[FEAT BC Admin]

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[Deleted User]

I have been able to locate the complete list of all BCBA's in Canada.

Unfortunately there are none in British Columbia.

However, Kimberly Wroblewski in Vancouver is a BCABA. (Is she with EAP?) This catorization has a slightly less stringet qualification requirement than the BCBA.

Some of the other service providers in BC may be supervised by US based BCBA. I only know the qualifications of my own team, I am not familiar enough with other service providers to say anything about their qualifications.

Here is the list of Canadian BCBA, and BCABA's.

Canada Arnold-Saritepe Angela London Ontario BCBA
Canada Barrera Francisco Blenheim Ontario BCBA
Canada Cairns Colleen Kinston Ontario BCBA
Canada Cauley Kevin Mississauga Ontario BCABA
Canada Duda Michelle Enniskillen Ontario BCBA
Canada Guenther Shayna Toronto Ontario BCABA
Canada Hundert Joel Hamilton Ontario BCBA
Canada Walton-Allen Nicole Hamilton Ontario BCBA
Canada Wroblewski Kimberly Vancouver British Columbia BCABA

Joyce Dassonville GN LLB
Family and Health & Disability Lawyer

Address:# 114 – 8532 120th Street
Surrey, British Columbia
V3W 3N5
Phone: (604) 598-8623
Fax: (604) 598-8624
Email: joyce@dassonvillelaw.ca
Web Page:www.dassonvillelaw.ca

[Erik Minty]

Amidst the proliferation of postings in the last few days I've caught several references to fluency-based training. By circumstance I happen to have a vague notion of what that is, but could someone intimitely familiar with this technique please describe it? I certainly would not be able to do it justice.

My understanding was that fluency-based training is a specific ABA-based technique, distinct from mass trials (or is it discrete trials). Is this the case, or is it a different animal altogether?

In either case, it would also be useful to know from one of the many experts amongst us, what the current state of research is on the effectiveness of this method.

As a side note, I'm happy to report a very successful first two weeks of Kindergarten, and very promising levels of support from the school. Due no doubt in no small part to the giant heroes who have paved the way ahead of us (and continue to do so). There is hope after all.

[Stephen Paperman]

Let's not get lost in the red herring of American board certification. This particular credential may be of use in some ways, but it means next to nothing when it comes to being a Lovaas-ABA consultant. ABA is a discipline that is used for much more than teaching children with autism, and many board-certified analysts are not autism experts. Indeed, some of the BC government's pet service providers — yes, those discredited in court — are certified. Likewise, many of the consultants who do the best work for our children do not possess this certification. They do however possess the training and experience, including work at UCLA under Lovaas, which is necessary for our kids.

At some point, hopefully we will have a system of certification for Lovaas-ABA experts, but this is still something for the future.

It bears repeating here, perhaps, that FEAT supports medically-necessary, science-based treatment for autism. The treatment which has been backed by data for autism is Lovaas-ABA, not any of the other variant forms of experiemental therapy, including but not limited to TEACCCCH, floortime, diets, vitamins, or fluency. This doesn't mean there may not be data which shows one or more of these effective in the future, but at present, there is no objective proof to show that they are effective.

This may be difficult for some people who feel these experimental regimes are effective, but our successes at fighting for our children's rights are founded on fighting for proven therapy. The government tried and failed to label Lovaas-ABA experimental, because experimental therapies are not required to be covered under medicare. Attempting to fight for the right to experimental treatments with no science backing is not a battle of which I care to be a part.

[Deleted User]

I have recently had the opportunity to speak/reply to numerous parents of children with autism. These parents phoned me (or emailed me directly) all seeing information.

One of the common themes I noticed was the lack of information available to parents on the appropriate qualifications for a consultant.

I have copied and pasted the American Behavior Analyst Certification Board published Standards for a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Canada/BC do not have any such Board.

The location where you live and the money you have (or can borrow), will clearly influence just who you can hire, or if you simply have to make up your own program. Nevertheless, the standards I have copied below should at least give parents some guideline as to what to compare the qualifications of perspective consultants too.

http://www.bacb.com/becom_frame.html

Revised Standards for Board Certified Behavior Analyst™ (BCBA®)

OPTION 1: Coursework/Experience
OPTION 2: Coursework/Experience/Portfolio
OPTION 3: College Teaching/Experience ­ Expired 6/30/2002, Reinstated 6/30/2003
OPTION 4: Instructor/Experience/Portfolio ­ Expired 12/31/2001

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

CHANGES IN THE STANDARDS

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they apply under the current BACB Standards. The current BACB Standards will be posted on the BACB website. The BACB Standards are subject to revision in the sole discretion of the BACB Board of Directors. Whenever possible, advance notice of any substantial standard changes will also be posted at this website (2002).

Eligibility to sit for the BCBA certification examination requires completion of Sections A and B below and compliance with all other rules and requirements of the BACB.

A. Degree Requirement: Possession of a minimum of a bachelor's and a master's degree from any of the following:

United States or Canadian institution of higher education fully or provisionally accredited by a regional, state, provincial or national accrediting body; or An institution of higher education located outside the United States or Canada that, at the time the applicant was enrolled and at the time the applicant graduated, maintained a standard of training equivalent to the standards of training of those institutions accredited in the United States.

B. Training and Experience Requirements

OPTION 1: Coursework/Experience

Coursework: The applicant must complete 180 classroom hours of graduate level instruction (see Definition of Terms below) in the following content areas and for the number of hours specified:
Basic behavior analytic principles – 45 hours
The application of behavior analytic principles and methods in applied settings – 45 hours
Single-subject research methods – 20 hours
Ethical and professional standards issues relevant to the practice of behavior analysis – 10 hours
Any other behavior analysis content area – 60 hours
Experience: The applicant must complete
18 months of Mentored Experience, or
9 months of Supervised Experience, or
A combination of a and b above.

Experience must include at least 20 hours per week, 80 hours per month, in behavior analysis. See definitions of Mentored and Supervised Experience in the Definition of Terms below. Possession of a doctorate degree from an institution that meets the requirements specified in Section A., with a dissertation that had behavior analysis as its central focus, may be substituted for 9 months of mentored experience.

OPTION 2: Coursework/Experience/Portfolio – Expires 12/31/2003

Coursework: The applicant must complete a total of 90 hours of acceptable graduate level instruction in behavior analysis consisting of the following:
60 hours in basic behavior analytic principles and the application of these principles in an applied setting;
20 hours in single-subject research methods; and
10 hours in ethical and professional standards issues relevant to the practice of applied behavior analysis

Experience: The applicant must complete
30 months of Mentored Experience, or
15 months of Supervised Experience, or
a combination of a and b above.
Experience must include at least 20 hours per week, 80 hours per month, in behavior analysis. See definitions of Mentored and Supervised Experience in the Definition of Terms below.
Possession of a doctorate degree from an institution that meets the requirements specified in Section A., with a dissertation that had behavior analysis as its central focus, may be substituted for 9 months of mentored experience.

Portfolio: The applicant must submit a documentation portfolio (see Definition of Terms below) of one case study completed during the experience.

OPTION 3: College Teaching/Experience – Expired 6/30/2002; Reinstated 6/30/2003

College Teaching: The applicant must complete a one-year, full-time faculty appointment in a tenure track position at a college or university (as described in Section A above) during which the applicant:
Teaches classes on basic principles of behavior, single-subject research methods, applications of basic principles of behavior in applied settings, and ethical issues; and
conducts and publishes research in behavior analysis.
Experience: The applicant must complete
18 months of Mentored Experience, or
9 months of Supervised Experience, or
A combination of a and b above. Experience must include at least 20 hours per week, 80 hours per month, in behavior analysis.

See definitions of Mentored and Supervised Experience in the Definition of Terms below. Possession of a doctorate degree from an institution that meets the requirements specified in Section A., with a dissertation that had behavior analysis as its central focus, may be substituted for 9 months of mentored experience.

OPTION 4: Instructor/Experience/Portfolio – Expired 12/31/2001.

Instructor: The applicant must be the primary instructor of a class covering basic principles of behavior, and the application of these basic principles in applied settings.

Experience: The applicant must complete
36 months of Mentored Experience, or
18 months of Supervised Experience, or
A combination of a and b above.
Experience must include at least 20 hours per week, 80 hours per month, in behavior analysis. See definitions of Mentored and Supervised Experience in the Definition of Terms below. Possession of a doctorate degree from an institution that meets the requirements specified in Section A., with a dissertation that had behavior analysis as its central focus, may be substituted for 9 months of mentored experience.

Portfolio: The applicant must submit a documentation portfolio (see Definition of Terms below) of three case studies completed during the experience.
Definitions of Terms

ACCEPTABLE COURSEWORK: Instruction of the type(s) specified in either a, b, or c, below, will be accepted toward the coursework requirement.

College or university courses in behavior analysis, that are taken from an institution that meets the requirements specified in Section A.
Non-college or university courses approved for this purpose by the State of Florida (subject to rules).
A combination of college or university courses and approved courses.
One semester credit is equivalent to 15 hours of instruction and one quarter credit is equivalent to 10 hours of instruction.
MENTORED EXPERIENCE: Acceptable mentored experience must meet all of the following conditions:

The applicant’s primary duties during the mentored experience are:
Designing, implementing and monitoring behavior analysis programs for persons and/or,
Overseeing the implementation of behavior analysis programs by others.
Mentored experience includes monthly contacts between the applicant and a mentor who either is a BCBA, or can meet the degree requirements and one of the coursework options for taking the BCBA examination. During the monthly contacts, the mentor discusses and evaluates the behavior analysis programs designed by the applicant.

The mentor is not the applicant's subordinate or employee during the mentored experience period. The mentor will not be considered an employee of the applicant if the only compensation received by the mentor consists of payment for mentoring.
SUPERVISED EXPERIENCE: Supervised Experience that meets the following criteria may be substituted for mentored experience on a 2 to one basis. One month of acceptable supervised experience is equivalent to 2 months of acceptable mentored experience, subject to the following conditions:
The applicant’s primary duties during the supervised experience are:
Designing, implementing and monitoring behavior analysis programs for persons and/or,
Overseeing the implementation of behavior analysis programs by others.
Supervised experience includes face-to-face meetings for at least two hours every two weeks between the applicant and a supervisor who either is a BCBA, or can meet the degree requirements and one of the coursework options for taking the BCBA examination. During supervision meetings, the supervisor discusses and evaluates the behavior analysis programs designed by the applicant.

The supervisor is not the applicant's subordinate or employee during the supervised experience period. The mentor will not be considered an employee of the applicant if the only compensation received by the supervisor consists of payment for supervision.
PORTFOLIO DOCUMENTATION: The applicant must document that the behavior analysis programs designed by the applicant were applied, behavioral, analytic, technological, conceptually systematic, generalized and effective relative to the definitions of these terms found in "Some Current Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis" by D. M. Baer, M. M. Wolf, and T. R. Risley (Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Volume 1, 1968).
If the applicant must submit a documentation portfolio, the portfolio should provide case studies completed during the experience period that includes:

Behavioral assessments that contain a functional assessment.
Behavior analysis programs based on these assessments.
Data displays related to these programs.
Behavior analysis program monitoring reports for these programs.

Joyce Dassonville GN LLB
Health & Disability Lawyer

# 114 – 8532 120th Street
Surrey, BC, V3W 3N5
Phone: (604) 598-8623
Email: (604) 598-8624
Web: http://www.dassonvillelaw.ca

[Deleted User]

I am writing this message in response to Monika, Sabrina, Laurie, and Stephen’s responses to my last post. To start, Monika and Laurie, I believe that you are miss-interpreting everything I say. I AM NOT targeting Sabrina for anything! I posted some of my ideas. Sabrina CHOSE to share her opinion on my ideas, and therefore I returned with my ideas on her ideas, etc. I believe that that is how this board works. If there is something in the rules that says that I am not to respond to anything that Sabrina has said because that is heresy, please let me know and I will stop! I apologies if you think that I do not respect Sabrina because I do. She has done a lot for children with Autism. I also apologies if this further offends you, but I think you need to read what I am writing, not make assumptions about my meaning. You will find that making assumptions is a very inefficient way of sharing info because you (vous) get over excited when really the other person is usually saying exactly what you (again vous) are saying (see my comments in the next paragraph). PS Laurie, I posted Anonymous to avoid the personal attacks that you seem to want to dish out, had you known my name. Even Sabrina pointed out that it is the issues that need to be discussed and clarified, not the people!

To Stephen and Sabrina, I complete agree with most of what you both wrote. I think that you managed to put it better than me, Sabrina, for you said exactly what I meant and no one disagreed with you! Support for families is necessary, and (I feel anyway) that the government, to remove any class or location disadvantages for families in remote communities, should fund it. You are also right that this should not come at the expense of medically necessary therapy (Lovaas – ABA). These are points that I never said I was in disagreement with. I was attempting to discuss the benefits of parental support, to Lovaas – ABA programs.

Now, a question I have, and maybe you can answer it Sabrina (as I am not too proficient at reading legalese). If the court determined that Lovaas – ABA is a medically necessary treatment, why is it being funded through MCFD, and not the Ministry of Health?

As for your comments on the abuse, I will give but one last comment on that. I completely understand that non-documented abuse is not provable! Don’t you see how the fact that abuse, in home-based ABA programs, is going undocumented and that is the problem? This leads to people being unaware of it, and therefore no one can do anything about it!

“…Patronizing attitude toward parents who live in the 'hinterland'” Here I have to say that I again agree with your comments. I was not being patronizing. The lack of services and education about the therapy that they SHOULD be getting is ridiculous. I also completely agree as to why they aren’t getting it, but that isn’t my point! My point is simply (as stated by you and agreed on by me above) that these parents do not have access to the supports that people in large communities have; therefore, they NEED parental support!

You stated: “Parents who are case managers don't need Gateway services Parents who function as the case managers for their children's Lovaas-type program do not need the "support" of Gateway because their consultants offer all the programming
and direction required. If they are unable or unwilling to follow through on their consultant's directions, then it's a near certainty they will not benefit from any Gateway parent education either.”

Well this is the only part of the message I dis-agree with. At present (hopefully not forever) there are not enough qualified ABA consultants, and the consultants are too expensive to provide one on one support to parents. If a parent is not ABLE (I will not disagree with you on the point of “unwilling”) to follow though, one on one support and education about Autism can provide them with the information in a way that is understandable to THEM. Like the concept of ABA, teaching the children in a way that they learn (i.e. discrete trial), so too should the parents be taught in a way that they can learn. We should not just dismiss them because they are not able to do what the typical population can do. Why shouldn’t we afford the parents the same courtesy you have fought so hard for, for their children? Now, if you show me (and this is not a challenge, merely a question) good double blind research showing that parental support is ineffective in helping parents, and that supporting parents has a direct negative impact on an ABA program (assuming that the support is willing to cooperate with the ABA consultant’s recommendations), I will not say another word about this!

Again, thank you for your input and I look forward to hearing what (constructive) things you have to say about these ideas. Also, Sabrina, I hope that you have only read my messages and not made assumptions about slandering you. If you have, I apologize!

Paradigm Anon

[Deleted User]

I am replying to Lou Arab.

At the time we started a Lovaas based ABA program with our daughter we were living in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. We were extremely luckly and snapped up a young lady who had just moved to Nova Scotia from Alberta, (Edmonton,I think).
The therpist from Alberta started working with my daughter in 2000.

While in Edmonton this therapist worked under local consultants, supervised by 2 different consultants coming to Alberta from UCLA from time to time. She refered to her past experience in Alberta as "Autism Partnership". I may have been mistaken to think that was the same as EAP. I have no knowledge of the availability of EAP (or Autism Patnership) consultants in Alberta at this time.

The therapist left Alberta to move to Nova Scotia for personal/family reasons and was in our employ before any other families with autistic children even knew she was in town. She worked full time (40 hours) per week for us for 6 months and then she began training another therapist to take her place. She continued to work for us on decreasing hours per week until the fall before we left NS to move to BC. She did amazing work with our daughter, but unfortunately had no experience with older children, and there came a point in time where she did not have the expertise to continue with our daughter.

Joyce Dassonville GN LLB
Health & Disability Lawyer

Address:# 114 – 8532 120th Street
Surrey, British Columbia
V3W 3N5
Phone: (604) 598-8623
Fax: (604) 598-8624
Email: joyce@dassonvillelaw.ca
Web Page:www.dassonvillelaw.ca

[Lou Arab]

Joyce wrote:

She was started on an intensive program with an experienced therapist who had 4 years of full time experience with a Lovaas based program from Alberta. (EAP).

Lou has a question:

I think I am misreading this. What was the lovaas based program from Alberta? By EAP do you mean the Early Autism Project? Or something else? They are based in Vancouver and I'm pretty sure my son is the only Albertan recieving treatment from EAP.

Just wondering.

Lou Arab (Ethan's Dad)
Edmonton, Alberta

[Deleted User]

When my daughter was first diagnosed, we also faced the language question. My first language is English and my husband's first language is French. Until the diagnosis, I spoke only English to my two daughter's (one autistic and one not) and my husband spoke only French to the two of them.

After the diagnosis, my husband switched to English for our autistic daughter and continued to speak French with our "normal" "typical" daughter.

We chose English for our autistic daughter for the following reasons:

1. My French was not as good as my husband's English.
2. We were living in an English province, and if Dominique was ever going to integrate into the community, English was the language she would need.
3. There was no possibility that we would ever move to a French speaking community.
4. At age 5, Dominique had virtually no language (three words), and it was clear to us that she was going to have enough difficulty learning one language, let alone two. Three years later, she still does not have full speech, in one language, and we do not believe that she would have learned as much speech as she has, if we had continued with two languages.

The family in question will have to weight the pros and cons, with the most important fact to consider being the child's chances and/or ability of learning two languages. The likelihood of the child having the ability to learn two languages or not, may influence the choice of the one language they choose for the child.

The questions that should be asked are, how old is the child, and what language skills does the child have now? Only after considering the answers to those questions and then comparing the answers to what language skills a "normal" "typical" child would likely have in similar circumstances, can the family even begin to "make their best GUESS" as to what the child's future language skills may be.

With only three words at age five, our “GUESS” as to Dominique’s ability to learn more than one language or not was not a difficult “GUESS” to make. The “GUESS” may not be as easy to make for children with a higher level of language at an earlier age.

Another consideration in the case referred too, may be the ability of the other family members to learn English and to speak it at home. This possibility may or may not be more likely than the child ever learning two languages.

I do not personally believe that any research is going to be of assistance here, as the individual child in question will be able to learn one or two languages or not, according to his own abilities, and just how profoundly autistic the child is. Donna Williams, an autistic adult in Australia, speaks at least two, maybe more languages. My daughter will be hard pressed to be totally fluent in one.

As Avery said in the last post, only the individual family can make the decision as to what will work and/or be best for the family and the child.

Joyce Dassonville GN LLB
Lawyer & Mediator

Address: # 114 – 8532 120th Street
Surrey, British Columbia
V3W 3N5
Phone: (604) 598-8623
Fax: (604) 598-8624
Email: joyce@dassonvillelaw.ca
Web Page: http://www.dassonvillelaw.ca

[Maureen St. Cyr]

That's a really tough one, Elaine. I think every family with
more than one language needs to evaluate that one on their
own, but here are some factors I personally think are
important:

First, what is likely to be the child's most common language
in life. If we're talking someone from (for example) China,
whose family is here for a few years, but will be moving
back at some point, then I would say Chinese would be
more important. If we're talking about people who will be
staying in Canada permanently, then probably English is
more important.

Second, is the family reasonably conversant in English.
Parents and siblings are probably going to be the single
biggest influences and longest standing relationships in the
child's future. If he/she is only going to hear another
language at home, then that is probably going to be the
most effective language to learn first.

Those two factors can be at odds with each other, which is
the biggest reason why I don't think anyone can reasonably
advise one way or the other on a blanket basis. In that way,
it's like everything else to do with our kids – they're all
unique.

Good luck.

Avery

[Elaine Gee]

I am writing for a group of families and friends who has recently
diagnosed autistic kids, whose first language is not English, who
lives in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. I know what my
choice of language is. I do have a lot of anecdoctal comments based
on experience. However, I need research based documentation that will
help these families and professionals working for these families make a
"long-term" decision about the choice of language in teaching their
autistic child to communicate. Some professionals view that these
families could use their first/ native language or whatever language
they are comfortable with (usually not English) and the switch over
to English when school starts. The decision belongs to the families
ultimately but the families rely on these professionals to help them
evaluate. Your comments and views are appreciated.

[Author]

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