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently issued reports of their assessment and analysis of national costs/benefits of health care (and education) reform specific to this legislation (H.R. 4872 & H.R. 3950).

More media stories
It’s Done: House Passes Reconciliation Bill
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
March 25, 2010, 10:39 pm
NYTimes Prescriptions blog

Roll Call: House vote on second health care bill
Washington Post/Associated Press
The Associated Press
Thursday, March 25, 2010; 9:41 PM

The Health Law's First Test: Extending Coverage
by Mary Agnes Carey
National Public Radio
March 26, 2010

Past blog posts
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Federal legislation: Procedural technicalities will send H.R. 4872 reconciliation bill back to the U.S. House for final approval

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Reminder from the Association for Science in Autism Treatment to sign up for free Spring newsletter

2010-03-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT), whose mission is is to share accurate, scientifically sound information about autism and treatments for autism, has announced that the Spring issue of ASAT's no-cost quarterly newsletter, Science in Autism Treatment will be issued next week.

Practitioners are welcomed and encouraged to sign up to receive the issue when it comes out - and to also encourage client families and colleagues to sign-up and browse the other resources that ASAT makes available to provide unbiased information on evidenced treatments for autism.

Federal legislation: Procedural technicalities will send H.R. 4872 reconciliation bill back to the U.S. House for final approval

2010-03-25T03:59:00.000-07:00

Three minor parlimentary challenges in the reconciliation act H.R. 4872, which would implement desired House amendments to the recently signed into law health reform bill H.R. 3590 , have flagged the measure for a return to the U.S. House of Representatives after U.S. Senate approval.

One problemative provision was in the educational portion of the bill dealing with the calculation formula of student Pell grants in the portion of H.R. 4872 dealing with restructuring of student education loans, another was characterized as insignificant and technical; both removed from the bill. A third is under review by the Senate Parlimentarian, but is also considered minor. None of these are considered significant enough to delay final approval of H.R. 4872.

Prior to these successful parlimentary challenges, Senators voted on and defeated 29 consecutive GOP amendments in a marathon voting session between 5:30 PM.EDT Wednesday and 2:45 AM EDT Thursday, when they recessed.

The Senate has been ordered to reconvene at 9:15AM EDT on Thursday, March 25. Some predictions are that voting on the reconciliation in the Senate will conclude sometime on Thursday, and that the House will readdress H.R 4872 on Friday, March 26, 2010.

C-SPAN2 will offer gavel to gavel live stream coverage, scheduled at 9:45AM - 2:45PM EDT.

For more information
US health bill sent back for new House vote
BBC News

G.O.P. Forces New House Vote on Package of Health Bill Changes
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and ROBERT PEAR
Published: March 25, 2010

Final Piece of Health Bill Hits Snag
Wall Street Journal health
MARCH 25, 2010, 4:41 A.M. ET

Senate Will Have To Return Health Bill To House
by The Associated Press
National Public Radio

Past blog posts
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Autism Speaks Blog addresses the Federal Health Reform Law and effects on autism coverage of treatment and ABA

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation: Massachusetts - HB 181 & S. 47 would license practitioners of applied behavior analysis

2010-03-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

The General Court of the State of Massachusetts is currently entertaining two licensing measures which would regulate practitioners and the practice of applied behavior analysis within the state.

H.B. 181 and S.B. 47, would impose criminal penalties on anyone practicing ABA without a license. These bills establish two levels of practitioner, at the doctorate and master’s levels, and define the scope of practice of ABA to include conducting ABA-based therapy, as well as planning and supervision services. Bill Histories show that both H.B.181 and S.47 are currently in the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

H.B. 181: An Act relative to the licensure of applied behavior analysts.
and
S. 47: An Act relative to the licensure of applied behavior analysts.

would create the professional titles of,

“Licensed Independent Applied Behavior Analyst (LIABA)”, an individual who by training and experience meets the requirements for licensing by the board and is duly licensed to practice independent applied behavior analysis., and

"Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst (LABA)", an individual who by training and experience meets the requirements for licensing by the board and is duly licensed to practice applied behavior analysis.

as well as create a nine member separate professional licensing board - seven members to be drawn from the Licensed Applied Behavior Analysts of both levels and two members would be selected as representatives of the public.

Both bills describe in some detail the proposed operations, powers and duties of the licensing board, defines the scope of practice of applied behavior analysis, the qualifications and requirements of those applying for a license - which initially includes receipt of certification by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, supervision competencies, responsibility to clients and colleagues, safeguards and penalties.

The bills state that the measures would not prevent specified members of other professions from doing work of an applied behavior analytic nature consistent with standards of their professions, but that they cannot present themselves to the public implying that they are applied behavior analysts or are licensed to practice applied behavior analysis.

In relation to special education the Massachusetts Department of Education would develop standards and implement policy necessary to include the profession of applied behavior analysis as a "related service provider".

For more information
General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State Advocacy: Ohio - April 14, 2010 Autism Awareness Rally and Reception Planned at Ohio Statehouse

2010-03-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Two events sponsored by Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of Ohio are scheduled for Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at the Ohio Statehouse:
A daytime rally and meetings with State Senators to raise autism awareness and to advocate for autism related bills in the Ohio legislature, and an evening reception for advocates and constituents to meet with legislators and other decision makers to discuss autism, and autism supports and services in Ohio districts.

Autism Awareness Rally 11:00AM - 12:00 Noon
The rally will be held April 14, 2010, 11:00am to 12:00 noon on the south lawn of the Ohio Statehouse
Parking is available under the Statehouse or flat lots by the Statehouse. Informational handouts about HB 8 and SB 220/HB 399 will be available for all advocates and media.

Speakers will be addressing the bills,

HB 8: A BILL To amend section 1739.05 and to enact sections 1751.68 and 3923.84 of the Revised Code to prohibit health insurers from excluding coverage for specified services for individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

Passed in the Ohio House 12/8/2009;
Currently in the Senate Insurance, Commerce & Labor Committee.

SB 220 / HB 399: To amend section 955.011 of the Revised Code to revise the definition of "mobility impaired person" to include a person who is diagnosed with autism for purposes of the statutes governing assistance dogs.

SB 220 currently in the Senate Health, Human Services, & Aging Committee &
HB 399 is currently in the House Health Committee

and updating participants on other issues related to autism.

Attendees are requested to bring signs (without a pole) showing support for HB 8, saying thanks for passing HB 8 and listing his/her State Representative. It is also suggested that attendees call and set up an appointment with his/her state Senator to discuss HB 8 and SB 220/HB 399.

Announced speakers are,

State Representative Ted Celeste (24, Columbus) – Co-Leader of the House Autism Legislative Caucus
Amy Feagle – Parent of a child with Autism – President, Dayton Area Families For Effective Autism Treatment (DAFEAT) – Advocating on behalf of House Bill 8 – Autism insurance reform
State Senator Tom Patton (24, Cleveland) – Co-Leader of the Senate Autism Legislative Caucus
Dr. Jim Bryant, Chief, Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH), Ohio Department of Health
State Senator Kevin Coughlin (27, Cuyahoga Falls) – Ohio Autism Scholarship Program
Oakstone Academy – Kids will be speaking
State Representative Kevin Bacon (21, Columbus), Co-Leader of the House Autism Legislative Caucus - Parent of a child with Autism – Update on HB 399/SB 220 – Autism Assisted Dog bill
Kathe Shelby – Executive Director - ODE - Office of Exceptional Children – update on educational issues
Alex Sawyers – Adult with Autism
State Senator Jason Wilson (30, St. Clairsville) – Co-Leader of the Senate Autism Legislative Caucus
John L. Martin, Director of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities – Early Intensive Waiver and Interagency Work Group
Special Guest Speaker - Stanley Jackson - WTVN pre/post game Color Analyst for OSU football, and former professional and Ohio State University quarterback.

There will be kids' activities, such as face painting, thanks to Oakstone Academy. Tables will be set up from Autism providers and advocacy groups.

Autism Awareness Legislative Reception: 5:00PM – 7:00PM
In the evening, an Autism Awareness Legislative Reception will be held in the Atrium of the Statehouse. Legislators have been invited to meet with constituents from their districts to learn more about autism and autism supports and services in their district. Department Directors, members of the Interagency Workgroup on Autism and the Governor’s office have also been invited. Appetizers and refreshments will be provided by Autism Society of Ohio.

For more information:
CONTACTS:
RALLY: Doug Krinsky (Parent of a child with Autism), CAC, Autism Speaks,
(614) 554-0802, yogi1125@aol.com
RECEPTION: Barbara Yavorcik, Executive Director, Autism Society of Ohio, (614) 537-4079, askASO@autismohio.org, www.autismohio.org

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Autism Speaks Blog addresses the Federal Health Reform Law and effects on autism coverage of treatment and ABA

2010-03-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

The Autism Speaks blog has put up a post in which they identify what is seen as the outcome from the passage of S. 3590 and the potential passage of H.R. 4872.

Health Care Reform: What does it mean for the Autism community?

While the post is posed in general terms, there are comments related to those plans under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) not being required to provide the essential benefits package requiring "behavioral health", and what they see as benefits and effects on state mandates.

Will health care reform directly benefit the autism community?
Does it apply to all insurers?
How does health care reform impact the state autism insurance reform effort?

The short version is that passage of the Federal health care reform, while projected as a positive outcome for the country as a whole, is not a universal solution to the coverage and reimbursement problems currently facing families with a child who has an autism diagnosis, and that Autism Speaks' assessment is that obtaining uniform coverage providing behavior analytic treatment for those with an autism diagnosis will require continuing advocacy and legislation at both Federal and State levels. That blog also welcomes comments and questions.

Related posts
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

Tuesday, December 22, 2009
FYI: Self-funded Health Insurance Plans and ERISA

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: New York autism insurance bill A. 10372 passes in committee; referred to Ways and Means

2010-03-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

Autism Votes reports that New York Assembly bill,

A.10372: Requires that individual accident and health insurance policies shall provide coverage for screening, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.

Passed in the in the Assembly Insurance Committee on Wednesday, March 24, 2010.

The New York legislative website shows that A. 10372 has been referred to Ways and Means.

As of March 24, 2010, both of New York's autism insurance bills, S.7000A and A.10372 have quickly and unanimously passed their respective committees, which suggests some promise for positive progress in this legislature.

Past blog posts
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
State legislation Quicktake: New York autism insurance bill A. 10372 may be voted on in committee on Wednesday, March 24, 2010

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake:Connecticut H.B. 5425 passes from Education Committee with joint favorable substitute

2010-03-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

On Friday, March 19, 2010,

Connecticut H.B. 5425: AN ACT CONCERNING SPECIAL EDUCATION.
To reconstitute the State Advisory Council for Special Education by reducing the number of members to make it consistent with federal law; to require boards of education to provide applied behavior analysis services to certain special education students; to establish that the burden of proof lies with the party requesting a special education hearing; and to require the school district from which a child transfers to pay for such child's special education costs for the remainder of the school year.

was passed unanimously in the Education Committee

and on Monday, March 22, 2010 was filed with the Legislative Commissioner's Office.

Amendments appear to be most pertinent to certain structural changes to the proposed Advisory Council for Special Education, and financial responsibility for special education students who change districts or commence special education services after the start of the school year.

Previous posts
Thursday, March 4, 2010
State legislation: Connecticut HB 5425 - Addresses behavior analysis in IEPs for ASD students and provider competencies

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: Vermont autism insurance bill as amended passes state Senate, sent to the House

2010-03-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, March 23, 2010 Vermont autism insurance bill, S. 262, was passed by the Vermont Senate in its amended form and transmitted to the Vermont House. In the amended form, the bill has been modified to study insurance options.

Past post
Saturday, March 20, 2010
State legislation: Vermont S. 262, to receive 3rd reading in VT Senate on March 23, 2010; Finance committee recommends amendments revising bill to insurance study bill

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

State legislation Quicktake: New York autism insurance bill A. 10372 may be voted on in committee on Wednesday, March 24, 2010

2010-03-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

Autism Votes reports that the New York Assembly autism insurance bill

A.10372: Requires that individual accident and health insurance policies shall provide coverage for screening, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder

will be voted on in the Assembly Insurance Committee on
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 and has issued an action alert.

On Monday, March 22, 2010, the identical Senate bill, S.7000A was approved in the Senate Insurance Committee.

Past posts
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
State legislation Quicktakes - New York S.7000A and Maine SP 446/LD 1198 advance in legislatures

Friday, March 19, 2010
State legislation: New York - New autism insurance bill, A 10372, introduced

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.

Federal legislation: Live video stream of President Obama signing the "Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act" into law

2010-03-23T07:50:00.000-07:00

Live stream completed. Video of signing posted at Whitehouse.gov.

Live video stream March 23, 2010 11:15 AM EDT (8:15 AM PDT)

President Obama Signs the Health Insurance Reform Bill 27:07 minutes

The White House

Related posts
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.