by Jessie Cooper | Aug 4, 2022
This past weekend I celebrated the 10th Anniversary of Instructional ABA Consultants. 10th! It is hard to believe that a decade ago, with no business experience whatsoever, I founded this company. A decade ago I was 25, clinically talented, and pissed as hell that my clients with state funding were not able to access services.
I celebrated our 10-year anniversary by walking into our Oak Lawn clinic and meeting the first Medicaid client in our company on his first day of ABA therapy. A decade later we are still on a mission to provide access to care across funding sources. The difference (among many) is that a decade later I stand with my work tribe leading together; it is not just me anymore. It’s us building my business.
There are many times I look at myself in disbelief. It’s hard to imagine that fresh out of graduate school with a new degree and passion I would be able to forge my way into the creation of my company. At the time I was fearless. I simply saw that there were thousands of individuals with autism and disabilities being denied care in Illinois because of their funding; medically necessary care. Money, not humanity, was making the decision for them.
Life Changing ABA Funding
As a clinician, I knew that applied behavior analysis was/and is life-changing. It is a science that seeks to understand why an individual has a barrier to learning & communication and can use maladaptive behaviors instead. Each client I worked with before founding Instructional ABA Consultants had something to say and the science of behavior analysis gave me the tools to listen.
The tools to listen to a child who was non-verbal but wanted to speak. To listen to a blind man and hear he was hitting others because he was scared when they approached him from behind. To listen to an adult with autism who routinely hit his peers because his feet hurt and he needed new shoes; he was in pain. And tools to listen to the parents who had willingly signed their children up for residential care only to find their children malnourished, abused, and traumatized. To hold all of their hands with care and kindness while offering them treatment that worked.
Yet this treatment was short-lived. When the crisis ended and our team was discharged the treatment program ended. The clients were left to live a life without ongoing care, their parents at the mercy of a system without the type of therapy and care their children needed. What might have seemed impossible to others seemed so simple to me. These families have state funding, I have a license and the science they need. Why not just put the two together? That is exactly what I did.
Making Positive Changes Yourself
In the beginning, Instructional ABA Consultants was just me and a caseload of perhaps 20 clients. I knew then that I would have to learn about how to scale my own services by building an organization that had my mission at its heart and the science implemented correctly. These past 10 years have been a journey. I have learned more about myself and how to run a business than I ever thought possible. I can tell you more someday I’m sure. But for now, the most important thing that I have learned is that as a leader listening can never stop.
The key to positive change, whether it be for a client or for the capacity of the organization itself, is just that; listening. The systems and clinical programs surrounding both the organization and the clients should always have the needs of the clients and employees at the forefront–at its heart. I have been lucky enough to have built a leadership team whose hearts emulate the mission of IABA (and people who are easily smarter than me). They also know that listening first and then creating is the foundation to our success. All of their incredible skills are used daily because of this culture and a decade later I sleep with a full heart knowing that hundreds of clients are served in the same capacity they were when I was doing it myself a decade ago.
Fighting for Basic Needs
To top off my celebration, after a good margarita, I watched “Crip Camp” on Netflix with my partner. It is a documentary about the development of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the incredible leader Judy Heumann. The documentary begins by talking about Camp Jened, which ran between 1951-1977. It was a camp for disabled teenagers that created an environment where they were treated the same as their abled peers. It was a place where they were allowed to be regular teenagers and have their voices heard. It’s heartbreaking but also true that this was not their experience outside of the camp.
Following her time at the camp, Judy Heumann became an activist who ultimately not only got the ADA enacted but also implemented. In the film, when asked how she did this, her response was simple, “I listened to the stories of my fellow Americans with disabilities without question; if they told me about their experiences I knew it was true.”
That right there is it. I’m a small fish in the big sea of life but if Judy could pass the ADA Act and over 60 years later I could start and successfully run my company by simply listening, then I know that this is a tried and true method of change. I look at our local news each day, as well as my own experiences, with a bruised heart. I am hurt by the loss of humanity in the systems that suppress us. I do not have words to describe my grief for the darling ten-year-old girl who was raped and now is part of the national focus of hate and questioning. This is not the way.
The way to rebuild our world and the systems that support us is not by challenging the experiences of our fellow human beings. The way to build just about anything is to listen. Listen, believe, and do something. Even if that something is just to make your small corner of the world a better place.
Xoxo,
Jessie Cooper
by IABA Team | Mar 22, 2022
As of March 2022, IABA consultants is accepting clients with Medicaid as an insurance provider. The programs and services for ABA therapy offered to Medicaid clients are identical to those offered to private pay insurance clients.
The biggest changes we are making to our offered services are based on programs developed by our LCSWs (Licensed Clinical Social Workers). These programs will be based around systemic and familial issues, chiefly education and communication.
Future ABA Social Programs for Children with ASD and Their Families
While the general ABA therapy services are currently the only things we offer (as of March 2022), we have plans for more in the future. Our LCSWs have started working on the following supplemental care services:
- Social skills groups (tentatively scheduled for summer 2022)
- LCSW-led groups
- Resource library for families & clients
Other possibilities we want to look at down the road include:
- Crisis teams for extreme behaviors
- On-staff psychiatrists
- Parental care programs for at-risk families
- Counseling (both individual and family)
- Medication monitoring & management
We are also working on getting in-home ABA therapy added to the Medicaid benefits we accept. This is a bit harder to narrow down, as there are certain aspects of in-home therapy that make billing a bit more specific. We will update Medicaid & in-home service billing as soon as we have a complete plan.
Having social workers on staff has led us to some interesting ideas that will benefit all of our clients regardless of funding. These programs are still being developed and more information on them will become available as we finalized it.
The goal of these services is primarily to educate the families of children in need of ABA services. Maintaining consistency between in-clinic visits and at-home routines is one of the largest factors to the success of ABA therapy.
ABA Therapy from IABA Consultants
IABA consultants is now accepting All Kids Medicaid!
Medicaid Clinic Timeline:
- Oak Lawn: Current
- Naperville: May 2022
- Glenview: Summer 2022
- Managed Care Plans: Summer 2022
Dates are tentative and may be subject to change.
For details and coverage information, find the location closest to you and give us a call or send us an email.
If you have questions regarding autism treatment, education, or plans to use ABA therapy, we are here for you! Our goal is to make sure no family is turned away due to financial constraints. Our therapy team would love to talk to you. Find the location closest to you and give us a call. We’re here for you.
by IABA Team | Mar 15, 2022
Improving ABA therapy programs is always front of mind for BCBAs and program directors. Having the assistance of an LCSW can optimize programs with help for clients and, sometimes, more importantly, their families.
LCSWs look at the whole picture of individuals in their care. This includes non-clinical or service hours, ie time spent at home with a family. ABA therapy programs can be hindered when there is a lack of communication between a provider and a family.
The experience an LCSW has with social networks gives them an edge when it comes to putting together solid programs that can help entire families. ABA therapy programs can benefit greatly when families are on the same page and have access to great resources.
IABA Consultants LCSW Services
We have recently hired a great staff, including LCSWs, to help with accepting Medicaid as a source of billing. While the general ABA therapy services are currently the only things we offer (as of March 2022), we have plans for more in the future. Our LCSWs have started working on the following supplemental care services:
- Social skills groups (tentatively scheduled for summer 2022)
- LCSW-led groups
- Resource library for families & clients
Other possibilities we want to look at down the road include:
- Crisis teams for extreme behaviors
- On-staff psychiatrists
- Parental care programs for at-risk families
- Counseling (both individual and family)
- Medication monitoring & management
We are also working on getting in-home ABA therapy added to the Medicaid benefits we accept. This is a bit harder to narrow down, as there are certain aspects of in-home therapy that make billing a bit more specific. We will update Medicaid & in-home service billing as soon as we have a complete plan.
Having social workers on staff has led us to some interesting ideas that will benefit all of our clients regardless of funding. Programs will primarily focus on family communication and resources, so clients can get the same care they get in a clinical setting at home.
ABA Therapy from IABA Consultants
IABA consultants is now accepting All Kids Medicaid!
Medicaid Clinic Timeline:
- Oak Lawn: Current
- Naperville: May 2022
- Glenview: Summer 2022
- Managed Care Plans: Summer 2022
Dates are tentative and may be subject to change.
For details and coverage information, find the location closest to you and give us a call or send us an email.
If you have questions regarding autism treatment, education, or plans to use ABA therapy, we are here for you! Our goal is to make sure no family is turned away due to financial constraints. Our therapy team would love to talk to you. Find the location closest to you and give us a call. We’re here for you.
by IABA Team | Mar 8, 2022
The PUNS list (Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services) is a database in Illinois that tracks the current services and future needs of persons with developmental disabilities. The list was a way of prioritizing the needs of children in Illinois. The PUNS list will not be used for children in need by 2023, as other Medicaid services become available to help with autism services.
While the PUNS list was an important resource in the past, families will also need to be aware of new EPSDT (Medicaid) benefits and how to navigate through them. Families who are familiar with the PUNS list & services offered should look at those services and be aware of what is being continued & discontinued through EPSDT versus continued Waiver Funding.
What does the PUNS List Look At?
The PUNS list primarily focuses on three aspects of coverage:
- Community Integrated Living Arrangements
- Home Based Supports
- Child Group Homes
These are the primary focus due to the magnitude of the developmental disabilities of qualifying individuals. Needing help with specialized living arrangements takes top priority on the PUNS list.
Other needs the PUNS list looks at include:
- In-Home Supports
- Job Coaches
- Community Day Services
- Residential Services
- Therapy Services
These are secondary focuses of the PUNS list, based on priority of needs. Individuals still able to live comfortably at home but still needing healthcare services are the secondary focus of the PUNS list.
The other major factor for priority on the PUNS list is time. Many people in need are on the PUNS list for years before their case is finally accepted by the state.
Waiting for the PUNS list
The PUNS list has 2 categories for individuals seeking help:
- Seeking Services (category for people who currently need or desire supports)
- Planning for Services (category for people who do not currently want or need supports but may in the future).
The seeking services category is the primary focus for priority on the PUNS list, as the individuals in this category actively need help. PUNS selections are based on a person’s cumulative length of time in the Seeking Services Category. As funding is available, individuals are selected from PUNS and invited to apply for DD Waiver services.
The wait for priority on the PUNS list could take years of waiting for families in need of immediate assistance. As more social service programs from Medicaid have become available, the PUNS list has slowly started to fade away.
The PUNS list is basically a waiting list with special criteria. Appealing the speed at which applicants receive help is nearly impossible, as the list is handled internally by the state. The PUNS list started with children in need of medical services as a large portion of the list but has slowly morphed into a priority list for adults who have alternative housing needs.
IABA Consultants & PUNS
To date, as of March 2022, IABA consultants is still the only ABA provider offering services to individuals on the PUNS list. PUNS has primarily morphed into a service used for adults and will actually stop funding children in 2023.
IABA Consultants will stop accepting waivers from the PUNS list in 2023, as children will no longer be covered. However, starting in July 2022 IABA will be supporting our current PUNS clients to help with access to ABA benefits available through EPSDT. IABA will continue to provide behavioral therapy to adults with developmental disabilities through the PUNS waiver.
As of March 2022, IABA Consultants has started accepting Illinois Medicaid as a billing provider. More children are being accepted into the Illinois Medicaid All Kids program, allowing proper funding to be allocated to those in need.
If you have a child who has been waiting on the PUNS list and want to learn more about the Illinois Medicaid All Kids program, click here.
ABA Therapy from IABA Consultants
IABA consultants is now accepting All Kids Medicaid!
Medicaid Clinic Timeline:
- Oak Lawn: Current
- Naperville: May 2022
- Glenview: Summer 2022
- Managed Care Plans: Summer 2022
Dates are tentative and may be subject to change.
For details and coverage information, find the location closest to you and give us a call or send us an email.
If you have questions regarding autism treatment, education, or plans to use ABA therapy, we are here for you! Our goal is to make sure no family is turned away due to financial constraints. Our therapy team would love to talk to you. Find the location closest to you and give us a call. We’re here for you.
by IABA Team | Mar 1, 2022
As of March 2022, IABA Consultants is accepting Illinois Medicaid All Kids members! We have been working hard over the past year to make sure everything is in place for proper billing and services. Let’s go over what we’ve done and what to expect with Medicaid and ABA therapy services here at IABA Consultants.
Getting Approved for Medicaid & ABA Services
The process for us to accept Medicaid as an insurance provider took a long time mainly because ABA therapy & services have only very recently been accepted for coverage by Medicaid. October 2021 was the first time the state of IL listed ABA therapy services as billable by Medicaid for children with autism.
When a new area of coverage makes its way into Medicaid coverage, there was a lot of red tape to get through. ABA services were no different. We have finished the state auditing process to become a Behavioral Health Clinics and hired licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) to get on the same page for helping families with Medicaid. ABA therapy Medicaid coverage is a totally new field, so everyone on our team needed to learn.
Medicaid ABA Services at IABA Consultants
The programs we create for individuals with Medicaid will be nearly identical to those of individuals with private insurance. Each person is different, so care plans and services need to be carefully constructed.
While the general ABA services are currently the only therapy we offer (as of March 2022), we have plans for more in the future. Our LCSWs have started working on the following supplemental care services:
- Social skills groups (tentatively scheduled for summer 2022)
- LCSW-led groups
- Resource library for families & clients
Other possibilities we want to look at down the road include:
- Crisis teams for extreme behaviors
- On-staff psychologists
- Parental care programs for at-risk families
- Counseling (both individual and family)
- Medication monitoring & management
We are also working on getting in-home ABA therapy added to our Medicaid programs. Given the demand for in-home services, we are currently adding and training staff. There are also certain aspects of in-home therapy that make RBT requirements more specific for Medicaid children. We will update Medicaid & in-home services as soon as we have staff available.
Having social workers on staff has led us to some interesting ideas that will benefit all of our clients regardless of funding.
ABA Therapy from IABA Consultants
IABA consultants is now accepting All Kids Medicaid!
Medicaid Clinic Timeline:
- Oak Lawn: Current
- Naperville: May 2022
- Glenview: Summer 2022
- Managed Care Plans: Summer 2022
Dates are tentative and may be subject to change.
For details and coverage information, find the location closest to you and give us a call or send us an email.
If you have questions regarding autism treatment, education, or plans to use ABA therapy, we are here for you! Our goal is to make sure no family is turned away due to financial constraints. Our therapy team would love to talk to you. Find the location closest to you and give us a call. We’re here for you.
