Upcoming Events

Safety Considerations and Protective Gear when Treating Severe Challenging Behavior

Approximately 94% of caregivers of children with autism report at least one form of challenging behavior (Jang et al., 2011), with 68% reporting severe challenging behavior like aggression or self-injurious behavior (Kanne & Mazurek, 2010). Thus, it is likely that professionals who provide services for individuals with autism will encounter severe challenging behavior. Unfortunately, such severe behavior can pose risks to the client or others, including tissue damage, sprained or broken bones, and concussions. For example, in a survey of registered behavior technicians, 75% of these professionals reported having sustained an injury while managing severe challenging behavior (Columbo et al., 2021). The purpose of this talk is to describe precautions and protective gear that practitioners ought to consider when working with children with severe challenging behavior as well as conceptual or practical limitations that arise from the use of such measures.

1. Attendees will be able to define distinguish severe and non-severe challenging behavior based on the frequency and intensity of the challenging behavior.
2. Attendees will be able to provide examples of at least three safety considerations when assessing and treating challenging behavior.
3. Attendees will be able to able to identify at least three pieces of protective equipment that should minimize risk to clients and implementers during the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior.

This is an ASHA and ACE Approved Course

Empowering Leadership in Clinical Settings: Advanced Strategies for Training Clinic Directors and Team Leaders

This talk is designed for leaders within behavior analytic organizations to elevate their training programs specifically within clinical environments. I will discuss strategies and best practices essential for designing training programs that support clinic directors and team leaders to effectively navigate the complexities of clinical operations, enhance team performance, and foster a culture of clinical excellence and collaboration. Participants will gain practical tools and knowledge to design a training program that drives impactful change, promotes patient-centered care, and optimizes clinic efficiency, ultimately improving both patient outcomes and staff satisfaction.

1. Participants will Identify at least 3 essential leadership competencies required for clinic directors and team leaders to effectively manage clinical operations and drive teams towards success.
2. Participants will describe 2 characteristics of an individualized training program.
3. Participants will describe at least 1 way to scale effective training programs as an organization grows.
4. Participants will describe at least 1 mechanism for receiving valuable assessment and feedback of training programs to ensure they remain relevant, effective, and responsive to the evolving needs of the clinical setting.

This is an ASHA and ACE Approved Course

Functional Communication Training for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Quality Appraisal

Carey Sabin is presenting the journal article Functional Communication Training for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Quality Appraisal.

Participants will learn about the information gathered from a systematic review regarding functional communication training for adults. Participants will read the journal article and attend the webinar.

This is an ASHA and ACE Approved Course

This course is available to our members in the ABA Speech Connections