Autism Partnership Foundation
PROGRAMS
Research
A Comprehensive Outcome Study comparing the effectiveness of Progressive ABA vs Conventional ABA. Progressive ABA is a living methodology that continuously evolves. It provides comprehensive treatment, including social skills, communication, play, and independent living, while, conventional ABA typically focuses only on two areas: behavior and language. Progressive ABA focuses on the whole child and all the skills necessary to live fully in the world around them and is individualized, recognizing that a child (and thus the treatment) changes moment to moment. Conventional ABA is rigid and protocol driven. Progressive ABA strives to give treatment that transfers to everyday life situations, so the natural setting is important in the treatment, be it a playground, classroom, store, or home. Current areas of research include, but are not limited to: -Development and evaluation of methods for training interventionists and supervisors to implement Progressive ABA™. -Development and evaluation of methods to enhance learner skill acquisition through Progressive ABA™ for all learners diagnosed with ASD. -Development and evaluation of interventions that promote the development of social skills across the life span. -Evaluation of assumptions in ASD interventions.
Clinical outcomes of Progressive ABA have far better results than what most children are receiving. It’s a fundamental quality of life issue – the difference between a life with meaningful relationships and experiences versus not. Previous research in the Journal Education and Treatment of Children found that 70.3% of children achieved best outcomes when individualized ABA services, like the AP Method, were provided early (i.e., before the age of 9).
Certification Program
Staff training and ongoing staff support is integral to Progressive ABA. Conventional ABA training is time-based. Currently, most treatment is delivered by registered behavior technicians (RBTs), who get their certification with a 40-hour online course. Progressive ABA training, however, is both performance and time-based. For instance, PBAAC’s high-level certification for leaders in the field requires a minimum of 10,000 hours of experience, consisting of 8,000 hours accumulated after obtaining a master’s degree; and 8,000 hours providing supervision, training, or education to others working with individuals diagnosed with ASD. Autism Professional (CPBA-AP) – 2023 Received NCCA accreditation Autism Supervisor (CPBA-AS) – First Test in Spring 2024 Autism Interventionist (CPBA-AI) – Will launch Summer/Fall 2024 On July 31,2023, we officially received NCCA accreditation for our Certified Progressive Behavior Analyst- Autism Professional (CPBA-AP) certification. This is an incredible achievement for the certification program and also enables parents to trust that their children are being treated by highly trained, compassionate professionals.
Ensures practitioners have adequate training to make on the spot decisions with a highly complex and prevalent disorder. This credentialing also enables parents to trust that their children are being treated by highly trained, compassionate professionals. Credentialing in other languages. Advocacy with universities for inclusion of PBAAC training and credentials. Partnerships with Universities – furthering relationships with universities and their graduate students
RBT (Registered Behavioral Technician) Training Program
Our Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) training program is the lynchpin of our organization and allows us to form relationships with those passionate about helping people on the spectrum, from the start of their careers. We believe providing quality training from the get-go will result in better outcomes for those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The need for free, accessible RBT training is immense in California and across the US. In 2020, we launched a FREE RBT training program, expanding access to students, parents, caregivers, physicians, teachers, and counselors. It was a critical resource for people during the pandemic - especially since many lost access to services. Throughout the economic downturn and global pandemic, we have continued to increase access and scale the field. Adding services and expanding capabilities to translate the program to Spanish and closed-captioning, which hasn't been done before, will help scale access to our program more equitably to meet the demand across the autism community. Aside from translating the program, we will also incorporate cultural sensitivities and language nuances. Professionals who take advantage of our closed-captioning online training, will be better equipped to provide high-quality intervention and improve the lives of those who are hearing-impaired in their communities. Our training program’s popularity is astounding - over 800,000 people have registered. Research proves that high quality, early intervention results in far better outcomes. The need for this training continues to increase, and APF wants to be poised to provide it to anyone who needs it, especially given the rising rate of autism diagnoses across all demographics in our communities.
Research has indicated disparities in autism diagnosis and access to service providers among minority-populations in the United States. Our approach is inclusive, accessible, and culturally sensitive to ensure the participation of diverse voices within the autism community. Our free RBT training specifically prepares users to take the RBT exam offered by the BACB, and once certified they are eligible for jobs starting at $25/hour. For those in underserved communities or unable to attend college, this program can mean access to a head-start on a rewarding career. Adding services and capabilities to translate the program to Spanish and adding closed-captioning, will help scale access to our program substantially, and meet the demand across the United States. Currently only 21.39% of RBT's are hispanic/lantinx. We rank #1 on the BACB’s list of RBT Training providers in and in the top 10 pass-rate. According to enrollee surveys, 94% of respondents say course covered all the content on the RBT Task list and 89% believe the information contained in our course will be useful in their future roles.
ASD Parent Training Program
Understanding Families’ Journey Through Autism! Lorri Unumb is an Attorney, Author, Professor, International Autism Advocate, and most importantly a Mother of two children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Since her first-born son’s diagnosis with autism two decades ago, she has devoted her career to ensuring access to high-quality care for individuals on the spectrum. Lorri will share her life-changing journey as a professional and mother and reveal the challenges and triumphs she has experienced. Dr. Leaf will discuss how to help parents navigate the maze of Autism. Tragically there is a tremendous amount of information including the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of ASD. Understandably parents are completely overwhelmed in determining the best course of action and often feel helpless and hopeless! They will share what they have learned during their professional journey in their over 50-year career devoted to ASD. They will discuss how to best navigate the challenges and focus on how parents and caregivers can best help their children. Program highlights: ASD Facts and Myths Evaluate and select high-quality interventions for ASD Strategies for dealing with behavioral problems Understanding parental stress and methods to alleviate it
APF will host free parent workshops (with Q&As) for parents, caregivers, and teachers of individuals diagnosed with autism. This training is for families that work tirelessly to make sure their kids are getting the best possible treatment options. We are hoping to have a big impact on the autism community, specially those that have been historically underserved.
CONTACT
Autism Partnership Foundation
200 Marina Drive
Seal Beach, California 90740
Ana Becerra
ana@autismpartnershipfoundation.org
Phone: (562)246-6279