The Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Assessment Guidelines for Behavior Analysts

Short Title:  ASD Assessment Guidelines for Behavior Analysts

Original Air Date: May 14, 2026

CEU offered: 1.0 BACB Ethics CEU

Webinar Duration: 60 minutes

Instructors:

  • Sara Weinkauf, PhD, BCBA, LBA
  • Molly Dubuque, MA, BCBA
  • Allyson Moore, MS, BCBA, LMFT
  • Chanti Waters, EdD, BCBA-D
  • Ivy Chong, PhD
  • TJ Couey


Abstract:

The Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) and the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) have collaborated to develop The Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Assessment Guidelines for Behavior Analysts, a resource designed to strengthen assessment practices for clinicians working with autistic individuals. High-quality assessment is foundational to ethical, effective, and individualized ABA services, yet practitioners often face challenges related to measure selection, administration fidelity, and regulatory expectations. This session will introduce the ASD Assessment Guidelines, and guide attendees through practical application of the ASD Assessment Repository, including how to efficiently search for and select assessments based on individual client characteristics. By grounding assessment decisions in these guidelines, practitioners can improve clinical decision-making and enhance treatment relevance. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment by CASP and APBA to elevate assessment competence across the field and ultimately improve outcomes for autistic individuals and their families.

Learning Objectives

  1.  Summarize the purpose and scope of the ASD Assessment Guidelines, including the ethical and regulatory issues they are designed to address.
  2. Describe core considerations for selecting and interpreting multi-modal ASD assessments.
  3. Identify how the ASD Assessment Repository can be used to support assessment selection decisions based on client characteristics.


Instructor(s)

Sara Weinkauf, PhD, BCBA, LBA

Sara Weinkauf is the Director of Education and Resources at CASP. Sara has been a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) since 2010. While she has gained behavior analytic experience across a wide variety of contexts, she has dedicated the majority of her career to enhancing quality of life for individuals with autism and their families as well as supporting service providers in achieving that goal within a collaborative and supportive environment. Her primary area of expertise and interest has been increasing the quality of autism intervention services across home, clinic, school, and other community settings through high-quality staff training and support, along with systematic treatment program evaluation and guidance. Additionally, Sara has experience with conducting and publishing behavior analytic research and book chapters, providing support services across the lifespan for individuals with a variety of developmental disabilities and behavioral disorders, training staff to use effective behavior management strategies in residential facilities, working with parents and caregivers of children with a history of abuse and/or neglect, and providing consultation to support school staff in overall classroom management strategies and individualized support for neurotypical children with behavior challenges. She began her behavior analytic education and training in 2004 while receiving her undergraduate degree in psychology, with an emphasis in behavior analysis, from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She went on to receive her master’s degree in behavior analysis from the department of behavior analysis at the University of North Texas and her doctorate degree in infant and early childhood development with an emphasis on mental health and developmental disabilities from Fielding Graduate University.

Vice President of Clinical Standards and Outcomes – LittleStar ABA Therapy Molly Dubuque, M.A., BCBA, LBA

Molly Dubuque, MA, BCBA, LBA (KY) earned her master's degree in psychology (with an emphasis in behavior analysis) from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2008. She has over 20 years of experience working with children and adults with developmental disabilities in the United States and overseas. Through her work in universities and clinical settings, Molly has supervised over 100 trainees who are now Board Certified Behavior Analysts. Molly is the Vice President of Clinical Standards and Outcomes at LittleStar ABA Therapy. In this role, she develops professional development sequences for staff and clinical processes for patients to ensure that both have a clear path for achieving their best outcome. Molly serves as the current Vice President on the Behavior Analyst Certification Board of Directors and has served as a board member for the Nevada and Kentucky Associations for Behavior Analysis. Her professional interests include practitioner training, supervision, and the behavioral treatment of developmental disabilities.

Chief Professional Standards Officer Allyson Moore, MS, BCBA, LMFT

Allyson Moore is the Chief Professional Standards Officer for the Center for Applied Behavior Analysis (CABA). She collaborates with leadership team members in developing and implementing clinical best practices. Allyson serves as President of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) and on the ABA Coding Coalition as a representative of APBA. She is a member of the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) special interest groups of Documentation, Outcomes, Multispecialty Practices, and California Advocacy. She also serves on the Health Insurance Ad Hoc committee for the California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA). She has extensive experience serving individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental and mental disorders. She works in coordination and collaboration with primary caregivers, stakeholders, and other related public and private agencies.