What is Telehealth?
Telehealth is a technology that allows experts in a particular field to provide a real time interactive communication between the patient, and the ABA clinical team at the distant site including training, consultation, service delivery. This electronic communication means the use of interactive telecommunications equipment that includes audio and video equipment. Telehealth has been used for over 30 years and has been adopted by multiple fields such as psychiatry, dermatology, etc).
This makes it ideal way to get ABA services while minimizing contact with others, especially for COVID-19 restrictions and other contagious viruses. Funding sources such as insurance or regional center will accommodate client needs of having ABA services via telehealth.
Who can benefit from telehealth?
While some families are continuing to have ABA services in-home, other families may have family members who may be at a vulnerable state to have a staff come to their place of residence. Moreover, due to changes in schedules and routines such as school or community activity closures, more family members are staying home. For this reason, the need for services may be increased for some families. Also, newly-diagnosed children and older individuals with aggression or self-injurious behavior cannot afford a break in services. Parent training can also be delivered through telehealth as parents are given in-vivo feedback of how and when to utilize certain ABA strategies.
How does Telehealth help my family social distance?
By using telehealth, you can reduce the number of people with whom your family will interact on a daily basis. Although you may still choose to have services in your home, telehealth provides the option to minimize the number of providers. Direct service providers typically visit only a small number of homes. Having a Case Manager, and a BCBA, who is responsible for supervising more families and staff, provide supervision and parent training via Telehealth allows those professionals to continue to serve many families without the risk of spreading germs between houses. There are also occasions that you may choose to have ABA services via telehealth only, which means, the direct staff, Case Manager and BCBA can provide services via telehealth.
How can Telehealth work within an ABA model?
The model used for ABA is called real-time Telehealth or synchronous telemedicine. This means that the health care provider and the patient are speaking and interacting in real time via audio or video communication.
The direct therapist may be assigned to 1 or 2 clients and take precautionary measures to keep him/herself and the family low-risk such as using hand sanitizer, wearing a mask, and keeping social distance when possible. Therapy proceeds as usual, with the BCBA observing sessions, taking data, making protocol modifications, and giving feedback through the use of telehealth (video and audio).
There are families that may request to have direct providers, case managers, and BCBAs provide ABA services only via telehealth. This may be a good option for clients who are able to readily attend and communicate with a therapist without physical redirection and who don’t require in-person reinforcement delivery may be able to make progress through the use of telehealth.
Moreover, another option can be to increase parent education hours. Some families might be prepared to conduct the goals that used to be run by the by the direct therapist, and some families may not be. BCBAs and Case Managers can re-assess needs and design a parent-training program that meets the needs of the client while keeping in mind any barriers that may exist. This may mean changing goals, shifting priorities, and introducing different methods of managing behavior.
Are there privacy concerns?
You have the client rights and one of them is privacy when providers deliver ABA services. Your health care providers will need to protect your privacy regardless of the modality being used whether telehealth, at home, or in the community. There are many different types of telehealth software specifically designed to be HIPAA compliant. As with any healthcare service you receive, if you have privacy concerns, discuss them with your provider. And always remember that whether or not you consent to services is entirely your decision.
What should be my expectation?
Please make sure that you have a Wi-Fi connection in your home, arrange your space to minimize distractions and noise as much as possible, be ready to situate your device in such a way that it can be helpful during observation or provide feedback or ABA strategies during session. You may want to have on hand headphones with speaker device in case you want to have a parent training session. Other helpful items may include:
- Notepad/pen/pencil
- Materials to be used during session such as games, whiteboard with colorful dry erase markers, stickers, stamps, visual charts, etc.
As with any type of service, it’s important to have communicate your concerns and questions with your providers to share how the model is working for you. A continuous open dialogue with your provider about your experience allows them to troubleshoot with you, ultimately making sure that this is an effective way for your family to receive ABA services.
We are here to serve you!
We are here to work with you during the COVID-19 pandemic and to make sure that your child or dependent adult can receive ABA services.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding having ABA services in home versus telehealth, please do not hesitate to call us: 323-744-1314 or email: support@californiabehavioralcare.com.