From Concept to Practice: CASP's ABA Session Note Templates

Original Air Date:  November 1, 2024

CEU offered: 1.0 BACB Learning CEU

Webinar Duration: 60 minutes

CE Instructors:

  • Rebecca Womack, MS, LBA, BCBA
  • Heather O'Shea, PhD, BCBA-D


Abstract:

Healthcare professionals and providers have long recognized the need to streamline session note documentation for applied behavior analysis (ABA) services. In response, the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) Documentation Special Interest Group (SIG) has dedicated the past two years to developing session note templates that align with the eight Category I ABA Current Procedural Terminology® (CPT) codes. These templates were shaped with input from subject matter experts who specialize in healthcare documentation, legal compliance, and clinical practice.

Designed to capture each client’s individualized and medically necessary ABA services, the templates are adaptable across different documentation methods (e.g., paper and pencil, electronic health records) and organizational processes for service delivery.

This session will offer insight into the rationale behind the template content, including key considerations for clinical and operational integration. The development process was guided by CASP’s mission to cultivate, share, and advocate for provider best practices in autism services, with a focus on improving the quality and consistency of documentation. These templates offer a unified approach to ensure the necessary information is provided according to the services delivered. The webinar will also offer recommendations for incorporating these templates into the clinical workflows of both ABA organizations and individual providers.

Learning Objectives

  1. Attendees will learn about the development process of the session note templates.
  2. Attendees will learn about the key features of the templates and how they capture individualized, medically necessary ABA services while remaining adaptable to various documentation methods and organizational practices.
  3. Attendees will understand practical strategies for effectively incorporating these session note templates into their clinical practices.


Access to the templates

Users will be given access to the templates upon completion of this course and submission of the signed terms of use agreement. 



Instructor(s)

Rebecca Womack, MS, BCBA, LBA

Rebecca has been privileged to serve adults and children using applied behavior analysis (ABA) in settings such as facility-based care, group homes, day centers, clinics, and family homes both across the United States and overseas. In addition to her clinical experience, Rebecca is passionate about ABA service delivery aligning with generally accepted standards of care. With an expertise in applying health care documentation requirements and systems of compliance, she recently was the author of a chapter on documentation guidelines for ABA services. Rebecca is co-chair of the Documentation Special Interest Group (SIG) for the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP), a co-leader for the AI/ML Workgroup, an appointed Subject Matter Expert for the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts, and a Member of the Board of Directors for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Rebecca also has extensive experience with public policy work. Not only is she an experienced presenter at national conferences, she has also won national awards for her role as an advocate and work to support ABA organizations in delivering quality services. Rebecca formed RAW Consulting Solutions as a way to provide education and consultation services to ABA organizations, professionals, and providers of ABA services. Whatever the role, her ultimate goal is to make a significant impact through effective and efficient services utilizing the science of behavior analysis.

PhD, BCBA-D Heather O'Shea

Dr. Heather O’Shea has spent over 20 years working with families and children with special needs. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology, specializing in services with children and families in the educational, medical, and legal systems. She started her career in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2004 and enrolled in the very first BACB Course Sequence ever offered in California. She left her role as the Chief Clinical Officer at a large national organization in 2020 to join Verbal Behavior Associates (VBA) as President. She is proud to oversee an organization committed to providing evidence-based intervention and specializing in serving clients with profound needs. Her commitment to quality service delivery, ethics, training and mentorship have driven her dedication to the field. Her mission is to impact the field and leave a lasting positive impact on all of those impacted by and committed to improving the lives of those touched by autism. She is also known for creative ways to encourage community. After winning the Spirit Award (aka giant stuffed pickle) at the Autism Law Summit, she traveled the country with it, promoting autism awareness.