[FEAT BC Admin]

In this topic area, discussion is on all issues relating to setting up and running a home-based intervention program. Please feel free to bring up any problems or suggestions. Parents can help each other greatly by sharing information and giving suggestions.

In addition to parents helping parents, A.B.A. professionals on in the Discussion Group can also help provide insight and guidance.

Topic

[Sabrina Freeman]

Hi everyone! I just learned that Autism Partnership is giving a one-day workshop on "the basics". I thought I'd share all the information I have with you since I know there are many people on the Chat Board who have never been to an introductory workshop before. Here's the information we were faxed:

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An Introduction to Applied Behaviour Analysis and Discrete Trial Teaching.

This one-day workshop will provide the participants with an introduction to the theory of applied behaviour analysis and its application to children with autism. The topics will include:

– Characteristics of autism
– Functions of behaviours
– Development of behaviour plans
– Basics of discrete trial teaching

Presented by Andrea Sharpe, M.Sc., a behavioural consultant with Autism Partnership. Andrea has worked with children and adolescents with autism in Canada, England, and the United States. She is currently based in Vancouver and works with families in British Columbia and Alberta.

Saturday, June 1, 2002, 9 am – 4 pm
South Fraser Child Development Centre
9460 – 140th Street, Surrey

Costs before May 22, 2002:
Family members/ABA tutors: $50 per person
Professionals: $100 per person

After May 22, 2002:
Family members/ABA tutors: $70 per person
Professionals: $120 per person

Please note that places are limited and will not be reserved without receipt of payment.

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To register, please contact Autism Partnership:
Phone: 604-632-4249
Fax.: 604-737-1613
#101 – 1001 West Broadway
Box 539
Vancouver, B.C. V6H 1K4.

[David & Lori DiSanto]

Hi all,

We are now up and running with an ABA program for or son. We are looking to purchase some used learning materials. Since there's so many people here who have been doing this for years there's got to be tons of stuff sitting around peoples homes going unused.
If you have some stuff that you'd like to sell then give me an e-mail (dwd@sfu.ca) list of what you have.
To give an indication of the type of programs that we're presently doing… think non-identicle matching, and grouping… and anything beyond that level.
We're also wanting to do lots of turn-taking games… if anyone has "barnyard bingo" we'd love that, or if you have any other simple games for turntaking then we're interested.
If you have some cool reinforcers that have lost there novelty then we may just buy them off you.
We really don't know what kind of neat learning materials are out there so we're wanting to check out anything.

Thaks,
Dave.

[Stephen Sutherland]

Here are the items I read on the topic (from the FEAT newsletter). It is not clear if Microsoft is making this a policy concerning health coverage for all its employees, or just US employees, but it may be worth checking.

1) Oct. 4, 2001
Microsoft 1st National US Corporation To Cover ABA Treatment For Autism
http://www.feat.org/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0110&L=FEATNEWS&P=R3174

2) October 8, 2001
On Contacting Microsoft Regarding ABA Health Coverage Policy
http://www.feat.org/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0110&L=FEATNEWS&P=R3748

[Maureen St. Cyr]

Ned, first of all, none of us up here are going to have the final word on Microsoft practices, and you're really better off talking to them about it if you're serious about going to work for them, or at least contact FEAT of Washington and get some info from someone who's actually down there (http://www.featwa.org/).

That said, here's what I know – although please don't take it as gospel, it's just what I've read and heard from others:

1) Microsoft doesn't cover ABA — Microsoft's medical plan covers it. The company pays the premiums, I believe, but it's all tied in to the private US medical system. So what's covered will be listed in their plan, which you should be able to get a copy of if they're offering you a job. I suspect you will have an uphill battle to get treatment covered if your family is still living in Canada, but you never know until you ask. Just be sure to read all the fine print if you go that far.

2) Canada and the US have a tax treaty which says that citizens of our two countries only pay taxes in one of the two. In other words, if you're American and working in Canada or vice-versa, you don't pay twice. So logically, you wouldn't pay both taxes. However, this system is meant to cover people who are actually living in the country they work in. I'm not sure what would happen if you were doing Monday to Friday in Redmond and weekends up here. I'm guessing you'd pay taxes in the States, and then declare that on your Canadian return…but that's a guess. You really need to talk to an accountant, or phone CCRA and see what they say. In all likelihood, if you work in Redmond, the IRS will extract their pound of flesh on your paychecks.
Good luck…

Avery

[Nenad Ivanovic]

Hi All

I need information about Microsoft benefits coverage.

Since Mr. Stephen Sutherland stated in his post that Microsoft benefits cover the ABA treatment, I am entertaining the thought of working for them. My family would stay in Vancouver and I would work in Redmond (USA).

What I would like to know is:
1. Do Microsoft benefits cover both consultant and therapist fees?
2. Do I pay both US and Canadian taxes?

If anyone has information, could you please let me know?

Ned (Sophia's father)
tel. (604) 630-4068
e-mail marathonsoftware@yahoo.com

[Diana Sabbagh]

There is a mistake in one of the web sites, its :
http://www.behavioranalysts.com
there is another excelente web site its:
http://www.christinaburkaba.com.

Diana Sabbagh

[Deleted User]

Publications on Verbal Behaviour by Sundberg and Partington are available through most major book retailers and include publications on application as well as assessment (ABLLS). Our school district speech pathologist was recently introduced to this material and found it very helpful, she believes it will be a valuable tool for tracking our childs progress through his school years. We were delighted to see such an enthusiastic response as the previous assessments we have used were so restrictive in interpretation and produced results of questionable value. Parents taking an ABA approach to treatment who are interested in this, but cannot afford to hire consultants specifically for this, may find the publications useful for themselves as well as an interesting approach to coaxing something extra out of existing funded speech pathology services (if you are so lucky to have this).

[Diana Sabbagh]

I have received many calls on my cell phone (604) 722-3473 from families and therapists asking info about verbal behavior. Applied Verbal Behavior (AVB) addresses difficulties in the development of communication seen in most individuals with autism and other related disabilities. AVB has been popularized through the successes of certain professionals, notably Drs. Sundberg, Partington, Carbone, McGreevy…
For more info:
http://www.behaviorsanalysts.com
http://www.drcarbone.net
and in the following groups:
verbalbehavior@yahoogroups.com
ME-List rallen@iupui.edu

Diana

[Deleted User]

We are looking for fun and innovative ideas for teaching our child 'past tense' for actions he has mastered in his programs. Our child is 8 and likes playing with his therapists and peers. If you have tried something that was successful for your child we would like to hear about it.

Thanks!

Suzanne and Alex,

alexbarclay@shaw.ca

[Sabrina Freeman]

Dear FEATBC members:

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the recent open letter regarding the possibility of therapists potentially misrepresenting themselves as Lovaas-ABA consultants. The recommendation to check references carefully is certainly valuable for parents to consider. We appreciate that the mother who posted the letter took the time to share her concerns with the group. It is important that parents feel free to share their experiences with others who are running programs for their children. This is part of the collective orientation that characterizes a grass roots organization.

At this point, all have had ample opportunity to express their views and we have heard the important issues. It is now time to move on. All posts relating to this topic have been removed from the discussion board. It is my understanding, based on these posts, that the therapists discussed in the thread have assured the group that they have no intention of presenting themselves as consultants, but rather, as two therapists who simply enjoy working together. In view of this, the specific discussion board thread is now closed.

In more general terms, for future posts, consultants who are members of this group may want to address the topic of how therapists can become consultants, as well as what training, credentials and experience parents should look for to determine whether a consultant is appropriately qualified to design and oversee a Lovaas-type ABA program.

Thank you again for everyone’s contribution.

Sabrina Freeman, Ph.D.
Executive Director,
FEAT of BC

[Author]

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