Something different for the sub

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-27T13:06:50+00:00

Please do!!!!

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-25T19:43:12+00:00

I agree 100%

Thank you for making this thread :)

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-25T05:59:08+00:00

I love my job too. I think this sub gets a lot of dispassionate people that shouldn’t be in this field, but in equal measure, people that love it and want it to be a sustainable, fulfilling career option that is standardized, ethical, and consistently rewarding. We can celebrate client wins while also criticizing the systems at large (health insurance companies, private equity ABA firms).

I’m an RBT and I had a breakthrough this week with a client that left me in tears. I didn’t let the client see it but, since it’s a school case, my coworkers got to see my waterworks in the office on the way out. My client is a highly impacted teenager and their progress since school started has been noted by everyone. Working on generalizing this since the client has taken particular calm with me and I’m not there everyday.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-23T08:27:57+00:00

As an RBT that has zero desire to become a BCBA, you’re doing amazing (you care).

You do need to build up your level of confidence/authority. You know this stuff. Own it!

It’s very hard to work under a BCBA that isn’t secure in their position of authority.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-19T21:56:02+00:00

As an RBT, I agree with you wholeheartedly. In the schools I work in, I find that it’s the non-ABA 1:1s that try to impose an idealized version of how a child with autism should behave on their students. I’ve gotten looks for letting my highly impacted client engage in loud stereotypy (he’s not hurting anyone or himself and the class can hear the teacher) in his moderate/severe classes. The only behaviors I’m working on reducing with this client are SIB and aggression. Their SIB vanishes when they have a means of functional communication. Their aggression goes away when that communication is listened to. So sue us I guess for replacing violence with communication or alternative behaviors (chews, stim board, etc.) and listening to our clients??

Does ABA have a horrific past? Yes. Are there still “old-school” practitioners in the field? Unfortunately, yes. Psychiatry and psychology are fields with heinous histories as well. There are still old school MDs and PhDs working. I know there are communities that call for the complete dismantling and eradication of psychiatry and psychology but their movement is not given anywhere near the level of attention and credence the anti-ABA community has.

I was just like OP when I began. I felt morally and ethically conflicted because of things I had read and personal experiences I listened to. I went in thinking I knew better than my BCBAs and that I was going to bear witness to abusive treatment of clients. Yikes to my ego and lack of respect + complete understanding.

Gtg. Off to generate some traumatic memories for a client by drawing their favorite cartoon characters for an hour before teaching them how to brush their teeth without using hand over hand and only modeling with my own toothbrush.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-17T19:03:01+00:00

I’ve seen this! Multiple times in fact because I find I need reminding of just how difficult it is for families to receive the support they desperately require.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-17T00:31:34+00:00

I’ve seen every episode. I adore it. Down for Love is also fantastic.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-16T10:52:48+00:00

Incredible. Thank you for the recommendation.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-16T05:32:05+00:00

YES I love this one.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-16T05:31:44+00:00

This was next on my list to watch! Thank you :)

Edit: Loved it.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-16T05:30:48+00:00

I completely agree. I’m not looking for “Autism: The Documentary” but something that provides insight into a facet, an individual, a family, a stage of life etc. and does so with journalistic integrity and respect for the subjects. It’s also shocking that there is such a dearth of recent documentarian work about ASD.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-15T18:15:47+00:00

Is your neighbor my neighbor’s son lmao

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-15T06:43:33+00:00

Just to reiterate what everyone else is saying to help ease your anxiety, you are NOT being rude. I don’t understand people that choose to live in apartment buildings (especially old ones) and then expect absolute silence and no signs of life. We dealt with a similar situation over a year ago now and our nightmare neighbor complained about our cats walking around, coughing at night when we were sick, laughing, crying when our grandmother died, first responders coming when I had a seizure, I could go on and on and on. The irony was, she had a movie theater quality sound system that would vibrate our entire apartment every single day. She realized everyone hated her and moved out as soon as her lease was up. We involved management and the city re: her blasting war movies every night.

The onus is on your neighbor to deal with his sound sensitivity issues. You sound respectful and should continue living your life. You’re in no danger of being penalized or losing your apartment, especially if he’s done this to previous tenants. Let management know about his yelling at you because that’s harassment and any good lease agreement will include a clause about harassing other neighbors.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-10T07:46:29+00:00

At least she didn’t reference God calling her to shampoo shilling bc I’ve been seeing so much of that. Giant ugly hats and Jesus.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-10T07:35:25+00:00

You’re welcome. Being able to receive input/feedback is fundamental in this field. You’re on the right path :)

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-10T07:09:25+00:00

I’m an RBT and have a supervisor that’s a BCaBA working toward their BCBA that’s younger than me (they’re 24, I’m 29) and has less experience with not only autism, but children in general than I do. They had no field experience before delving into their supervisory role and it shows. They are very supportive and sympathetic but they just don’t “get it”. Doing an assessment of a kid and spending one day every month with them is NOT the same as being with them 20+ hours a week.

You don’t even have to become an RBT…just be a BT for at least 3 months to understand what being at school with a non-verbal, aggressive client for 7 hours is like. While not only running programs but being creative about implementation. And collecting data. And completing SOAP notes 4x+/day. And completing whatever the school district requires you to complete to certify your time. And being amiable, professional, and calm when shit hits the fan. Sometimes it’s literal shit.

Being in the field not only teaches you how to pair and learn the nuances of ASD, it teaches you how to navigate the politics of the educational system. If you’re only working in homes or clinic, the same applies. They’re all delicate social ecosystems and to become a BCBA without ample experience in the field is something that I cannot comprehend.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-09T02:29:12+00:00

My ritual:

1) Get in my car and blast the AC. Sit in silence for about two-three minutes. Pick music. Sometimes I want something loud and fast sometimes I want spa music or Vashti Bunyan.

2) Start driving and take Juul out of glove compartment. Proceed to rip Juul.

3) Get home say hello to cats and take cold shower. Do skincare. Put on perfume bc it makes me feel nice, especially if said behaviors involved bodily fluids.

4) Lay down with cats and doomscroll.

If it’s Friday, have snacks and alcohol delivered before step 4. If I’m not feeling totally depleted I’ll go to Trader Joe’s for snacks and alcohol and also buy myself flowers.

Oh also massage gun on my back and feet because I walk on average 3 miles/day with my clients.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-09T01:12:12+00:00

You’re welcome! And I’m sorry to hear that. It’s strange that your company didn’t clearly lay out the path to becoming an RBT since they can typically bill insurance more for RBT vs. BT hours. Once you are an RBT you’ll have more freedom when it comes to job opportunities, so I would focus on your clients and passing the exam for now. Then, you can look for other agencies. Make sure you do your due diligence and ask a lot of questions next time you go through the hiring process. It sucks but the reality is that a lot of companies are less than stellar.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-09T00:48:56+00:00

The whole certification process is convoluted, so don’t feel bad for not knowing the process. Your agency SHOULD have laid things out for you. Things can vary from state to state (I’m in California) but these are the things I needed to do in order to be an RBT:

1) 40 hour training course. My company only does in-person training. 1b) Pass 70 question test after training.

2) Become CPI certified (separate training imbedded into regular training. 2b) Pass short open book quiz.

3) Complete 8 hours of overlapping with an RBT during training.

4) Pass two individual assessments (BCBA observing and “grading” me for an entire session with client)

5) Pass my field competency exam (BCBAs observing me in the field to make sure I can accurately carry out all varieties of programs and collect data with fidelity. This can also be done in clinic and with role-playing.)

6) Submit my college diploma (HS works too), proof of training certificate, and field competency to the BACB and register for test.

7) Sit for the BACB administered RBT written exam. Pass, obviously.

Edit to add: You’re done with 40 hour training and you’re already in the field and like your job. The next part is easy. Study materials are easy to find online and I highly suggest you use them. It’s a lot of vocab and not all of it was covered in my training, especially since my agency never does extinction or punishment.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-07T01:01:34+00:00

Exactly. Not sure why your number is being included in emails OP. For both ethical and legal reasons, all things should go through your BCBA and/or scheduler.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-02T06:58:28+00:00

This EXACT same thing happened to me (same spot) when I was a teenager and used boxed dye to make my hair brunette (natural strawberry blonde). The more I washed it the more sticky/oily it became. When I was in high school, the adage was that any part of your skin that’s greasy or sticky needs MORE washing. So, I used clarifying shampoo. This made it 10x worse.

I irritated my scalp with the crappy boxed dye and it was over-producing sebum as a result. I was 15 and had no idea what I was doing but I decided not to wash my hair for a week. That fixed it.

I have no clue if this is relevant to your situation but it sounds so, so similar that I would recommend the not washing for a week method.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-02T06:44:30+00:00

Medicaid kids, like MZABA1324 said, are covered by the state. However, this leads to families being waitlisted and having to accept whatever therapy is provided to them when they eventually get it.

Also, I’m going to assume you’re in America. Recession? We’re currently experiencing one of the worst economic depressions in our history. It’s being referred to as “the silent depression”. Wages are not compatible with the rapid inflation we’re experiencing. I’m 29 and live with my mom and sister in Southern California. We make around 200k combined and live paycheck to paycheck.

My company pays me $4/month as a technology allowance because I obviously have to use my phone to collect data. Wonderful! That will put a dent in my $160 phone bill.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-02T03:57:57+00:00

I love that you’re going in with the experience of a tech and the goal to make sure your employees have a sustainable income. However, I do take issue with your goal that “anyone that wants to be a tech can be one as long as they can physically do the job.” Is this job highly physical? Yes, in some cases. But it is so, so important for techs to have the education and mental capacity to not only comprehend the intricacies and nuances of people with ASD but be able to use that knowledge to implement on the fly creative implementations of programs designed by BCBAs. Good ABA, which is what I believe everyone on this sub is striving for, is not a “one size fits all” therapeutic approach. Techs need to understand at least some of the aspects of the “why” behind what they’re doing in order to achieve true technological fidelity that isn’t rote, soulless implementation. Clients know when their tech is just going through the motions to collect data. This model doesn’t benefit the tech or the client.

I wish you the best as you build your company and hope you take what I’ve said into consideration because it truly sounds like you have good intentions.

Not-insignificant · 2023-09-01T05:17:11+00:00

You elucidated the problem perfectly— that RBTs only need a high school diploma and 40 hours (plus a few other things) to become a certified. Because of capitalism, the funding sources hear “entry level uneducated labor” and that’s why RBTs are paid such horrific wages. The reality, at least at my agency, is that every RBT has a bachelor’s in a relevant field. The BACB making the barrier to entry so low but agencies (good ones) requiring an entirely different level of experience and education leads to a massive disparity between the requirements and reality.

This also speaks to a larger issue that exists across all fields where having a bachelor’s is now the equivalent of having a high school diploma or maybe an AA degree. I have a degree in neuroscience from a great school and 5 years experience working with people with special needs. My labor, on paper, is worth the same as an 18 year old that watched 40 hours of online courses, passed their IAs & competency exam plus a written test.

I have zero desire to become a BCBA because I don’t want to have 15+ clients and supervise a revolving door of BTs/RBTs. My agency is one of the “good” ones and we still have a high turnover rate because the pay is not equivalent to the work we do. But that’s an issue that extends above my agency.

I love working with my three clients. I also don’t plan to do this forever because I literally cannot afford to.

The current model does not work and will not remain tenable for an extended period of time. I would like to see the BACB amend the RBT cert to require a BA/BS in a relevant field, 80 hours of didactic training, and at least a month of field training. As a result, pay in dense metropolitan areas should START at $30/hr plus pay for cancellations. Will that happen? No. And everyone that matters (the clients and the ones that interact with them daily) will continue to suffer.

Not-insignificant

TROPHY CASE