Autism is a difficult-to-deal-with circumstance. It is not consistent and may not be enthusiastically understood. Therefore, the expertise of behavior analysts and specialists always come in handy when it comes to treating patients who are diagnosed with autism.
So, what can autism behavior analysts do for you or for the patient?
From providing professional consultation services to creating plans to help educators and parents setback the progression of the condition, autism behavior analysts can be of huge assistance to educators and parents alike, not to state to the patients themselves. These analysts can provide evaluation of the condition, offer and even carry out autism therapies, train you – as a teacher or a parent – to direct the behaviors of the patient, and give you access to people and groups who would be eager to finance your patient’s therapies and treatments. Chris Manente is a Board Licensed Behavior Analyst and also the Executive Director at Rutgers University.
Well-established and respectable autism behavior analysts often have web presence which should make it effortless for you to find them. The majority of them preserve websites that give a lucid picture of their services, their qualifications, where they are located, and essentially every bit of information that could help you reach them. For persons who do not have websites, their names are generally found in websites that allow specialists to post their phone numbers and even resumes online. It is also a great idea to look for in forums. Some analysts use these to reach out to patients.
If you know parents who have autistic kids, they can also help you find analysts and specialists who can assist your child. Word of mouth cannot be taken too lightly. When parents who are experiencing experiences that are comparable to what you are experiencing, it is liable that their suggested analysts are worth your try. Off line, you can come across them in yellow pages, in the school’s index of resource persons who are contacted by the school at any time they need an additional hand in handling autistic students or pupils, and by talking to educators who are directly working with these analysts.
What qualifications should you try to find?
The qualifications of autism behavior analysts differ from one state to another, and from one professional to another. Generally, you should look for the following:
Licenses and certifications – Depending on the analyst and your location, you should look for a certification or a license or both. If you are interested in a behavior analyst, you should check your state’s requirements.
Formal training – Again, depending on the expert, he should at least have a master’s degree, and in addition to his field of operation, perhaps, a doctorate degree. If he is a behavior analyst, you should look for one that specializes in psychology, human service disciplines, or special education.
According to Chris Manente, other important details that should be of major concern are: Competencies, the personal and professional knowledge and involvement of the analyst in his field, his methods and strategies, his years of experience, and other less vital but equally significant details like handling of paperwork, billing procedures, connection, and others.