Sr Plus

Possible Series Finale! A conversation with AZA United's clinical leaders Mar 23, 2021

For what may prove to be the last episode of the Sr+ podcast (we have not fully decided yet), Dr. ABR sits down for a long overdue conversation with two incredible souls. Carey Beranek is our VP & Clinical Director of Children & Youth Services, as well as the president-elect for the AZ Association of Behavior Analysis. Dr. Ehren Werntz is our VP & Clinical Director of Family & Community Services, and leads our state SIG on Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). This one is definitely worth a listen!

COVID-19 Support for ABA Organizations May 02, 2020

In this special episode we welcome back two previous guests, Lorri Unumb from the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP), and Sara Litvak from the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. We discuss the resources and support each has been providing for leaders of ABA organizations during the COVID-19 emergency period.

Jonathan Tarbox - Scaling Clinical Quality Jan 31, 2020

Dr. Jonathan Tarbox is the Program Director of the MS ABA program at USC, Director of Research at FirstSteps for Kids, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Behavior Analysis in Practice, and a well-known leader in the field. In this episode we examine how autism services organizations can take a values-based approach to expansion, so that as they grow they can successfully scale clinical quality. We discuss his experience, observations, pitfalls to avoid, and suggestions for organizations to grow with purpose.

Lauren Solotar - May Institute Aug 29, 2019

Dr. Lauren Solotar is CEO of the May Institute and President of their National Autism Center, where she manages the senior leadership team and oversees expansion of global services. As a licensed psychologist, she previously served as Chief Clinical Officer to set quality standards for clinical practice, training programs and research. She is an expert in cognitive behavior therapy and treating eating and anxiety disorders, with research published in several peer-reviewed journals.

Lorri Unumb - Why Insurance Now Pays for ABA Jul 22, 2019

Lorri Unumb is best known for leading a nationwide effort to get state mandates passed that require insurance coverage of ABA services for individuals with autism. She recently transitioned from her role as Head of State Government Affairs for Autism Speaks to CEO for the Council of Autism Service Providers (www.CASProviders.org). In this interview we discuss her personal story, the legislative process, her new role at CASP, changes in the autism services field, and tips for growing organizations.

Chris Sullens - CEO of CentralReach Jun 18, 2019

Chris Sullens is the current CEO of CentralReach, a practice management software for ABA and related autism service provider companies that manages billing, scheduling, data collection and more. In this interview we talk about what the software can do to help organizations, his background in growing technology companies, and how technology is playing an important role in the evolution of the autism services field. Learn more at www.CentralReach.com

Dexter Braff - Private Equity Invests in Autism & ABA Services Apr 25, 2019

Dexter Braff is the President of The Braff Group, a leading health care mergers and acquisitions advisor specializing in autism services. Since starting in 1998, the firm has completed more than 325 health care deals. In this episode, we discuss the wave of private equity investment that is sweeping the autism and ABA services industry across the nation, especially over the last two years. Dexter explains what private equity is and shares insight on how the field is rapidly changing as a result.

Sara Litvak - Behavioral Health Center of Excellence Mar 06, 2019

Join us for some invaluable tips from Sara Litvak of the BHCOE. They provide accreditation for ABA organizations and have identified best practices and suggestions for organizations to grow successfully and ethically. This episode also features an update from your host Dr. ABR on his organization, AZA United, and what's going on with their expansion efforts. Lots of great tidbits for organizational leaders and BCBAs to digest in this episode as our field is experiencing transformational change.

Season 2 Trailer - Organizational Expansion Jan 29, 2019

Many organizations across the country are focused on growth. Season 2 will take an inside at look at what's going in the autism ABA field, with interviews from guests that can teach us something about successful expansion. As your host, I will also provide a behind-the-scenes look at how AZA United is approaching the challenge. You can learn more about that in this blog: https://azaunited.org/blog/plans-for-an-east-valley-center

Patrick Progar - Princeton Child Development Institute Dec 22, 2018

Dr. Patrick Progar, BCBA-D, is the Executive Director of Princeton Child Development Institute in New Jersey. In this episode we discuss the history and program models of PCDI, as well as Patrick's background in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

Peter Gerhardt - EPIC School Dec 05, 2018

Peter F. Gerhardt, Ed.D., is the Executive Director of the EPIC School in Paramus, NJ (epicschool.org). The Educational Partnership for Instructing Children (EPIC) uses applied behavior analysis (ABA) to teach individuals with autism new skills and increased independence. In this interview we discuss EPIC's educational model and Peter's perspective on how to prepare adults with autism for success in real world settings.

David Kearon - Autism Speaks Adult Services Nov 07, 2018

Dave Kearon is Director of Adult Services for Autism Speaks (autismspeaks.org), where he works to increase the quality and quantity of opportunities and resources available to adults with autism related to employment, housing and residential supports, post-secondary education and community integration. In this interview we discuss some specific initiatives they are doing to help adults, opportunities and challenges he foresees in the future, and how the organization has evolved over time.

Sarah Trautman-Eslinger - President of CalABA Oct 05, 2018

Sarah Trautman-Eslinger is the owner of STE Consultants, a leading ABA provider agency in northern California (STEconsultants.com). She also currently serves as President of the California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA). In this interview we discuss the origins and future goals of her company, strategic initiatives underway with CalABA, how to build great organizational culture within ABA agencies, and general thoughts on the future of our field.

Bryna Siegel - The Politics of Autism Sep 21, 2018

Dr. Bryna Siegel is a developmental psychologist, as well as founder and Executive Director of the Autism Center of Northern California (ACNC). She is retired as Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. She has published several books, including the widely read "Helping Children with Autism Learn," and a recent release called "The Politics of Autism." In this interview, we discuss all that and more. Visit brynasiegel.com for more info.

Sarah Morgan - Facilitating Parent Support Group Branches Sep 11, 2018

Sarah Morgan is the Senior Branch Community Engagement Officer for the National Autistic Society in Wales. In this interview we discuss how support group branches get started, and what Sarah’s role is to train volunteers, conduct risk assessments, and provide technical support. We also discuss how NAS strategically integrates these branches into key initiatives related to public policy and fundraising. Learn more about NAS programs at autism.org.uk

Ian Dale - Measuring Impact for Autism Programs Aug 17, 2018

Ian Dale serves as Head of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation for the National Autistic Society in London (www.autism.org.uk). In this interview we discuss his role as a data analyst for the organization, different techniques they use to measure impact for all kinds of programs, what types of outcome measures are most valuable to track, and how this approach leads to data-based decision making to improve the organization's overall mission impact and optimal use of resources.

Carol Povey - Director for the National Autistic Society Aug 06, 2018

Carol Povey is the Director of the Centre for Autism at the National Autistic Society (www.autism.org.uk), the oldest and largest autism charity in the United Kingdom. In this interview we discuss the history of NAS, the wide scope of services and supports they offer for parents and individuals of all ages, and how they are advancing opportunities for people with autism through better diagnosis, legislative initiatives, and autism awareness.

Daniel Cadey - Autism Friendly Award Jul 17, 2018

Daniel Cadey is the Autism Friendly Development Manager for the National Autistic Society (NAS) in London. He oversees their Autism Friendly Award program, which certifies business of all sectors and sizes throughout the United Kingdom for making changes to benefit people with autism and their families. In this interview we learn about what businesses must achieve to become certified as autism-friendly, and how this program helps the broader autism community. https://www.autism.org.uk/autismfriendlyaward

Dave Giles - Intermountain Centers Jul 06, 2018

Dr. David K. Giles is the founder and CEO of Intermountain Centers (intermountaincenters.org), a behavioral health agency in Tucson that has existed for 50 years and strives to be a model for human service organizations. In this interview, we discuss Dave's roots as an early behavior analyst working with Mont Wolf and many other "legends," how Intermountain started, and the key roles they have had in the deinstitutionalization movement, the development of wraparound services, and state licensure for BCBAs.

Michael Dougher - Association for Behavior Analysis International May 21, 2018

In this episode we discuss the past, present and future of behaviorism, psychology, and many other deep dives with the president of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). Dr. Michael Dougher has had an extensive career in behavior analysis and psychology, including a key role in the development of the now rapidly growing field of clinical behavior analysis and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. Learn more at https://www.abainternational.org/constituents/bios/michaeldougher.aspx

Hanna Rue - Autism Spectrum Therapies May 07, 2018

Dr. Hanna Rue, BCBA-D, is the Head of Clinical Development for Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST), a multi-state agency that provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment for individuals with autism (autismtherapies.com). In this interview we discuss how Dr. Rue is helping AST integrate research into service delivery, her role in the National Standards Project, how to evaluate ASD outcomes, diversity issues in behavior analysis, and what needs to be added to BCBA graduate programs.

Emily Callahan - Council of Autism Service Providers Apr 26, 2018

Dr. Emily Callahan, BCBA-D, is the Executive Director for the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP), a trade association and leadership development group for autism provider organizations (casproviders.org). In this interview we discuss why CASP was created, what they are doing to improve services for people with autism and the companies that provide them, how to evaluate evidence-based practices, common challenges that provider agencies face, and how to measure macro-level outcomes for programs.

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