8:30 - 8:45 am
Presidential Address

8:45 - 10:15 am
Keynote Session: The Effects of Trauma and Resiliency of Black American Women: Creating Safe Spaces for Supervisees
Presented by danyelle goitia beal, PsyD, BCBA

This study explored the effects of trauma and resiliency among 10 Black women across the United States. Participants’ ages ranged from 27 to 82, and all had experience living in foster homes in their childhood. The goals of this research were to: (a) explore participants’ experiences with childhood trauma; (b) identify particular resilience factors as described by each participant; and (c) offer insight for identifying particular factors for resilience and coping strategies among Black American women.

A transcendental phenomenological research design was used. This type of study allowed for a phenomenon to be researched through the participants’ lived experiences, those data were then examined and interpreted through the lens of resilience theory (Garmezy, 1991).

The findings suggest that participants were able to survive their childhood experiences because they had access to community resources, such as community pools, public libraries and people who invested in them. In an effort to move past their childhood trauma, these participants accessed higher education and, in those systems, endured more injury. Black women must be protected in these environments. Studies show that Black women often carry the responsibility of protecting themselves (Masten, 2014). Further exploration demonstrates that when Black women who have suffered trauma operate in environments that don’t share that responsibility, there is a potential for further harm. The misnomer “strong Black woman”, or the superwoman archetype (Woods-Giscombé, 2010), can prove to be harmful for her healing journey. The goal of this research is to teach practitioners to use culturally responsive tools to support Black women supervisees and the families they serve.

Session sponsored by: 

10:15 - 10:30 am
Break

Break sponsored by: 

10:30 - 11:30 am
Concurrent Sessions

Advancements in Efforts to Define and Scale Compassionate Care in ABA
Presented by Carey Beranek, BCBA and Ehren Werntz, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA

Compassion has been an area of research in healthcare going back to the 1970’s (e.g. Lanara, 1976), and it is well established that compassionate care has important implications related patient satisfaction and outcomes. In recent years “compassion” and “compassionate care” have become subjects of increasing interest in ABA. This conversation is important, overdue, and a great deal of work remains to define and scale compassion within our field. In this presentation, AZA United’s Clinical Vice Presidents, Dr. Ehren Werntz and Carey Beranek will introduce a functional, measurable definition of compassion for application within multiple levels of ABA, as well as a comprehensive curriculum designed to ensure competency in the area of compassionate care as a skillset for clinicians and treatment consistent with today’s best practices.

Foundations of Care: An Organizational Approach to Ensuring Compassionate Service Delivery
Presented by Brittany Bauerle, BCBA, Cynthia Kennedy, BCBA, Hillary Laney, BCBA, and Liisa Podosek, BCBA

The field of Applied Behavior Analysis is facing tumultuous discussion regarding ethics, quality, and organizational status (Silbaugh & El Fattal, 2021). Clinical quality at large ABA agencies requires alignment unilaterally from the executive team through the individual provider to be effective. Identifying and adopting a model that aligns with evidence based practice, safety, compassion, dignity and respect may provide a guiding compass for organizations looking to improve the quality of their services and achieve meaningful outcomes. This symposium includes three presentations that will outline how a nationwide organization has integrated the values of the Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skill Based Treatment (SBT) to develop a Response to Intervention model, called Foundations to Care, that starts with an entry level behavior intervention plan for all clients, then utilizes the PFA and SBT as components for the assessment and treatment of interfering behavior. The first presentation provides an outline of the major components of the entry level behavior plan, the Foundational Plan and data from its adoption across initial training and implementation efforts. The second presentation will describe the adoption of the PFA as a functional analysis to inform treatment and organization-wide data supporting its effective and efficient use. This presentation will also highlight the impact of Skill Based Treatment across interfering behaviors and skill acquisition domains. The third presentation will provide an overview of the mentorship model used to train clinicians in all components of the Foundations of Care and its effect on clinical practice. Additionally, comments on large-scale adoption of evidence-based, values driven care which leads to socially valid changes in the lives of clients and their families will be shared

RBT Track: Building Compassionate Relationships- Modern Approaches to Pairing H.R.E, and Assent/ Assent Withdrawal
Presented by Kiana Hernandez, RBT and Bella Holmen, RBT

This presentation will discuss building compassionate relationships with clients and technicians through modern approaches to pairing, establishing H.R.E before implementation, and acknowledging assent and assent withdrawal. 

11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Lunch

Sponsored by: 

1:00 - 2:00 pm
Concurrent Sessions

Moving Towards Value in Your Organization: The Future of Reimbursement Structures in ABA
Presented by Sara Litvak, MA, BCBA

This presentation will provide an overview of ways ABA organizations can use measurement systems to prepare for value-based care. Focusing on client outcomes is one important component, but we must also be prepared to provide indices of cost and demonstrate efficient and effective processes. Measurement is not only important at the individual level, but also aggregated to show performance within and among groups as well as the level of the organization as a whole. The presentation will provide a foundational overview of value-based care and review existing value-based care models working successfully in Applied Behavior Analysis to promote improved quality and patient outcomes.

RBT Track: RBT, You Can Count On Me. Delivering Person-Centered Care in ABA 
Presented by Cara Brown, BCBA and Yvette Sierra, BCBA

2:00 - 2:15 pm
Break

2:15 - 3:45 pm
Keynote Session: Leadership as a Value: Embracing Radical Acceptance, Self-Reflection and Shared Valuing for Meaningful Action Toward Human Dignity
Presented by Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi, Ed.D., BCBA, LBA

3:45 - 4:00 pm
Break

4:00 - 5:00 pm
Nurturing Values: Empowering Assent-Based Parent Support
Panelists: danyelle goitia beal, PsyD, BCBA, Mari Cerda, Ph.D., TR-BA, BCBA, LBA and Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi, Ed.D., BCBA, LBA