Dear NYSABA Member,
In an effort to keep you up-to-date on NYSABA news and events, we’ve designed the following e-blast. Each month you’ll receive information on the Association as well as what each committee is doing for you, our members.
Please visit www.nysaba.org for contact information, upcoming events, including our Annual NYSABA Conference, and so much more!
| Save These Dates! |
NYSABA Annual Conference, Nov. 1-2, 2007
Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, NY
Don’t miss these keynote speakers!
Jon S. Bailey, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology at Florida State University
President of Behavior Management Consultants, Inc.
The co-author of “The Right to Effective Behavioral Treatment,” he will address issues related to this topic.
Peter F. Gerhardt, Ed.D.
President of the Organization for Autism Research
Arlington, Virginia
An expert regarding young adults and adults with developmental disabilities, he will address vocational skills and sexuality for this population.
Jennifer Zarcone, Ph.D.
"Positive Behavior Support: One Way That Behavior Analysts are Finding Their Heart"
Jon Bailey
"Ethics and Values in Behavior Analysis: Do Our Consumers Know What They Are? Do we?"
Peter Gerhardt
"Issues in Evidence-based Practice with Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder"
Dennis H. Reid
Director
Carolina Behavior Analysis and Support Center
Morganton, NC
"Evidence-Based Practices for Training, Supervising, and Motivating Support Staff: An Evolving Technology"
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Legislative Committee Update
Submitted by David Roll, Ph.D. and Caroline I. Magyar, Ph.D., 2007 NYSABA Legislative Committee Co-chairs
The legislative committee met once in April via conference call to continue discussion about legislative issues in New York that relate to the practice of behavior analysis. Currently, the committee is focused on surveying members about the practice of behavior analysts in New York in light of the Psychology Practice Law. The survey tool was developed and sent forward to the Executive Committee for comment, feedback and approval.
GAINING VISIBILITY
Submitted by Joe Pancari, 2007 NYSABA President
On Wednesday, April 25, NYSABA representatives met with several members of the Senate Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and Assembly Committee for Mental Health, including Senator Thomas P. Morahan (Chairman) and Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera (Chairman).
These visits were in honor of National Autism Month, and gave the Association the perfect opportunity to bring awareness to the disability and advocate for those with Autism. NYSABA representatives also pointed out that in order to best serve those with Autism, New York State needs applied behavior analysis (ABA) to be recognized as a distinct discipline.
Below is an article that ran in the April 30, 2007 edition of the Legislative Gazette highlighting NYSABA’s visit. As you’ll see, some of our Board Members were quoted.
Many thanks go out to everyone who attended these visits. Your participation is very much appreciated, and this was a great first step in getting NYSABA out there! I encourage more of you to join us as we increase visibility and work towards gaining certification in New York State.
Group hopes to get state licensing for its autism treatment methods
By SARI ZEiDLER, Gazelle staff writer
Last week members of the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis visited Albany in an effort to become a state licensed resource on autism treatment.
The group advocates the use of applied behavior analysis, a scientific approach to behavior modification, and according to the group, the only autism treatment approved by the New York State Office of Mental Health.
“We chose this season to make this visit because it [April] is Autism Awareness Month,” said Helen Bloomer, NYSABA president-elect.
The association members visited members of the Senate and Assembly.committees on mental health, educating them about autism and explaining why gaining a state license would be important.
Bloomer said legislators and staff were responsive and helpful. “They gave us advice on different people to contact regarding certification,” she said. Dennis Mozingo, a representative for NYSABA and assistant professor of pediatrics at Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong in Rochester, said autism has been being diagnosed more frequently than in the past, which has led to fad treatments not proven to be effective and fraudulent behavior analysts.
Mozingo said it is important for NYSABA to be state-certified so parents of autistic children are “not seeking out quick fixes by people who misrepresent themselves as behavior analysts.”
Douglas King, past, past president of NYSABA, said applied behavior analysis requires breaking down behavior into very small steps and using positive reinforcement such as food.
“We take data on everything we do and we use that data literally day to day and we analyze it literally day to day,” said Steve Oill, NYSABA consumer representative and father of an autistic child. “So it’s important for parents to be able to ask the question, are you a certified behavior analyst?”
Applied behavior analysis is prominent in treating people with disabilities but can also be used for other purposes, such as increasing business productivity.
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