Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of a Behavior Consultant?
Behavior Consultant serves a multidimensional function in the childs’ ABA program. The range of responsibilities has been outlined below:
Initial interview with the family
Initial and follow-up assessments (BLA/ABLLS-R and other)
Functional Behavior Assessments
Program Development (Curriculum)
Ministry Reports
Ongoing training and supervision of team members
Monthly team meetings
Preschool and School observation and support
Parent support network
Parent training and ongoing guidance

What are the responsibilities of a Senior Behavior Interventionist?
Direct Intervention
Administration – update of data sheets and targets
Assistance with training of inexperienced therapists
Summary reports
Assistance with materials research required for implementation of programs
Prompt communication with all team members and the family
Attendance at all mandatory staff meetings

What are the responsibilities of a Junior Behavior Interventionist?
Direct Intervention
Data recording and data analysis
Prompt communication with all team members and the family
Attendance at all mandatory staff meetings

What are the service rates?

Behavior Consultant = $100.00/hour

Senior Behavior Interventionist = $30.00/hour

Behavior Interventionist = $25.00/hour

Junior Interventionist = $20.00/hour

Is there a travel fee?
Note that there is a $15-$30 travel charge per visit for any location requiring the Behavior Consultant to commute for one hour or more, roundtrip.

What is the required method of payment for the services rendered?
ABA Academy requires direct funding method from MCFD versus the invoice system. These options are available to the families when they originally apply for their ABA funding. The direct funding method ensures that payment for services are paid in a timely manner.

Do I need to pay GST?
All fees include a 5% GST charge.
Although services provided by Behavior Consultants supervising home treatment programs are medically necessary for children with autism, BC Government has ruled that these consulting services are not GST exempt at this time.

When will I receive my invoice?
The families receive their bill at the end of each month for the services rendered. The payment must be received by the 10th day of the following month. Late payments incur a fee of $10.00. A copy of the receipt will need to be sent to MCFD for proof of services.

What is the parents’ role in their child’s program?
Parents are responsible for attending the monthly team meetings and any training sessions/workshops facilitated by their behavior consultant.
Providing program materials that are required for the programs implemented by the behavior consultant e.g. ABLLS protocol, flash cards and other educational materials.
Parent or a legal guardian must be present for the entire time that their child is in session conducted by ABA team member.

What is the difference between a privately hired Behavior Interventionist and Behavior Interventionist assigned by the consultant?
In most cases, the family is required to hire behavior interventionists privately. In some cases, the behavioral consultant may have a senior level interventionist available who has substantial experience working with children in the home program. The senior BI assists the team in implementing programs, training, and behavior management procedures developed by the Program Consultant. The family will be assigned a senior level BI pending availability of a senior BI and geographical region of the family.

How do I pay for services rendered by a privately hired Behavior Interventionist?
Those behavior interventionists who have been hired by the family privately will be paid by the parent directly. The rates of pay for a junior and senior level interventionist are left at parental discretion.
Behavior Interventionists assigned and placed by the Consultant:
Most families served by ABA Academy are assigned a team of behavior interventionists who are paid by the Behavior Consultant. Their hours of service and rate of pay are included in a detailed monthly record and attached to the family’s monthly bill.

Are Behavior Interventionists evaluated on ongoing basis?
All Behavior Interventionists receive an ongoing feedback and evaluations by the Behavioral Consultant to track and monitor their progress in implementing the ABA techniques.

What are the first steps I need to take in order to start an ABA program with my child?
The first step in setting up a Home program or On-site program is to fill out the intake form, mail the form to …….. or e-mail to HYPERLINK "mailto:[email protected]" [email protected] and schedule an initial consultation. During the first consultation parents are asked to bring any supporting documents and their child’s psychological assessments for review. Following initial consultation, ABA Academy will assign a Behavior Consultant to work with the child.
Behavior Consultant will conduct necessary assessments by working directly with the child over the course of three weeks, during which current skills are investigated and child’s learning strengths and weaknesses established.
Upon completion of the assessment, Behavior Consultant will develop an individual program plan and establish the team.

How is the assessment conducted?
The assessment is carried out by the family’s Behavior Consultant who has extensive knowledge and experience in testing using the ABLLS tracking system. The assessment is conducted at the child’s home or on-site with the parents/caregivers present. There are times when a child may not perform in the presence of the parent in which case the parent is welcomed to observe the assessment indirectly e.g. outside of the testing room.
Behavior Consultant may require from 2 – 4 sessions to complete the assessment based on the child’s age and skills level. Each session should last no longer than 2 hours.
Small portion of the assessment is carried out via parent interview during which the assessor will obtain detailed information on the child’s dressing, eating, grooming, toileting and gross motor skills. This part of the interview should take no longer than one hour to complete.
Most of the assessment time will be allocated to direct testing during which the assessor will work and play meaningfully with the child while establishing the necessary rapport and gaining insight into the child’s skills. The first part of the assessment will focus on Language and Communication skills. The Behavior Consultant will bring her own testing materials and games; however she might decide to implement some of the child’s preferred toys and games to gain child’s attention and interest that are essential to the willingness of the child to cooperate. The strengths and weakness are identified using purely academic materials at the table and in a more play-based and enjoyable fashion, using toys and games that are part of the child’s natural environment.
Those skills involved in social interaction, group instruction, classroom routine, play and leisure and generalized responding are assessed directly during the initial preschool/school observation. This part of the assessment may be conducted at the start of the testing process or at a later time. Subsequent reassessments are conducted every 3-6 months depending on the child’s progress.

What is Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills?
ABLLS R (revised) is used by Behavior Consultants to assess current skills of children diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities. It is a skills tracking system that guides the development of the initial curriculum and subsequent program plans. It identifies child’s skill strengths and weaknesses that are scored using the ABLLS graph.
The author of the ABLLS-R is James W. Partington, Ph.D.
The ABLLS Assessment comprises multiple areas which include cooperation and reinforcer effectiveness, language and communication skills, social skills, writing skills, reading skills, math skills, classroom cooperation, self-help skills and motor skills.
Typically, children meet all the criteria identified in the assessment by the age of 5.
Additional Assessments:
Additional assessments may be conducted to evaluate child’s advanced critical and thinking skills. These assessments are carried out with school age children who demonstrate skills that are not part of the ABLLS test.

What teaching techniques does ABA Academy embrace?
ABA Academy professionals implement Discrete Trial Teaching Methodology and Natural Environment Training based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. In addition, Behavior Consultants incorporate other techniques such as pivotal response training, fluency, incidental teaching or group intervention when developing child’s social skills and awareness.