ABA Coverage for Federal Insurance Plans

With 32 states now mandating insurance coverage of ABA treatment for children and adolescence with Autism Spectrum Disorders, it is difficult to believe that Federal Employee Plans do not currently carry such a mandate.  Fortunately, the Office of Personal Management (OPM) is now taking a stand by officially recommending that health plans participating in the Federal Employee Health Benefits program (FEHB) offer coverage of ABA to federal employees.  While there are presently 230 participating plans, only a little over one quarter of those plans offered the benefit this calendar year.  Hopefully, with the OPM drawing attention to this issue, that will soon be changing.  For more information, review the related article here:

http://www.autismspeaks.org/advocacy/advocacy-news/insurers-get-pressure-cover-aba-federal-employees

What are your thoughts on mandated insurance coverage?

Maria

Parent Trainings are Not for Bad Parents

Here is a blog written by one of our Lead Behavior Specialists, Melissa.  She is the mother of two wonderful children and is presently completing her Board Certification in Applied Behavior Analysis.  Let us know your thoughts......

When most of us hear the word "training" we automatically think that must mean that we are not good enough at something and therefore, need to be trained to do it. When we pair it with the word "parent," we think we are not good enough as a parent and need to be trained to raise our children. This is not always the case. I don’t know about your kids but mine did not come with an instruction manual and there have been times I sure wish they did. So if it’s difficult to raise a “typical” child without any instructions, I can only imagine how difficult it is to raise a child with autism without any instructions. We all know that ABA and the behavior specialist help teach the child but who is left when we leave? You, the parent. And who will be left to raise the child after our services end? You, the parent. So why not get all the knowledge you can. If you have a question, ask us. If we don’t have an answer we will find one for you. If Tessa or Jeff approaches you about parent trainings, jump at the chance. Or don’t wait, ask them for it. Let us help you be a better you.

  

‘Parent Training’ May Help Kids with Autism Behave Better

health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/03/02/

Training Parents is Good Medicine for Children with Autism Behavior Problems, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120004194318.htm

Getting Closer to Finding a Cause

The exact etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders remains unknown, but every day we are getting closer!  Here is a recent article that appeared in the New York Times that discusses research that is being conducted on the placental folds of a newborn...

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/health/study-ties-autism-risk-to-creases-in-placenta.xml

Maria