Article 4 - Published in Borneo Bulletin in page 18 on 11th Nov 2016
(Several crucial points were omitted by Borneo Bulletin. Text in RED are the paragraphs that were omitted from the article. Read here to read the full text. The article published in the newspaper is titled "Applied Behaviour Analysis Treatment for Autism". Below is the original title).
TREATMENT FOR AUTISM - PARENTS TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE WITH CREDENTIALED APPLIED BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS (ABA) PROVIDER
By: Learning Ladders Society
Did you know that:
Despite that, not all hope is lost. Currently, there is actually an available treatment for autism which is known as Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). ABA is a field of study that is dedicated to improve the human condition by making changes in environmental conditions. These changes are supported by data and if applied correctly can result in significant improvements. Supported by more than 500 pieces high-quality peer reviewed research, ABA has been documented to be highly effective in treating the symptoms of autism. Studies indicated that about 30% of children that received this treatment no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD and the majority of children acquire skills that are clinically significant and meaningful in improving their quality of lives. Subsequently, scientifically-backed evidence overwhelmingly shows that ABA is the gold standard of currently available autism treatment.
The momentous discovery of the effectiveness of ABA as an effective treatment for autism, has resulted in an influx of individuals and services claiming to offer ABA as its treatment choice for the autism community. Unfortunately, some of these claims come from individuals seeking to thrive from this opportunity in order to gain monetarily despite having little or no training or experience in ABA. Such instances are dangerous for the industry, exposing risks both for consumers as well as the services.
Learning Ladders Society – the pioneering ABA service in Brunei
Learning Ladders Society stresses the high standard of treatment that its centre offers. Just like any other medical treatment programme, the ABA programme for children with autism at Learning Ladders Society is carried out under the supervision of licensed clinical psychologists with specialised training in ABA. At Learning Ladders, the quality of ABA service delivery is heavily supervised by the external consultant Dr Douglas Lee. This external consultant monitors both the progress of the therapists as well as the children on a daily basis via video-conference to ensure both the quality and standards of the therapy that are provided. He personally supervises the work of all the therapists on a case-to-case basis as well as constantly monitoring and reviewing programmes with the senior behavioural supervisors.
Dr Douglas Lee is a Board Certified Behaviour Psychologist and Behaviour Analyst with almost 40 years clinical experience and 20 years’ experience in managing top performing agency specialising in behaviour analytic service with children and adults with complex neurological and intellectual impairments in British Columbia and Alberta.
What is the ABA credential to look for?
You will be able to identify a trained therapist as they should be credentialed by Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB) or the Association of Professional Behaviour Analysts. These professionals often supervise therapists under them, who will be working directly with your child. It is crucial that parents of someone with ASD know that a licensed clinical psychologist or behaviour analyst is providing regular supervision to anyone working directly with the child.
In ensuring standards and quality of therapy, Learning Ladders strives towards accreditation and became the first ABA service provider in Borneo to receive professional board certification from BACB. To date, under the supervision of Dr Douglas Lee, Learning Ladders has produced one member of staff that has been certified with the Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analyst (BCaBA) and four members of staff that have been certified as Registered Behaviour Technicians (RBT).
The risk of choosing uncredentialed ABA service provider
Proficiently delivered ABA intervention can help learners with autism create profound changes in many areas. In order for this to be obtained, intensive and continuous instruction that builds on their step-by-step progress is required. It is important to remember that the rate of progress varies substantially from one person to another depending on age, level of functioning, family goals and other factors.
And most importantly, ABA programmes are most effective when conducted in collaboration with the individual, his/her family, and the interdisciplinary treatment team.
However, when ABA treatment is delivered badly or by unqualified individuals or services, it would not produce positive outcome for the individual with autism. This is what happened in the 1980s in the West when there was a sudden influx of pseudo-ABA service providers claiming to be offering ABA programme and ultimately diluting the credential of the service. In due course, such cases have resulted in discrediting the actual ABA advances, misleading hopeful parents which saw the potential of the treatment but got turned off by the unaccredited service providers that have not resulted positive outcome.
Regrettably, the reality is that the advances in ABA has attracted some individuals to exploit on the opportunity to flourish for personal gains. Desperate parents are seen as easy prey and are exposed to being offered unaccredited services. This is why the Board of Certification has been set up. It is designed to control the influx of the so-called ABA wonders from victimising the children and families.
Learning Ladders Society is striving to uphold its standard in keeping its credential by getting more and more of its therapists to be certified. The next step that the centre is aspiring to achieve is to replicate the licensing processes for the ABA practitioners just like in the US to ensure the accountability of the service providers and to uphold standards.
(Several crucial points were omitted by Borneo Bulletin. Text in RED are the paragraphs that were omitted from the article. Read here to read the full text. The article published in the newspaper is titled "Applied Behaviour Analysis Treatment for Autism". Below is the original title).
TREATMENT FOR AUTISM - PARENTS TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE WITH CREDENTIALED APPLIED BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS (ABA) PROVIDER
By: Learning Ladders Society
Did you know that:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder that is affecting 1 in 68 children in the United States.
- To date, there is still no known cure for autism.
Despite that, not all hope is lost. Currently, there is actually an available treatment for autism which is known as Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). ABA is a field of study that is dedicated to improve the human condition by making changes in environmental conditions. These changes are supported by data and if applied correctly can result in significant improvements. Supported by more than 500 pieces high-quality peer reviewed research, ABA has been documented to be highly effective in treating the symptoms of autism. Studies indicated that about 30% of children that received this treatment no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD and the majority of children acquire skills that are clinically significant and meaningful in improving their quality of lives. Subsequently, scientifically-backed evidence overwhelmingly shows that ABA is the gold standard of currently available autism treatment.
The momentous discovery of the effectiveness of ABA as an effective treatment for autism, has resulted in an influx of individuals and services claiming to offer ABA as its treatment choice for the autism community. Unfortunately, some of these claims come from individuals seeking to thrive from this opportunity in order to gain monetarily despite having little or no training or experience in ABA. Such instances are dangerous for the industry, exposing risks both for consumers as well as the services.
Learning Ladders Society – the pioneering ABA service in Brunei
Learning Ladders Society stresses the high standard of treatment that its centre offers. Just like any other medical treatment programme, the ABA programme for children with autism at Learning Ladders Society is carried out under the supervision of licensed clinical psychologists with specialised training in ABA. At Learning Ladders, the quality of ABA service delivery is heavily supervised by the external consultant Dr Douglas Lee. This external consultant monitors both the progress of the therapists as well as the children on a daily basis via video-conference to ensure both the quality and standards of the therapy that are provided. He personally supervises the work of all the therapists on a case-to-case basis as well as constantly monitoring and reviewing programmes with the senior behavioural supervisors.
Dr Douglas Lee is a Board Certified Behaviour Psychologist and Behaviour Analyst with almost 40 years clinical experience and 20 years’ experience in managing top performing agency specialising in behaviour analytic service with children and adults with complex neurological and intellectual impairments in British Columbia and Alberta.
What is the ABA credential to look for?
You will be able to identify a trained therapist as they should be credentialed by Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB) or the Association of Professional Behaviour Analysts. These professionals often supervise therapists under them, who will be working directly with your child. It is crucial that parents of someone with ASD know that a licensed clinical psychologist or behaviour analyst is providing regular supervision to anyone working directly with the child.
In ensuring standards and quality of therapy, Learning Ladders strives towards accreditation and became the first ABA service provider in Borneo to receive professional board certification from BACB. To date, under the supervision of Dr Douglas Lee, Learning Ladders has produced one member of staff that has been certified with the Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analyst (BCaBA) and four members of staff that have been certified as Registered Behaviour Technicians (RBT).
The risk of choosing uncredentialed ABA service provider
Proficiently delivered ABA intervention can help learners with autism create profound changes in many areas. In order for this to be obtained, intensive and continuous instruction that builds on their step-by-step progress is required. It is important to remember that the rate of progress varies substantially from one person to another depending on age, level of functioning, family goals and other factors.
And most importantly, ABA programmes are most effective when conducted in collaboration with the individual, his/her family, and the interdisciplinary treatment team.
However, when ABA treatment is delivered badly or by unqualified individuals or services, it would not produce positive outcome for the individual with autism. This is what happened in the 1980s in the West when there was a sudden influx of pseudo-ABA service providers claiming to be offering ABA programme and ultimately diluting the credential of the service. In due course, such cases have resulted in discrediting the actual ABA advances, misleading hopeful parents which saw the potential of the treatment but got turned off by the unaccredited service providers that have not resulted positive outcome.
Regrettably, the reality is that the advances in ABA has attracted some individuals to exploit on the opportunity to flourish for personal gains. Desperate parents are seen as easy prey and are exposed to being offered unaccredited services. This is why the Board of Certification has been set up. It is designed to control the influx of the so-called ABA wonders from victimising the children and families.
Learning Ladders Society is striving to uphold its standard in keeping its credential by getting more and more of its therapists to be certified. The next step that the centre is aspiring to achieve is to replicate the licensing processes for the ABA practitioners just like in the US to ensure the accountability of the service providers and to uphold standards.
