Big Money in ABA
Module 2: Private Equity Consolidation: On a Positive Note…
Recorded On: April 29th, 2020
Time: Noon to 2:00 pm CENTRAL
Panelist(s): Karen Chung, CEO
Price: $199
Private Equity interest in the field of behavior analysis continues to be as strong as ever, but what has changed is the dramatic increase in the number of ABA Organizations that are actively entertaining options to sell to a PE or PE-backed Organizations. As dissemination of stories about BCBAs who have successfully sold their business to PE or PE-backed ABA organizations for tens and hundreds of million dollars has become widespread, with increasing frequency, it’s no wonder that the “inventory” of ABA organizations prospects has increased exponentially.
Although some initial data point strongly to the damage that PE involvement is causing the field of behavior analysis – as measured by client satisfaction and client outcomes, frequency of severe ethics violations, including billing fraud, as reported by BCBAs and RBTs – in order to make final conclusions, we need more data.
Behavior Analysts are taught to make decisions based upon data. Although this is not widely practiced outside running ABA programs, in matters involving significant outcomes – good or bad – we need to go back to the basics.
Data-based decision-making is the foundation of ABA, but macro-level data collection on the impact of BIG Money investments has not been done systematically. As this is an area that affects the entire field of behavior analysis – BCBAs and RBTs who provide ABA services, those clients who receive ABA services, and ultimately the science of behavior analysis – we all bear the responsibility of collecting and sharing data so that we can make informed decisions.
It is with this in mind that we have started to create resources for independent ABA owners. Our goal is to help independent ABA organizations make informed, data-driven decisions. We ask for your support as we continue down this path.
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Parent Waitlist Program
November 02, 2023 | 12pm-1pm PDT
Being an RBT for me was extremely fun because where were you going to find a place where you can be completely silly without having to worry what people thought about you? This was the only job that made me feel like I could make a dramatic difference while being myself.
I also liked to be surrounded by people that had the same goals of wanting to help kids and the teamwork made the job much easier and more enjoyable.
Change and progress was the ultimate goal for our kiddos. The early intervention program was seriously only a miracle because I saw changes in the kiddos that from day one, you wouldn’t even recognize who they were.
Changes from being able to utter 3-4 words where they can only make a syllable from when they started, the behavior decreases in which kiddo that used to engage in 30-40 0 self-harm to only half, learning how to wait during games, table work where they use to swipe and drop to the floor if they had to.
My favorite was when the parents would tell us what amazing progress they were making at home. I used to tear up and felt for these parents so much because it was already difficult for them and now, they can trust and rely on ABA and the therapists knowing their goal was ours.
By Emma Rogers, BA, RBT
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