Assembly Bill 1074 FastTrack's Behavioral Services to Improve Services for Individuals with Autism

    LOS ANGELES, CA, October 12, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- California Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill 1074, a bill authored by Assembly Member Brian Maienschein (R- San Diego) and co-sponsored by California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA) and the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD). The bill received overwhelming support from both the California Assembly and Senate.

In addition to technical changes, AB 1074 removes the requirement for autism treatment professionals to be vendored with a state regional center and clarifies that evidence-based autism treatment includes clinical case management. Additionally, the bill removes a 6-month experience requirement for paraprofessionals who work one-to-one with individuals affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a requirement that has limited the capacity of California's autism treatment providers to meet the needs of California's autism community.

Many families impacted by autism appreciate the need for service providers to have more flexibility making it possible to swiftly serve families in need, especially those seeking early intervention services. Families with older children remember the days when untrailed staff were labeled paraprofessionals and deployed to provide critical ABA services. Because these guidelines were initially put in place to protect those affected by ASD, there is concern about the quality of care as guidelines are loosened and paraprofessionals are no longer required to have 6 months of prior experience to work one of one with an individual affected by ASD.

California is home to more autism treatment providers than any other state; yet, individuals diagnosed with ASD often encounter delays and waiting lists when seeking medically necessary treatment.

"When my son was diagnosed 17 years ago service providers sent untrained or undertrained staff in an effort to meet the explosive demand. I remember a 19-year-old tennis coach showing up to our home. She possessed no understanding of individuals with autism, and her only training was 1 day in a single ABA styled table top activity drilling a child on colors. These sessions were unproductive, a waste of taxpayer dollars and critical development time in my son's life. It is exciting to know so many people today are working to improve the systems of care for individuals with autism, and I embrace the progress. We will know in time if these changes to AB 1074 increase the number of working paraprofessionals and still ensure each child - including those in underserved communities - is receiving the evidence-based programs they deserve" said Donna Ross-Jones Author of Autismdaybyday, Co-Founder Special Needs Network. "I'm gratified to have had the opportunity to increase access to treatment for individuals affected by autism.

This bill clarifies California's autism mandate to ensure behavioral health providers are not hindered by outdated requirements," said Assembly Member Maienschein.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in every 68 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with ASD, with one in 42 boys and one in 189 girls diagnosed. These 2014 figures represent a 30 percent increase since 2008. As the prevalence of ASD has increased, services for individuals with ASD have not always kept pace with demand. The increase in autism diagnoses and the lack of resources leaves some families struggling to access the services that are crucial to their child's development.

"On behalf of our membership and the thousands of families they serve, we are grateful to Assembly Member Brian Maienschein for his leadership on this issue. The language included in AB 1074 will remove unnecessary barriers for providers and provide increased access to care for the vulnerable population receiving crucial behavioral health treatments," said Matt McAlear, executive director of CalABA.

About California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA)
California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA) is the professional membership association representing behavior analysts in California. CalABA is dedicated to advancing, promoting, and protecting the science and practice of behavior analysis. For more information, visit http://www.calaba.org.

About Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)
CARD treats individuals of all ages who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at treatment centers around the globe. CARD was founded in 1990 by leading autism expert and clinical psychologist Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D. CARD treats individuals with ASD using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), which is empirically proven to be the most effective method for treating individuals with ASD and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Surgeon General. For more information, visit http://www.centerforautism.com or call (855) 345-2273.

About Donna Ross-Jones, Autismdaybyday Autism day by day is an online blog and an official resource for the NIH National Institute of Health. visit http://www.autismdaybyday.net

Autismdaybyday with more than 3 million readers has followed single mom, Donna Ross-Jones for 12 years while raising 2 children including a son with autism. Autismdaybyday an official resource of the National Institute of Health (NIH ) is known for its candid and highly personal look at all things autism from her personal and family daily challenges, to advocacy, social injustice, medical interventions, education to coping with her son's puberty. About the author: Jones has served on state and local boards, including an appointment on a CA Senate Committee, chaired by Senator Steinberg. Jones has received State, Local and Congressional Recognition for her work in both business and the special needs community. Founder and CEO of Transition Music Corporation (TMC) - ranked in the top 100 Music Publishers in the United States - has been honored with Emmy awards and more than 10 Platinum and Gold Records. Recently recognized as Essence Magazines Entrepreneur of Excellence 2017 and the "Inspiration of the Year" by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) in 2015. Committed to using her entertainment connections and expertise to educate the community at large about autism Jones team with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to produce the first National PSA to address the dangers of Autism and Wandering. The video went viral and became the cornerstone media tool for the leading disability rights organizations in the United States.

# # #