Association for Behavior Analysis International

The Association for Behavior Analysis International® (ABAI) is a nonprofit membership organization with the mission to contribute to the well-being of society by developing, enhancing, and supporting the growth and vitality of the science of behavior analysis through research, education, and practice.

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17th Annual Autism Conference; San Diego; 2023

Event Details


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Invited Panel #8
CE Offered: BACB/QABA
Autism and ABA: A Caregiver/Parent Perspective
Monday, February 20, 2023
2:30 PM–3:20 PM
Meeting Level 4; Sapphire Plenary
Area: AUT; Domain: Translational
Chair: Joseph H. Cihon (Autism Partnership Foundation; Endicott College)
CE Instructor: Joseph H. Cihon, Ph.D.
Panelists: SHANNON PENROD (Autism Live), MELISSA OLIVE (Self-Employed), MRINALI GUPTA (Retina Associates of Orange County), MIKE WASMER (Council of Autism Service Providers)
Abstract:

Parents/caregivers of autistic/individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are essential members of the clinical team. They are often tasked with finding appropriate services, being part of clinical intervention, attending IEP meetings, and advocating for their child’s rights and best interest - all while being a parent/caregiver. It is important for behavior analysts to better understand the experiences that parents/caregivers go through in the course of their child’s intervention and life. Thus, the purpose of this panel provide parents and caregivers with an opportunity to share their experiences with ABA-based interventions and Autism. The goal is to provide audience members a better understanding of their experience and ways to help improve ABA-based interventions to be more compassionate and family friendly.

Instruction Level: Intermediate
Target Audience:

ABA Practitioners

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to: (1) identify three different experiences that parents go through as part of behavioral intervention; (2) identify three techniques to help improve compassion with parents; (3) identify three ways to improve upon parent training.
SHANNON PENROD (Autism Live)
Shannon Penrod identifies as a Proud PONI (Parent of a Neurodiverse Individual) Her daily goal is to be an ally to those on the spectrum and the people who love them. She is the host of the top-rated podcasts Autism Live and Ask Dr. Doreen, and an executive producer of Stories from the Spectrum, all on AutismNetwork.com. Her book Autism: Parent to Parent is available at all major booksellers.
MELISSA OLIVE (Self-Employed)
Melissa Olive, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA served as the Chief Clinical Officer of Cultivate Behavioral Health and Education following the acquisition of her company Applied Behavioral Strategies from December 2020 until August 2022. Missy founded and directed ABS from 2010 its acquisition. Prior to working in the ABA space, Missy spent 9 years conducting research and training special education teachers and behavior analysts at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Nevada, Reno. Missy currently serves as the Vice President of the Progressive Behavior Analyst Autism Council (PBAAC) and the Director of Licensure for FABA. Missy previously served on the CTABA Board of Directors from 2016-2022. She chaired the CTABA Public Policy and Legislative Outreach Committee (PPLO formerly called Legislative Committee) from 2016-present. She previously served as a Member at Large on the Executive Council for CTABA from 2011-2013. Missy also served on the Executive Board as a Member at Large for the Division of Early Childhood (DEC), a sub-division of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Missy also served as President of the Texas Council for Exceptional Children (TX-CEC). Missy currently serves as a Guest Reviewer for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders and the Review Journal on Autism and Developmental Disorders. She also served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Early Intervention for 8 years, Topics in Early Childhood Special Education for 10 years, and Young Exceptional Children for 12 years. Missy has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters focusing on assessment and treatment of challenging behaviors, communication intervention, feeding disorders, and ethical issues for behavior analysts. She is also the recipient of over $1.6 million in federal and state funding for research and training in the field. Her current interests lie in the areas of assessment and treatment of feeding disorders, assessment and treatment of severe challenging behavior, ethical issues in the delivery of ABA services, clinical compliance of ABA services, and ABA services in school settings.
MRINALI GUPTA (Retina Associates of Orange County)
Prior to joining Retina Associates of Orange County in 2020, Dr. Mrinali Gupta served for 5 years as Vitreoretinal Surgeon and Asst. Professor of Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Gupta serves on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) and as Co-Chair of the Early Career Section of the ASRS. Dr. Gupta is a leader in education in the field of retina, serving on several Education Committees of the ASRS and as Vice President of Education on the Executive Committee of Vit-Buckle Society, an international professional society. While on faculty at Cornell, Dr. Gupta was Director for the Medical Retina Fellowship Program and was selected by the residents as “Faculty Teacher of the Year.” Dr. Gupta lectures across the US and abroad at retina courses and conferences, and she serves as a Co-Director of national surgical training courses for retina fellows. Dr. Gupta is also committed to improving retina care for patients through treatment advances and research, having held research grants and patents in retina. Dr. Gupta has authored over 80 textbook chapters and research publications in retina. Dr. Gupta received her Doctor of Medicine degree at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where she received the E. Arthur Palumbo Scholarship and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha academic honor society. During medical school, as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholar, Dr. Gupta conducted macular degeneration research for one year at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Gupta completed internship training at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She completed ophthalmology residency training at Harvard Medical School / Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, MA, followed by a 2-year fellowship in Vitreoretinal Diseases & Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College/New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. During her fellowship, Dr. Gupta was the recipient of the Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellowship and the Ronald G. Michels Fellowship Foundation Award given to five outstanding graduating retina fellows nationwide. Dr. Gupta sees patients in the Newport Beach, Laguna Hills, and Santa Ana offices.
MIKE WASMER (Council of Autism Service Providers)
Mike Wasmer is Chief Operating Officer at the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP). CASP is a non-profit international trade association of autism service provider organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to delivering evidence-based services. Driven by his experience as the father of a child with autism, Mike is passionate about the mission of CASP to promote and ensure access to safe, high-quality, evidence-based services such as applied behavior analysis (ABA) for individuals with autism. Prior to his time at CASP, Mike worked for 8 years at Autism Speaks, where he is proud to have been part of the State Government Affairs team that led the autism insurance reform movement across the United States. As of 2019, all 50 states now require coverage for medically necessary treatments for autism, including ABA, in fully insured health benefit plans; the EPSDT benefit of Medicaid; Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans; and most self-funded health benefit plans. A frequent speaker on autism advocacy and policy, Mike is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree, Summa Cum Laude from Loyola University, Maryland and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from The Ohio State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. He also completed a veterinary internal medicine residency at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Mike is the father of two and lives in Kansas with his wife, dogs, cats and a pond full of ornamental fish. In his free time, Mike enjoys working in the yard and lazy afternoons at the lake.
 

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