[Stephen Paperman]

If I may just call a spade a spade here, our friends over at A.S. of B.C. seem to be doing their best, but I have to say that service providers list of theirs is a total piece of crap. There are like a half dozen to a dozen or so legitimate people who have the appropriate training and expertise in Lovaas ABA, and then there are all these old government hacks. It really burns me to see these creeps who slammed ABA for so many years suddenly trying to re-invent themselves as "behavior consultants". My personal suggestion for all new parents is to take that list with a gigantic cube of salt. Email a longstanding FEAT parent or four and ask who they use, have used, and are/were happy with. Avoid like the plague anybody who was ever involved with Gateway, POPARD, Laurel Group, and those EIBI butchers. There is a special hell waiting for these imposters who harm out children by keeping them from accessing legitimate Lovaas ABA consultants. Sooner or later, they'll all be roasting in it. In the meantime, don't get caught by their lies and impersonations.

[Stephen Paperman]

You know, it's a funny thing–I opened my dictionary and looked up "chutzpah" and there was a picture of Gordon Campbell. I'm so glad Premier Campbell doesn't think the government is in contempt. Call me silly, but when three or four courts order you to do something, and you refuse to do it, well, back where I was raised we call that contempt.

[Stephen Paperman]

To Anonymous:

First of all, you wanna take me on, I suggest you get up the courage to sign your name.

Second of all, you say the BACB is not American. Excuse me, but it most certainly is a US institution, and one barely 5 years old according to their web site, which lists a lot of American requirements and two US states and didn’t have a word about Lovaas or autism treatment anywhere on the five pages I combed. The only name I even recognize on the board is Partington, and while I believe in Verbal Behavior as a valid technique, it’s not Lovaas either.

Second of all, I didn’t say you don’t need to meet educational standards to work with children with autism. I said you don’t need to have the blessing of the BACB. And I’ll appreciate you and the rest of the anons in the peanut gallery NOT putting words in my mouth. I have more than enough of my own, thanks very much.

You say, “Does using chemicals make me a chemist? Does gardening make me a biologist?” Actually the appropriate question would have been does gardening make you a botanist, but never mind that. The answer is of course no. And getting a piece of paper from BACB to hang on your wall may make you a behavior analyst, but it doesn’t make you a Lovaas-ABA consultant, any more than having a specialty in allergies makes you a neurosurgeon. They’re both doctors, they both have a lot of the same training, but brain surgery is a specialty, and so is Lovaas-ABA therapy.

Also, to be specific about it, that guy in Seattle who does fluency is supposed to be board certified, and so is one of those government EIBI clowns, so let’s face it, this board certification is obviously not indicative of expertise in Lovaas.

As for the rest of your comments, I won’t even bother addressing them – the more I read them, the more I figure you’re one of those Delta EIBI drones trolling here for trouble.

[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.

[Stephen Paperman]

Where oh where to begin….

1) To everyone: Read Dr. Freeman's posts a few more times. Notice that she treats everyone with dignity and respect, even when those same people are treating her otherwise. Bear in mind as you read that without Sabrina, all of our children would still be in the dark ages, begging for handouts from the provincial government and getting nothing but nice words.

2) To Joyce: Take a breath. Do not post anything for the next 48 hours and carefully consider what you are doing. You are clearly a woman with intelligence, but you are stepping way over all of the lines that exist. Remember that the lawyer who defends herself has a fool for a client. Remember that you just got here — you haven't paid your dues yet, to be frank. Remember that with that LLB behind your name, people are taking what you say as Truth with a capital T, instead of Opinion with a capital O. And your opinions are not necessarily going to be agreed with by a BC justice, so stop making emphatic pronouncements that you "know" how things will be interpreted. You don't. You can't. I know lawyers who have practiced here for decades, including the principals of the Auton and Anderson cases, and THEY don't make pronouncements about what these cases mean with the CERTAINTY that you do. You are also, frankly, skating very close to the edge of the rules of the BC Law Society, and I would encourage you to rein in your enthusiasm as I believe it is blinding you to the possible consequences of your actions.

3) To Ned: Please understand that just because someone insists they're right, doesn't make it so. Much of what Joyce says may be borne out in a court, but I strongly suggest you speak to an independent counsel if you want an objective opinion.

4) To the Anons: There are very good reasons why the words Gateway, POPARD, Laurel Group, CBI and EIBI are anathema to many in this group. For some, it's because they had the misfortune of having their children victimized by the ineptitude, incompetence and ignorance of their useless "services". For others, it's because they have always been ready and willing and able to help the government violate the constitutional rights of our children, by giving evidence in court proceedings on behalf of said government. For others, it's the infuriating situation whereby we have successive governments crying "we're too poor to provide medically-necessary treatment for all these autistic children!" while shoveling tax money off the back of a truck into the eager arms of these very agencies. And that's without getting into actual physical abuse of our children. The day that any of these people are approved by FEAT is the day I tear up my membership card.

5) To the timid millions, frightened to ask questions in the FEAT board for fear of nasty replies — Get a life. If you can't stand the heat in THIS kitchen, how the hell are you going to stand up for your children in the trials and tribulations that face them for the rest of their lives? Put it this way — the social workers and Gateway staffers will treat you with kid gloves and say oh-such-nice things in your ears, while they're blowing smoke up your butt. Is THAT going to help your child? Autism is a BATTLE, ladies and gentlemen, and you better get tough is you're going to face up to that battle. I was talking to a FEAT member named Avrey the other day, and he told me a Japanese proverb that goes something like "He who asks the question is ignorant for a moment. He who doesn't ask is ignorant forever." Words to live by, I think.

[Stephen Paperman]

Dear Froc:

You are not getting what you consider to be useful advice because you are asking questions which are beyond the parameters of FEAT. This group is for parents putting together medical treatment programs for their children. Since you freely admit you are neither putting together a medical treatment program nor are you already doing so, it would appear this is not going to be a fruitful venue for you.

I would suggest you try the board at the Autism Society — their mandate is covering all people with autism spectrum disorder and so there are many parents there like you who are not focused
on medical treatment for their children.

[Stephen Paperman]

To anonymous, the mystery school district employee who feels she can trash the parents who belong to this organization, and the therapists who have devoted themselves to the extremely difficult task of helping our children:

You make me sick. The fact that there are people like you working in the school system proves without a shadow of a doubt just how big a fight we have on our hands. You have exposed your malice, your ignorance, your blatant lack of anything resembling a clue. It is completely pointless to try to educate you, since clearly you couldn't find the truth with both hands and a roadmap, but I will endeavor to enlighten you a little anyway. You are no doubt a lost cause, but perhaps some of the people you work with are still salvageable human beings.

You say, "I like the fact that you try to pass off a therapist as someone who has full qualification's in therapy. You make it sound like it is someone with huge education. My understanding is that a therapist is cheap labour that you get for 8 dollars an hour, and train like a dog to do tricks with your child."

My child's therapists have been trained by fully qualified Lovaas ABA experts, most of whom took their own training directly under Lovaas at UCLA. Some of them have degrees in Psychology, others are working on them. All of them have the training and education necessary to implement the medical treatment plans designed by my child's medical professionals. All of them work directly under the continuous supervision of my experienced and accredited consultants. What they charge me for their services is none of your business. Yes they are underpaid, because it is impossible to put a price on what miracles they accomplish.

You say, "And only when they have done so many hours, Again these are hours done to learn to do assorted tricks, then you call them therapist. No formal education is given to a therapist from any recognized school. A therapist is someone you get to work for you for a couple of years, then when you have them trained to work with your child, and your child only and get them to work under your direction, and the direction of your consultant, and they have so many hours,,, then you call them "Therapist" but yet they still have no formal training."

Let me explain something — no matter how many times you repeat a lie, it is still a lie, and you are still a liar. True, as Hitler proved, if you repeat a lie enough, you will get people to believe you. I guess that is your hope. It is a lost hope. You will fail. I will make it my life's work if necessary to see that you fail. For my child's sake, and for the sake of every other child with autism. But just for the record, a ABA therapist is someone who is trained to perform ABA treatment, under the direction of medical professionals, as opposed to Special Education Assistants, who are trained to assist teachers and have absolutely no medical training whatsoever, at least not as a requirement. Industrial First Aid and WHIMIS don't count. Neither do one-day sessions with employees of POPARD or Gateway or Laurel House or any of the other social service agencies who have had tax money shoveled at them over the years by successive governments, including this one.

You say, "And when your child goes to school You say "I need my therapist to be the SEA. because they will regress and blah blah blah blah blah." You will say that even if you get a great SEA that has tons of experience and qualifications. And lets be very frank,,, it's because then you don't have to pay for this therapy anymore,,, the school district can pay it with Special Ed funds. You use tactics like "My child's therapist is the only trained person, my child will deteriorate if the same service isn't given… And by the way,,, I am going to trash any SEA that works with my child to prove my point" Even if my child is adapting to the new SEA, I will trash them because that is the philosophy of this big organization FEAT that feeds this junk to people that buy in to it."

When my child went to school, I said, "My child has a medical condition and a medical treatment plan and whomever is hired to be my child's TA will have to be trained in the medical protocols necessary." The school district posted the job and the person who was hired met the criteria. She was indeed a great SEA with tons of experience — in autism, which was the biggest criterion. People with tons of experience in baby sitting children at day cares and degrees in "early childhood education" have no relevant experience in autism by those qualifications. I also know of two or three parents who have found great SEAs within the school system. Again, these were young women who had taken the time to get proper training in autism treatment, and who committed to working for what was best for the child, not what was most convenient for the school or the teacher or the union.

You say, "Believe me,,, This is my stand,,, and the stand of many other persons I have spoken to."

I have no doubt this is your stand. And I think you know ours. Be aware that the days of you and those "many other persons" are numbered. You can feel free to work as teacher's assistants if you can find schools which need them and are willing to pay for them. You will never work as a member of my child's autism treatment team, inside or outside the school system.

You say, "And Unions have nothing to do with it. You like to think that is what is is but it has nothing to do with it at all."

Right. And pigs can fly. I've heard the CUPE union leaders and teachers union leaders talk. They have a lot to do with it, and we know that too.

You say, "School district's blame it on unions, it's easier for them that way…."

Interestingly, I've never heard a school district blame things on unions. They occasionally show us a union contract and explain where their hands are tied, and since I am trained in the ability to read a contract, I can say that indeed many of them have negotiated poorly in the past. Fortunately for our children, no contract can be enforced which violates the law of the land, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. See Auton et al.

You say, "1. " They don't want you to tell them how to Educate."

Well, it's a red letter day — you finally say something that's true. It's irrelevant to the topic at hand, but it is true.

You say, "2. "School districts don't want to be put in a situation where they can be sued by you using information supplied to you by your Therapist"

I suggest you read the relevant statutes before making legal judgments. People and organizations can be sued for breaching agreements and fiduciary responsibilities and laws in general, and where the information comes from is irrelevant. I can put YOU on a witness stand and I guarantee you will tell the truth to the man or woman in the robes sitting next to you, because you will know that if you don't, I will see your behind resting behind bars for perjuring yourself, and a person with a criminal record can no longer keep their cushy unionized sinecure with the school district. School districts hide what they don't want people to find out much higher than your level.

You say, "3. "Your Therapists loyalty will be with you, and not the employer."

My therapists are loyal to my child, as they should be, as they are ethically and morally and legally required to be.

You say, "4. For all anyone knows, you could have a sex offender working with your child, and then you put other children at risk of being exposed to untrained " uneducated " Therapist."

Now you are not only lying, but disgusting. As you, an employee of the school district should know, all SEAs and others working at the schools must pass the same background check. If there are any children being exposed to untrained uneducated dangerous individuals, I would suggest that you are the one who may fall into one or all of these categories. I certainly know my child's therapists do not.

You say, "SEA's are worth every penny they make. Most nowadays have 2 years education, have a good understanding of most needs of a child, in the education system. For specific Medical needs qualified nurses are provided to get them up to speed."

Wow. How impressive. A whole TWO years education, you say? And a "good understanding" of the needs of a child, whatever that is supposed to mean. Oh, and then the great training they receive from "qualified nurses" to "get them up to speed." Thank you, oh anonymous one, I needed a good laugh. It just so happens I know a few nurses who work in and for the school system. You know what? They have assured me they would NEVER presume to try to train anyone in autism therapy, or in dealing with the needs of a child with autism in general. Nurses in the school system are there either for general medical assistance when needed, or as specifically assigned to a medically fragile child and directed by doctors on that child's medical case.

You say, "You say this is a medical procedure, and I hear yea,,, but not very many people that do the front line work have medical training,,, they are TRAINED to do tricks like DOGS They are the lowest paid in your multi level marketing and driven by Big Corperate America that is only after $$$$$$"

I'm not even sure I understand what you're trying to say, but it's certainly offensive, and completely inane, and probably actionable. I would dearly love to see you stand up in front of my therapists and accuse them of being part of a fraudulent scheme perpetrated by unnamed corporations in the United States, as you just have. I would then be happy to haul your sorry behind into court and see to it that your slander and libel receive the proper treatment before the courts of the land.

You say, "thank you"

No, thank YOU. Thank you for redoubling my resolve to fight people like you to my last breath. Thank you for reminding me that while there are indeed people in the school system who care, there are also misguided incompetents like yourself who I must ensure have no contact with my child, ever. And in my gratitude, let me give you a few nuggets of education which clearly were missed in those two years of quality training of yours:

1) When you are using a plural, you do not place an apostrophe between the word and the suffix "s." It's "districts," not "district's." Likewise for "qualifications" and the other ones you've misused.
2) When you are using a contraction, you DO use the apostrophe, as in "let's be frank," not "lets be very frank,,," — further you do not place three commas in a row for effect. One will do.

There are more, but I think you understand my point — your grammar and spelling are terrible. This is understandable and acceptable from we poor uneducated parents, but it is clearly not so for you expertly trained educators.

Now you may sit up and beg for a cookie, or you may go lie down in the corner with your snout to the wall. If I were training anyone like a dog, it would be the one who deserves that kind of treatment, and clearly, that is YOU.

S.P.

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