[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

[Alexei Trebounskikh]

Hello, everyone!
I am writing on behalf of my friend who is planning to start a program very soon.
Could anyone please share their opinion about programs by Michelle Auton under supervision of Lisa Winscz. You feedback on the progress your child made will be greatly appreciated.
Please e-mail us privately at ogmakher@hotmail.com.
Alexandra

[Deleted User]

Get Organized!

Great Tips & Tricks on Time Saving Systems and Techniques for Your Child s Lovaas-ABA Program. On Monday, October 25, 2004; 7:00 9:00 pm in the Peter J Peters Room at the West Van Memorial Library (1950 Marine Dr/22nd) Lovaas-ABA Seasoned Senior Therapist, Hockey-Lacrosse-Soccer-Basketball Coach and all round uber-dad Mike Leger will share his one page invention the DPL or Daily Program List that will let you compact even the most complex program book and take Lovaas-ABA on the road in your own back pocket.

Warning: This presentation is in workshop format and all participants are encouraged to bring their own sample to work on so that all leave with a working DPL that suits their own child s programming needs. Pencils, erasers and paper will also be required. Coffee and donuts to be provided.

We will help you slay your giant!

Tamara & Anissa

[Ursula Lee]

I am still not clear on how service providers get to be on the ASBC website. The self referral form states that a public list of qualified service providers is compiled by the ASBC. It also instructs the referee to send the completed form to ASBC. What happens next? I just want to understand the process of getting a service provider on the list that is compiled by ASBC and appears on its website. I think this is important information for people who are looking to the ASBC, as I did, for support and information in trying to do the best for their children.

Another point that I find disturbing is that the ASBC should be aware from the Auton case, that certain service providers (egs. Gateway, CBI, LEAP, Laurel) are not, in fact, qualified to treat autistic children, and were discredited in court. Therefore, it seems unethical for anyone to knowingly include these providers on a list of qualified service providerswhen they are clearly not qualified. Providing a disclaimer, in my opinion, does not make an unethical act less unethical. The MCFD may have been cognizant of this, and appear to have successfully circumvented this sticky issue by paying someone else to do it (if the MCFD is indeed the gatekeeper of "the list").

The ASBC does a lot of good work and I have benefited from this myself and am grateful that they were there for me. However in this matter, I feel that the right thing to do would be to remove these nonproviders and others like them, who are potentially harmful to the children who need the most help, from the ASBC website. If the MCFD wants, it can post its own list.

[Laurie Guerra]

Just another note to add, even the service providers referral form is a gov't document.

[Laurie Guerra]

If you go to the ASBC website you will see the "criteria" set out for being a "service provider". This "criteria" is set out by the MCFD who also fund these services, not the ASBC. You will also note a rider on every page of the service providers list stating that the ASBC does not endorse or recommend any specific individuals on the list.

If the ASBC had the power to "scrutinize the list" as you put it, it wouldn't have enough money to be posting the list on it's would-be non-existent website.

Your social worker knows what the gov't, their employer, tells them about the ASBC, FEAT of BC, or for that matter anything to do with autism.

Now don't get me wrong, in some ways I couldn't agree with you more!!! I have said the same words myself!

BUT you need to understand, the ASBC has been around for years and it takes time to change things. Rest assured, things are changing!

[Ursula Lee]

I am new to this and not as much in the know as others. My social worker led me to believe that the list of qualified providers is vetted by the ASBC which has been contracted to do so, thus relieving the Ministry of that responsibility. I was told that providers who wish to be listed must submit an application to the ASBC. This came up because the consultant I wanted to work with was not on the ASBC approved providers list, and I was urged by my social worker to contact the ASBC to make sure that my consultant was approved. This made sense to me as the ASBC would likely be better qualified to scrutinize potential providers. It does not make sense for the Govt to pay someone else to simply post a list of providers when they can do that on their own website for free. However, if what I have been told is untrue, then perhaps it should be declared on the ASBC website as parents of newly diagnosed children are being told this story. If, on the other hand, there is truth to this, then I see a conflict of interest. In any event, paid or not, isn't the ASBC doing parents a disservice by lending these discredited providers credibility by allowing them to appear on the ASBC website (included in the list of qualified providers) whether or not the ASBC has any role in the approval of these providers?

It would definitely be helpful, Laurie, for the ASBC to be transparent about the way the list of providers ends up on the ASBC website. This would go a long way in helping parents get informed, especially if, as you say, the ASBC does not necessarily "approve" the providers that end up on their website.

[Laurie Guerra]

The ASBC doesn't necessarily approve the service providers list. The Gov't gives the ASBC funding to post their list on the ASBC website. As a matter of fact the ASBC is trying to come up with a "checklist" so readers of the list will be able to compare services.

Instead of feeling sorry for parents, Ursula just help them as much as you can. My son has been on an ABA program for less than 3 years (he didn't start until he was 6) and has nearly recoverred!!! I too felt sorry for uninformed parents so I did something about it.

Just to let you know…..

Laurie Romey, director ASBC

[Laurie Guerra]

Just to clarify, the ASBC does not necessarily "approve" the list of service providers. The Gov't gives the ASBC funding to post their service providers list on the ASBC website. As a matter of fact the ASBC is trying to come up with a kind of "checklist" so the readers of the list will be able to check to see how different service providers compare.

Don't feel too sorry for people, Ursula, my son has been on an ABA program for less than 3 years (he started when he was 6) and he has near recoverred!! I too felt sorry for parents who were uninformed so I set out to do something about it.

Just to let you know…….

Laurie Romey, director ASBC

[Katalin Bencsik]

Hi,
I am hoping that sharing these ideas will help a few of you.
I have not heard of that organization yet, since my son was only diagnosed
in Aug, but was in school already for the last 4 years, already supporting
his other special needs.
But what is really helpful to us is that the Behavior Therapist is working
with the classroom teacher and support staff to actually personalize what
and how they can support Anthony's school life and keep it consistent and
similar with home life. If there is a gap between them it throws the child
back. I find at this point since parents know the child the best, the
professional therapist can provide tools in teaching parents and support
staff but to network between them and report back and forth keeps the whole
thing functional.
And one of the most important aspect of teamwork in the child's best
interest.
All the best to all of you
Katalin

[Stephen Paperman]

By the way, in my small treatise on the perils of weeding out the service provider chaff, I forgot one of the most prime evildoers in the BC spectrum. Technically these are not service providers, but you will certainly run into their name when your child hits school age. I am speaking of POPARD, also known as the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders. Despite their high fallutin' multisyllabic name, this group has about as much credibility in autism treatment as a used car lot. Unfortunately, this is also the group who snorts buckets of tax dollars in their capacity as the main "resource" for the BC school districts, who "contract" them to "consult" and "advise" them on how to deal with children with autism in the school system. In other words, the school districts take your tax dollars and shunt them directly into the gaping maw of this organization, who run workshops and directly misinform teachers across the province.

If you follow the new court case in which a family is suing the Abbotsford School District — probably the most prominent enemy of school age children in the province — you will hear the name of POPARD spoken and written about. Beware them and their invidious influences on your school. Your safest course is to make it very clear to your school principal that this group is completely unwelcome, and try to keep them from any form of interference in your child's life.

[Author]

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