A Seat at the Table Meaningful Advocacy for Autism Service Providers

Short Title:  A Seat at the Table: Meaningful Advocacy 

Original Air Date: December 15, 2022

CEU offered: 1.5 Learning CEU

Webinar Duration: 90 minutes

CE Instructors:

  • Ashley Williams, PhD, LBA, BCBA-D
  • Rebecca Giamatti, MS, BCBA, LBA-CT
  • Rebecca Womack, MS, BCBA, LBA
  • Judith Ursitti


Abstract:

2022 has been a year of simultaneous challenge and progress as CASP members advocated on the state and federal levels to ensure provider best practice is recognized and appropriately reimbursed. Learn about specific progress and strategy moving forward, including:

  • TRICARE Autism Care Demonstration
  • Coverage of Applied Behavior Analysis Under EPSDT
  • Licensure
  • Workforce
  • Mental Health Parity
  • Generally Accepted Standards of Care


Now more than ever, autism service providers must have a seat at the table when critical policy issues are being discussed.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Participants will understand why it's important to have payor policies aligned with generally accepted standards of care.
  2. Participants will understand how Medically Unlikely Edits (MUEs) are being misused with ABA CPT codes and the important step providers can take to further advocacy efforts.
  3. Participants will understand examples of strategies to work successfully with Medicaid agencies on issues relating to rates and codes.




Instructor(s)

Senior Clinical Director Ashley Williams, PhD, BCBA-D

Dr. Ashley Williams is Senior Clinical Director at LEARN. She received her PhD in Behavior Analysis from Simmons College. In June of 2020, Ashley joined the State’s licensure board for Allied Health and currently serves as one of two licensed behaviors analysts on the Board. Ashley currently serves as Assistant Director of Professional Practice for BABAT and Advisor to the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. Her scholarly work includes peer-reviewed journal articles, local and national conference presentations and contributor to CASP’s Organizational Guidelines and ACQ’s Accreditation Standards. Ashley has also served as a subject matter expert and currently teaches at Northeastern University in their graduate and undergraduate ABA programs.

MS, BCBA, LBA Rebecca Womack

Rebecca several years of experience rendering services via telehealth as well as researched this topic when advocating on behalf of providers and military families in DC regarding the TRICARE ABA benefit.
 Rebecca has been privileged to serve adults and children using ABA in a variety of capacities. From facility-based care, to working in group homes, daycare centers, schools, and family homes, her experience includes implementing evidence-based therapy across multiple settings. As part of this, she has traveled across the United States and overseas to provide consultation for families with children and adults who have autism. Rebecca currently serves as the Director of Clinical Compliance for Blue Sprig Pediatrics, Inc. There she works collaboratively with a team of interdisciplinary professionals to create quality assurance policies and ensure that related processes are ethically and contractually aligned with health plan standards.

Rebecca Giammatti, MS, BCBA, LBA-CT

Rebecca Giammatti holds an M.S. in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis from The Sage Colleges. She first started in the autism treatment field in 1999, and since then has enjoyed clinical experience in home, school, and center-based programs. Her particular clinical passion is the intensive ABA treatment of toddlers with autism. Rebecca is the Chief Clinical Officer and co-founder of Prism Autism Center, in Farmington, Guilford, and Berlin, CT. She has organizational memberships with CTABA and CASP, and is a member of BABAT, APBA, and BALC. Rebecca is currently an appointed member of CTABA Public Policy and Legislative Outreach Committee. She is devoted to working towards effective policies regarding insurance reimbursement for ABA services, especially with regard to compliance with the Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act and the Affordable Care Act.