Collaborative Care for Successful Futures in ABA Therapy
Written By: Amy Wolcott M.S., CCC-SLP
Interdisciplinary collaboration sets The Pediatric Place apart. Because we offer so many services under one roof, professionals from different disciplines have the opportunity to combine their expertise to create treatment plans with the whole child in mind and brainstorm solutions from multiple perspectives.
This month, we checked in with our Board Certified Behavior Analysts to find out how the interdisciplinary atmosphere of TPP has benefited their ABA practice. Here’s what they had to say about the collaboration opportunities they’ve had!
Collaboration with the Mental Health Team
“Collaborating with other professionals, especially mental health, can provide continuity of addressing goals and interventions similarly,” explained BCBA Meg Horne. “Understanding what coping tools learners are taught in mental health therapy can help generalization in other settings where ABA is utilized.”
BCBA Director Brooke Allen agrees. “Currently, I am collaborating with counselor Emily Stocking to support one of our AP students and several ABA learners,” she said. “Emily provides invaluable support to our ABA staff, helping us navigate tougher behaviors and the complex personal needs the learners are processing. She offers us support for ourselves as well—reminding us to see the bigger picture and celebrate all the wins!”
Collaboration with Occupational Therapy
BCBA Kate Arthur remembered a time that she met with one of our occupational therapists about a specific child, and the solutions they came up with were so successful she applied them to multiple kids on her caseload.
“I met with one of our OTs, Emily McKinzie, to discuss nervous system regulation for one learner in particular,” Kate said. “Her advice was so helpful that I began to apply it with all my clients! Tantrum behavior for one of our learners has significantly decreased since applying the techniques!”
Collaboration with Speech Therapy
BCBA Sarah Jaramillo says that she regularly invites speech and occupational therapists to meet with her team of RBTs to talk about things that are out of her scope of practice but affect the day-to-day success of her learners.
“Having all AAC users within my client group has made collaboration and consistency in AAC implementation especially important,” she explained. “Working closely with speech therapist Brooke Hackman, my RBTs learn effective AAC use, how to naturally integrate AAC into lessons and daily activities, and appropriate modeling and prompting strategies. This collaboration has helped ensure that we are providing consistent opportunities for communication across settings while continuing to build our learners’ independence and confidence with their AAC systems.”
Collaboration with Feeding and Nutrition
Sarah remembered another time she had the opportunity to collaborate with members of TPP’s feeding and nutrition team.
“I had a learner with a history of feeding delays, and I had the opportunity to collaborate to ensure that our feeding approach was supportive of his progress rather than creating additional barriers,” she said. “Through that collaboration, I learned new strategies and was able to modify my approach based on his individual needs and comfort level. Since making these changes, he has been taking in more food when it is made available to him in a way that feels comfortable and safe. We have also noticed an improvement in his overall mood, which has been incredibly rewarding to see. This experience reinforced the importance of collaboration, continued learning, and being willing to adapt our approach to best support each learner.”
At TPP, professionals learn from each other, and that benefits the kids we serve.
“I appreciate that the company as a whole is geared toward growth,” said Kate Arthur. “I learn so much just by being immersed in TPP’s environment, and when I get the chance to plan focused collaboration, my practice is enriched tenfold.”
Those of us in other professions who have had the opportunity to collaborate with TPP’s amazing BCBAs feel the same!
Are you a Board Certified Behavior Analyst looking for a supportive, collaborative environment? We want you to join our team! Learn more about job opportunities on our careers page!
