Exciting News! 🌍 Dr. Rodrigo Mendoza has been working with professionals in Chile to formalize an association aimed at regulating behavioral treatment. Thanks to a grant from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, this important initiative has gained momentum.
In addition, Chilean professionals have been collaborating with their Argentinian counterparts to support their formalization efforts. To further these efforts, the two emerging associations have joined forces to host a one-day conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dr. Mendoza has been invited to present at this significant event. TEAM 4 Kids is proud to support these emerging organizations by sponsoring Dr. Mendoza.
📅 The conference will take place on September 28, 2024. Register for the conference here: https://aba-argentina.com.ar/jornada-internacional-de-intervenciones-basadas-en-aba-en-neurodesarrollo/
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#Diversity and Inclusion: In Chile, the journey resembles that of other regions in Latin America and around the world.
Over a decade ago, Chile’s national health minister issued official guidelines providing evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These guidelines recognized behavioral interventions as strongly empirically supported, categorizing them as “recommended” based on studies of moderate quality. Despite these initial recommendations, recent estimates indicate that consumers in Chile use behavioral interventions less frequently than other healthcare services. A key issue is the lack of regulation and standardization of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) practice for ASD treatment in Chile’s health and education institutions. This absence has led to a shortage of university programs offering professional degrees in the field and the lack of specific health codes for behavioral analysis service coverage. As a result, the current landscape of ABA treatment is relatively unknown, new, and underutilized in Chile.
In response to this problem, professionals from related fields have attempted to acquire competencies in ABA within their respective scopes of practice over the past decade. As of January 2023, nine certified individuals were listed in the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) registry in Chile, including Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA), Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBA), and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT). The absence of a national registry of qualified ABA professionals represents a significant challenge in confirming the competence of those providing behavioral analysis services to families in Chile. This situation underscores the urgent need for regulation and standardization of ABA services to ensure effective treatment for individuals with ASD in Chile.
Following the ethical code established by the BACB and as a representative of the discipline, Dr. Mendoza has been involved in sustained efforts to create a regulatory organization for ABA services. Specifically, the creation of the Chilean Organization of ABA Professionals (ABA Chile) as a legal entity. Dr. Mendoza applied for and received a grant from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology to establish the organization, which will serve as a fundamental platform for advocating, regulating, and standardizing ABA practice in Chile. This initiative aims to create a unified voice and framework for ABA professionals to provide high-quality, evidence-based services.
The project is being implemented through a series of strategic steps, starting with the establishment of the Chilean Organization of ABA Professionals (ABA Chile) as a legal entity. Developing an online presence, including the creation of the association’s website. This platform will serve as a hub for disseminating information, resources, and updates to members and the public. It will also facilitate communication and coordination between parent/caregiver groups and professionals.
Throughout the project, we will continue our outreach efforts to healthcare professionals, caregivers, and relevant social institutions. This outreach will involve educational workshops, seminars, and engagement with government decision-makers to advocate for the recognition and regulation of ABA services in Chile.
Additionally, we are coordinating with other professionals in Argentina who have similar goals. To this end, we are preparing a conference in Buenos Aires on September 28th.
The ABA Program at TEAM 4 Kids, led by Dr. Mendoza, asks for your support by following the link below and considering supporting the conference in Argentina.
