Presentation Abstracts, Bios, & Materials

Ellie Kazemi, PhD, BCBA-D

9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Presenter: Ellie Kazemi, Ph.D., BCBA-D
BACB #: 1-07-3564
Event Type: Invited Workshop, 3 hrs.
CEU Eligibility: 3 credits (SUPERVISION CEUS)

Dr. Kazemi is the Chief Science Officer at Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCOE), an accrediting organization focused on improving the quality of behavior analytic services. She is also a professor at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where she founded the M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program, and has been teaching undergraduate and graduate coursework in research methodology, organizational behavior management, and behavior therapy for over 15 years. She has received several mentorship awards including the ABAI Best Mentor Award, the Outstanding Faculty Award, the Outstanding Teaching Award, and the Outstanding Service Award. Her interests involve the identification of efficient, effective strategies for practical training and supervision of staff, which includes leveraging computer technology and Artificial Intelligence (e.g., robotics, virtual or augmented reality). She has worked on several nationwide large projects (e.g., with FEMA and NASA) with a focus on effective training and measurement of intervention outcomes. Currently, she leads BHCOE’s efforts in quality measure development and conducting reliable, valid evaluations for accreditation.

Workshop Title: Caring and Transparent Leadership

Abstract: Organizations are facing tremendous labor shortages with millions of more job openings than qualified workers to fill them. The pandemic has accelerated a demographic problem that was predicted to hit the workforce, and now behavioral healthcare providers must deal with it immediately. The workforce shrinkage has exacerbated what organizations providing behavior analytic services already felt with the higher turnover rates of professionals implementing treatments for individuals with autism. In this presentation, I will discuss ways that leadership can shield against the tremendous loss of qualified clinicians and professionals and increase the quality of care, maintenance of staff, and recruitment of talent in their organizations.

Learning Objectives:
After the talk, participants will be able to
1. Describe how staff turnover impacts the organization and patient care
2. Identify three predictors of staff satisfaction based on staff self-reports
3. Explain how to develop feedback loops to nurture growth across the organization
4. Describe how to provide feedback that results in behavior change
5. Describe the importance of, and mechanisms for, continuing to grow and learn as a leader

Stephanie Kuhn, PhD, BCBA-D

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Presenter: Stephanie Kuhn, Ph.D., BCBA-D
BACB #: 1-04-1990
Event Type: Invited Workshop, 3 hrs.
CEU Eligibility: 3 credits (ETHICS CEUs)

Stephanie Contrucci Kuhn has over 25 years of experience in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech and her Master’s and PhD from Louisiana State University. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Kennedy Institute and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. After her training, Dr. Contrucci Kuhn continued as a faculty member at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where she served as a Case Manager of the Neurobehavioral Unit. She then served as the Director of the Behavioral Psychology Program at the Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD). Currently, she serves as an Associate Professor at Western Connecticut State University where she teaches in the Applied Behavior Analysis Program and where she is currently pursuing her research interests. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a Licensed Psychologist in the states of Connecticut and New York. She also continues clinical work through private practice. She is a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis and the Behavior Analyst Leadership Council. She is a past president of the Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis and has served the editorial boards for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavior Analysis in Practice. Dr. Contrucci Kuhn’s training, research and experience have focused on the application of behavior analytic principles to the assessment and treatment of severe behavior problems and related concerns in individuals with developmental disabilities. She has contributed to multiple publications on the refinement of functional analysis and treatment methodologies and a more complete account of contextual variables. Her research interests also include areas related to adolescents and young adults with autism as well as college teaching.

Workshop Title: Analyzing and applying the BACB® The Code of Ethics for Behavior Analysts (2022)

Abstract: This presentation is designed to help behavior analysts interpret, understand, and apply the standards set forth in the BACB “Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts” that went into effect on January 1, 2022. Specifically, this workshop will review some of changes in the code and will highlight the modifications and additions related to cultural considerations, dual relationships, and supervision. Attendees will have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the changes to the code, to identify considerations related to the changes in the code, and to analyze ethics scenarios based on the revised code.

Learning Objectives:
1. Attendees will be able to learn about the key differences between the current Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts and the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Code).
2. Attendees will be able to respond appropriately to situations that are unethical or potentially unethical in the practice of behavior analysis based on the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Code).
3. Attendees will be able to avoid situations in their own practice that may be unethical based on the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Code).

James E. Carr, PhD, BCBA-D

9:00 am – 9:50 pam
Presenter: James E. Carr, Ph.D., BCBA-D
BACB #: 1-01-0604
Event Type: Invited Talk, 50 min
CEU Eligibility: 1 credit

James E. Carr, PhD, BCBA-D, ICE-CCP is the Chief Executive Officer of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. His professional interests include behavior analyst credentialing, practitioner training, behavioral assessment and treatment of developmental disabilities, and verbal behavior. Dr. Carr has published over 150 journal articles on these and other topics and his work has been cited over 8,000 times. Dr. Carr is a Fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis International and has received awards from APBA, APA’s Division 25, and Autism Speaks. He is the past editor-in-chief of The Analysis of Verbal Behavior and has served on the editorial boards of 11 behavior analysis journals, including 4 appointments as associate editor. Dr. Carr is the past president of the Colorado, Alabama, and Mid-American Associations for Behavior Analysis. He received his doctorate in 1996 from Florida State University under the mentorship of Dr. Jon Bailey and previously served on the behavior analysis faculties at University of Nevada-Reno (1996-1999), Western Michigan University (1999-2008), and Auburn University (2008-2011).

Title: An Update on the BACB and the Infrastructure of the ABA Profession

Abstract: This presentation will include a summary of recent developments at the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). The most current data on the BACB’s certification programs will be provided along with descriptions of recent and impending developments, including changes to certification requirements and the development of new resources. In addition, the BACB’s role within the infrastructure of the ABA profession will be discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this talk, participants will be able to:
1. Attendees will be able to describe recent BACB data trends.
2. Attendees will be able to describe recently announced changes to BCBA certification requirements.
3. Attendees will be able to describe the role of the BACB within the profession.

Lauren Beaulieu, PhD, BCBA-D

10:00 am – 10:50 am
Presenter: Lauren Beaulieu, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA
BACB #: 1-07-3456
Event Type: Invited Talk, 50 min
CEU Eligibility: 1 credit

Dr. Beaulieu earned her BS in Psychology from Florida State, her MS in Applied Behavior Analysis from Florida Institute of Technology, and her PhD in Behavior Analysis from Western New England University. She received training as a Clinical Specialist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. Beaulieu is currently a District Behavior Analyst for Newton Public Schools in Massachusetts. She was previously an Associate Professor at Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Prior to her appointment at FIT, she founded and directed the Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis program at Regis College in Weston, MA where she earned tenure in 2017. She also held a faculty appointment at the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s MS in Autism Spectrum Disorders program from 2011-2013. Dr. Beaulieu has been a practitioner and researcher in behavior analysis for 20 years across a variety of settings including public schools, clients’ homes, residential psychiatric hospitals, and group homes with individuals diagnosed with and without disabilities. She has also consulted internationally with BCBAs on conducting functional analyses, improving cooperation with young children, and improving sleep. Her research has been recognized by the Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy and the Association for Behavior Analysis International. She currently serves on the editorial board for the journal Behavioral Interventions and has previously served on the editorial board for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Title: Becoming more culturally responsive: A look in the mirror

Abstract: Culture has a substantial impact on a wide range of behaviors related to behavioral research and services. Rapport building, preferences for specific targets, and preferences for particular treatments can be impacted by one’s culture. In this talk, I review the necessity of considering culture for improved service delivery and introduce a framework for providing more culturally responsive services. I will primarily focus on the first step: self assessment and discuss at least 2 ways our biases may impact the services we provide. I will review methods that attendees can use to not only self-identify their biases but potentially reduce the impact of their biases on their behavioral services. I will close with a case example that demonstrates how attendees can use the aforementioned framework to reduce the impact of their biases and provide more culturally responsive services.

Learning Objectives:
1. Attendees will be able to identify the necessity of considering culture for improved service delivery and a more complete understanding of human behavior.
2. Attendees will be able to identify at least two ways their biases may impact their delivery of behavioral services.
3. Attendees will be able to learn how to self-identify their biases in action and how to reduce the impact of their biases on their service delivery.

Joel Ringdahl, PhD

11:00 am – 11:50 am
Presenter: Joel Ringdahl, Ph.D., BCBA
Event Type: Invited Talk, 50 min
CEU Eligibility: 1 credit

Dr. Ringdahl received his Ph.D. in psychology with an emphasis in behavior analysis from Louisiana State University in 1999 under the supervision of Dr. Timothy R. Vollmer. He completed a Pretoctoral Intership at Children’s Seashore House/University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Dr. F. Charles Mace and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Iowa under the supervision of Drs. Linda Cooper-Brown and David Wacker. Following his postdoctoral training, Dr. Ringdahl served in various capacities at the University of Iowa. He has held academic appointments at the University of Iowa and Southern Illinois University, and currently is a Professor at the University of Georgia in the Communication Sciences and Special Education Department. Dr. Ringdahl currently serves on a number of editorial boards, including the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) and the Journal of Behavioral Education. He has served as an Associate Editor for JABA and The Psychological Record and is the current Editor-in-Chief of Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice. Dr. Ringdahl has published over 60 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Portions of his research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on a near continuous basis since 2000, and he has published his work in such journals as the JABA, the Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, and the American Journal of Genetics. He is also a former President of the Illinois Association for Behavior Analysis and a past member of the Childhood Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities study section with the NIH. Dr. Ringdahl provides services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who exhibit behavior problems. He has worked in a variety of settings, including state facilities, hospital-based inpatient, outpatient, and day-treatment services, university-based clinics, schools, and residential settings including group homes and residential education centers.

Title: The ABCs of FCT: Response persistence and the three-term contingency

Abstract: Basic research in behavior analysis has demonstrated that a number of consequence related variables, such as reinforcement rate, impact response persistence. Examples of these same effects can be seen in both translational and applied behavior analytic studies. However, the consequence makes up only a portion of the three-term contingency. In the current presentation, the relation between consequence arrangements, as well as antecedent- and behavior-related variables, on the persistence of responding is described via a series of studies designed to evaluate each. Broadly speaking, the studies demonstrated that, similar to findings from the basic research, consequence variables impacted the persistence of FCT. In addition, variables related to antecedents and behavior also impacted response persistence. Results are discussed in the context of implications for intervention, particularly FCT.

Learning Objectives:
1. Attendees will be able to describe the consequence related variables basic research has shown to impact response persistence.
2. Attendees will be able to discuss how antecedent and behavior related variables impact response persistence.
3. Attendees will be able to translate how the presented data impact intervention design to strengthen responding.

Melanie Bachmeyer-Lee, PhD, BCBA-D

1:30 pm – 2:20 pm
Presenter: Melanie Bachmeyer-Lee, Ph.D., BCBA-D
BACB #: 1-08-4249
Event Type: Invited Talk, 50 min
CEU Eligibility: 1 credit

Dr. Melanie Bachmeyer-Lee is a licensed psychologist and board certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level. She earned an MA in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis from Georgia State University and a PhD in School Psychology from the University of Iowa. She completed a predoctoral internship in Pediatric Psychology at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital and a postdoctoral fellowship in the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She previously held a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington for 9 years. She is currently Clinical Director of the Center for Pediatric Behavioral Health in North Carolina. Her research on assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders has been published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis in Practice, and Behavioral Interventions. She served on the executive committee of the North Carolina Association for Behavior Analysis (NCABA) for several years and is a recipient of the Fred Keller Excellence in Behavior Analysis Award from NCABA.

Title: Ethical Considerations in the Treatment of Feeding Problems

Abstract: Feeding difficulties are estimated to occur in as many as 90% of autistic children. Thus, it is common for practicing behavior analysts to encounter clients who exhibit feeding difficulties that warrant intervention. The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts requires that behavior analysts act in the best interest of clients, taking appropriate steps to support client’s rights, maximize benefits, and do no harm (Section 3.01). To that end, there are several additional considerations for the behavior analyst to ensure effective and safe practice, which include idiosyncratic factors when treating feeding problems. A lack of thorough consideration of these factors can have serious and detrimental outcomes. This presentation will discuss: (a) factors that require additional knowledge and skills to treat feeding problems effectively and safely, (b) considerations for evaluating one’s competency, and (c) recommendations for ethical practice and competency development within this specialized area.

Learning Objectives:
1. Attendees will be able to describe at least two factors that make treating feeding problems in autistic children more complex than teaching other skills or reducing other problem behaviors.
2. Attendees will be able to state at least two additional facts and skills needed to treat feeding problems effectively and safely in autistic children.
3. Attendees will be able to identify personal strengths and needs as it relates to competency to treat feeding problems in autistic children through self-assessment using a feeding skills competency checklist.
4. Attendees will be able to state at least three things one can do to develop competency and practice ethically within this specialized area.

Jason C. Vladescu, PhD., BCBA-D, NSCP, LBA

2:40 pm – 3:30 pm
Presenter: Jason C. Vladescu, Ph.D., BCBA-D, NSCP, LBA
BACB #: 1-11-8520
Event Type: Invited Talk, 50 min
CEU Eligibility: 1 credit

Jason C. Vladescu, Ph.D., BCBA-D, NSCP, LBA (NY), is a Professor in the Department of Applied Behavior Analysis at Caldwell University. Jason completed his pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute. He has published 80+ peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters spanning his research interests in early behavioral intervention for children with autism spectrum and related disorders, increasing the efficiency of academic instruction, staff and caregiver training, equivalence-class formation, and mainstream applications of behavior analysis. Jason is an Associate Editor for Behavior Analysis in Practice and former Associate Editor for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. He is on the editorial board for several behavior analytic journals and was the 2020 recipient of the APA (Division 25) B. F. Skinner New Applied Researcher Award.

Title: Training, Maintenance, and Other Adventures in Supporting Caregivers and Medical Personnel to Adhere with Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment

Abstract: An individual’s potential may only be fully realized if they survive childhood. Substantial public health efforts have decreased childhood deaths due to diseases, however, unintentional injuries continue to be the leading cause of death for children in the United States. Although the specific causes of these deaths vary, a substantial proportion appear to be preventable. The focus of this talk is on sleep-related infant deaths. A discussion of recommended infant sleep practices, a description of and data supporting our efforts to support caregivers and medical personnel, and examples of collaborative opportunities and future directions will be included

Learning Objectives:
1. Attendees will be able to identify recommended infant sleep practices.
2. Attendees will be able to identify potential effectiveness of behavioral skills training for supporting caregivers and medical personnel to adhere with recommended practices.
3. Attendees will be able to identify potential effectiveness of video-based instruction for supporting caregivers to adhere with recommended practices.
4. Attendees will be able to identify how contingency management might provide an opportunity to promote adherence with recommended practices.

John Austin, PhD

3:40 pm – 4:30 pm
Presenter: John Austin, Ph.D.
Event Type: Invited Talk, 50 min
CEU Eligibility: 1 credit

Dr. John Austin is an internationally recognized expert in human performance. He is CEO of Reaching Results, where he teaches leaders to create more effective work environments. Dr. Austin was also a Professor of Psychology at Western Michigan University. He has consulted with organizations for 30 years to improve productivity and safety. In ABA organizations, Dr. Austin teaches workshops and coaches leaders on behavioral leadership, difficult conversations, and OBM.

John and his teams have been instrumental in delivering over 10,000 work improvement, quality, and safety projects that have generated millions of dollars in improvements to businesses.  They have coached over 350 senior leaders from many companies and 12 countries to help them improve business performance.

Title: What every successful ABA leader knows: How to harness the power of OBM

Abstract: OBM is a subfield of applied behavior analysis that has been widely practiced since the 1970’s, and arguably since 1959 when Allyon and Michael demonstrated the concept of behavioral engineering. Since its origins, behavioral approaches to leadership have become more widely adopted across all industries. This success has also led to a great deal of confusion among today’s leaders, as many approaches involve some aspects of behavior analysis but fall short on others. Conversely, there are effective leadership practices with solid scientific and logical bases but that have not been widely accepted by behavior analysts.

Dr. Austin will define OBM and some related behaviorally sound practices, how these apply to the daily life of ABA leaders and he will describe, in detail, several areas of OBM techniques that today’s ABA leaders could be using to deliver improved results.

Learning Objectives:
1. Attendees will be able to define OBM.
2. Attendees will be able to describe at least 3 areas of OBM they should learn more about.
3. Attendees will be able to list one or more results they could impact using OBM techniques.