Melissa Willa's guest appearances

Melissa Willa

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

Special Education Matters

Kim Taylor

Meg Flanagan

Bonnie Landau

John Lansing

Ashley Lopez

Amy Munera

Timothy Gunn

Rebecca Diddams

Juliet Barraza

Valerie Aprahamian

Lynda Zussman

Adrienne Oliviera

Dave Gaines

Anne Zachry

Perry Passaro

OwlTail

Colin Davitian

In Session 221, I had the opportunity to talk with Melissa Willa and Colin Davitian. These guys are a husband and wife team who founded the ABA provider, Kyo, formerly known as the Gateway Learning Group. Our conversation focused on two hot-button topics when it comes to providing services to individuals with Autism: Treatment Dosage and Value Based Care. With regard to the former, Melissa and Colin, along with their colleagues, conducted a retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes for learners in under their care. In doing so, they looked at the role that treatment dosage had on their overall progress, as measured by standardized assessments. You may already be wondering what they found, so don’t worry, we get into that and lots more in this episode. We also try to place their findings in the context of existing studies that examined the relationship between treatment dosage and treatment outcomes. As I mention during the interview, there’s lots of discussion of this topic that’s happening, particularly in the various ABA social media groups, and as is true with so many other things, it’s refreshing to elevate the discourse by looking at empirical analyses as opposed to anecdotal observations and hunches. If you’re a clinical director or practice owner who’s also interested in this topic, Melissa and Colin suggest strategies for mining the data you probably already have access to via client electronic health records. Towards the end of the podcast, we turned our attention to Value Based Care. Colin and Melissa define what that is, and contrast it with the more traditional fee-for-service approach for health care reimbursement. Not to spoil the punchline here, but these guys seemed pretty bullish on the potential for shifting Autism services to a Value Based Care model. As a sidetone, for a longer discussion on the topic of VBC, check out Session 194 with Amanda Ralston. I have other guests that I’ve been meaning to bring on to talk about this as well. Lastly, I want to thank Melissa and Colin for patiently responding to all of my “yeah, but…” questions. Even though I don’t personally provide services in an insurance funded model, I am old enough to remember the days when accessing ABA services was next to impossible due to the lack of both funding and providers, so I’m fairly reluctant to cede ground as it relates to how many hours individuals can receive authorization for, and my line of questioning most likely revealed this. I’ve also seen cases where learners have received very intensive early intervention, and made so much progress that they entered kindergarten with little to no supports. As such, I think it’s fair to say that I had some level of bias heading into this conversation. Long story short, these are complicated topics, and whether you agree or disagree with the findings we discuss in this episode, I think you’ll find the conversation thought provoking. Lastly, if you want to read up on this topic in more detail, I have several of the articles we referenced in this episode’s show notes. I also have Melissa and Colin’s LinkedIn profiles, so I’d encourage you to connect with them if you have questions or thoughts about these topics. To learn more about Kyo or to connect with Colin and Melissa:  www.kyocare.com Melissa Willa - LinkedIn Colin Davitian - LinkedIn  Here are some links to studies we directly or indirectly referred to in this episode:  Ostrovsky, A., Willa, M., Cho, T. et al. Data-driven, client-centric applied behavior analysis treatment-dose optimization improves functional outcomes. World J Pediatr (2022). Rogers SJ, Yoder P, Estes A, Warren Z, McEachin J, Munson J, et al. A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Effects of Intervention Intensity and Intervention Style on Outcomes for Young Children With Autism. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2021;60(6):710-22. Virués-Ortega, J. (2010). Applied behavior analytic intervention for autism in early childhood: Meta-analysis, meta-regression and dose–response meta-analysis of multiple outcomes. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 387-399. Cohen, H., Amerine-Dickens, M., &amp; Smith, T. (2006). Early intensive behavioral treatment: Replication of the UCLA model in a community setting. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 27, S145-S155.  Eikeseth, S., Smith, T., Jahr, E., &amp; Eldevik, S. (2002). Intensive behavioral treatment at school for 4- to 7-year-old children with autism: A 1-year comparison controlled study. Behavior Modification, 26, 46-68.  Howard, J. S., Sparkman, C. R., Cohen, H. G., Green, G., &amp; Stanislaw, H. (2005). A comparison of intensive behavior analytic and eclectic treatments for young children with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 26, 359-383   This podcast is brought to you by the following sponsors:  How to ABA - their goal is to make you feel supported and confident while helping your clients make real progress! In their membership community, you will find all the assessments, programs, data sheets, and materials you need so that your job is just a little easier. To learn more about their thriving and supportive online community, CEU events, support materials, and more, go to howtoaba.com/join, and use code BOP at checkout to get 10% off a yearly subscription. ACE Approved CEUs from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests! HRIC Recruiting. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to HRIColorado.com to schedule a confidential chat right away. 

In Session 221, I had the opportunity to talk with Melissa Willa and Colin Davitian. These guys are a husband and wife team who founded the ABA provider, <a href="https://kyocare.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Kyo</a>, formerly known as the Gateway Learning Group. Our conversation focused on two hot-button topics when it comes to providing services to individuals with Autism: Treatment Dosage and Value Based Care. With regard to the former, Melissa and Colin, along with their colleagues, conducted a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12519-022-00643-0?R6wF9AvbqY=CF3C9447DE0B621F462A8FC466AB7D8F" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes</a> for learners in under their care. In doing so, they looked at the role that treatment dosage had on their overall progress, as measured by standardized assessments. You may already be wondering what they found, so don’t worry, we get into that and lots more in this episode. We also try to place their findings in the context of existing studies that examined the relationship between treatment dosage and treatment outcomes. As I mention during the interview, there’s lots of discussion of this topic that’s happening, particularly in the various ABA social media groups, and as is true with so many other things, it’s refreshing to elevate the discourse by looking at empirical analyses as opposed to anecdotal observations and hunches. If you’re a clinical director or practice owner who’s also interested in this topic, Melissa and Colin suggest strategies for mining the data you probably already have access to via client electronic health records. Towards the end of the podcast, we turned our attention to Value Based Care. Colin and Melissa define what that is, and contrast it with the more traditional fee-for-service approach for health care reimbursement. Not to spoil the punchline here, but these guys seemed pretty bullish on the potential for shifting Autism services to a Value Based Care model. As a sidetone, for a longer discussion on the topic of VBC, check out <a href="https://behavioralobservations.com/value-based-care-in-aba-session-196-with-amanda-ralston/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Session 194</a> with Amanda Ralston. I have other guests that I’ve been meaning to bring on to talk about this as well. Lastly, I want to thank Melissa and Colin for patiently responding to all of my “yeah, but…” questions. Even though I don’t personally provide services in an insurance funded model, I am old enough to remember the days when accessing ABA services was next to impossible due to the lack of both funding and providers, so I’m fairly reluctant to cede ground as it relates to how many hours individuals can receive authorization for, and my line of questioning most likely revealed this. I’ve also seen cases where learners have received very intensive early intervention, and made so much progress that they entered kindergarten with little to no supports. As such, I think it’s fair to say that I had some level of bias heading into this conversation. Long story short, these are complicated topics, and whether you agree or disagree with the findings we discuss in this episode, I think you’ll find the conversation thought provoking. Lastly, if you want to read up on this topic in more detail, I have several of the articles we referenced in this episode’s show notes. I also have Melissa and Colin’s LinkedIn profiles, so I’d encourage you to connect with them if you have questions or thoughts about these topics. To learn more about Kyo or to connect with Colin and Melissa: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.kyocare.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.kyocare.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-willa-3206244/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Melissa Willa - LinkedIn</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?fetchDeterministicClustersOnly=true&amp;heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAAB2MXUBdtcgkr8UlYUoHQK48h7pJMXS5bs&amp;keywords=colin%20davitian&amp;origin=RICH_QUERY_SUGGESTION&amp;position=0&amp;searchId=8e2b4b5b-ecfe-43cf-b16d-563f30fe4fc1&amp;sid=BAp" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Colin Davitian - LinkedIn</a></li> </ul> Here are some links to studies we directly or indirectly referred to in this episode: <ul> <li><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12519-022-00643-0?R6wF9AvbqY=CF3C9447DE0B621F462A8FC466AB7D8F" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ostrovsky, A., Willa, M., Cho, T. et al. Data-driven, client-centric applied behavior analysis treatment-dose optimization improves functional outcomes. World J Pediatr (2022).</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8057785/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Rogers SJ, Yoder P, Estes A, Warren Z, McEachin J, Munson J, et al. A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Effects of Intervention Intensity and Intervention Style on Outcomes for Young Children With Autism. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2021;60(6):710-22.</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/41909906_Applied_behavior_analytic_intervention_for_autism_in_early_childhood_Meta-analysis_meta-regression_and_dose-response_meta-analysis_of_multiple_outcomes" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Virués-Ortega, J. (2010). Applied behavior analytic intervention for autism in early childhood: Meta-analysis, meta-regression and dose–response meta-analysis of multiple outcomes. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 387-399.</a></li> <li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16685181/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Cohen, H., Amerine-Dickens, M., &amp; Smith, T. (2006). Early intensive behavioral treatment: Replication of the UCLA model in a community setting. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 27, S145-S155. </a></li> <li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11799654/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Eikeseth, S., Smith, T., Jahr, E., &amp; Eldevik, S. (2002). Intensive behavioral treatment at school for 4- to 7-year-old children with autism: A 1-year comparison controlled study. Behavior Modification, 26, 46-68. </a></li> <li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15766629/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Howard, J. S., Sparkman, C. R., Cohen, H. G., Green, G., &amp; Stanislaw, H. (2005). A comparison of intensive behavior analytic and eclectic treatments for young children with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 26, 359-383 </a></li> </ul> This podcast is brought to you by the following sponsors: <ul> <li><a href="https://members.howtoaba.com/join" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How to ABA</a> - their goal is to make you feel supported and confident while helping your clients make real progress! In their membership community, you will find all the assessments, programs, data sheets, and materials you need so that your job is just a little easier. To learn more about their thriving and supportive online community, CEU events, support materials, and more, go to <a href="http://howtoaba.com/join" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">howtoaba.com/join</a>, and use code BOP at checkout to get 10% off a yearly subscription.</li> <li><a href="https://behavioralobservations.com/get-ceus/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ACE Approved CEUs</a> from .... Behavioral Observations. That's right, get your CEUs while driving, walking your dog, doing the dishes, or whatever else you might have going on, all while learning from your favorite podcast guests!</li> <li><a href="https://www.hricolorado.com/contact" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HRIC Recruiting</a>. Barb Voss has been placing BCBAs in permanent positions throughout the US for just about a decade, and has been in the business more generally for 30 years. When you work with HRIC, you work directly with Barb, thereby accessing highly personalized service. So if you're about to graduate, you're looking for a change of pace, or you just want to know if the grass really is greener on the other side, head over to <a href="http://hricolorado.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HRIColorado.com</a> to schedule a confidential chat right away.</li> </ul>

How Many Hours of ABA are Actually Necessary? Session 221 with Melissa Willa and Colin Davitian

ABA, Applied Behavior Analysis, is a popular program designed to improve the overall development of individuals on the autism spectrum. If you are new to the world of ABA, then my chat with Melissa Willa of Gateway Learning Group is for you. We start with the basics of what ABA is, what it looks like from a parent and therapist point of view and how it is evolving over time. Bio  Melissa is the Chief Clinical Officer and Co-founder at Gateway Learning Group, a leading provider of ABA therapy services to individuals with autism. Melissa heads up the clinical team at Gateway, where she focuses on the delivery of the highest quality of ABA therapy services and the dissemination of positive behavior support practices to the community. In addition to her role at Gateway, Melissa is an active advocate for individuals with special needs. In recent years she has served on the Board of Directors for several SF Bay Area non-profits, helping to advance missions related to inclusion, equity, and access for children with special needs. Melissa has worked with individuals with autism for over 20 years. She began her career as a teacher and has taught in both general education and special education classrooms. Prior to founding Gateway, Melissa worked as an Autism &amp; Behavior Content Specialist for San Francisco Unified School District where she designed and launched the LEAP program. LEAP was SFUSD’s first formal effort to offer ABA early intervention services to preschoolers with autism. Melissa is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She holds a Master’s Degree in Behavior Disorders from Teachers College, Columbia University and a B.S. in Education from SUNY Geneseo. Contact Information  Contact Melissa Willa at her website. Facebook Page: Facebook   Listen Nowhttps://www.csnlg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MelissaWillaGatewayLG-1.mp3

ABA, Applied Behavior Analysis, is a popular program designed to improve the overall development of individuals on the autism spectrum. If you are new to the world of ABA, then my chat with Melissa Willa of <a href="https://www.gatewaylg.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gateway Learning Group</a> is for you. We start with the basics of what ABA is, what it looks like from a parent and therapist point of view and how it is evolving over time. <h1>Bio</h1> Melissa is the Chief Clinical Officer and Co-founder at Gateway Learning Group, a leading provider of ABA therapy services to individuals with autism. Melissa heads up the clinical team at Gateway, where she focuses on the delivery of the highest quality of ABA therapy services and the dissemination of positive behavior support practices to the community. In addition to her role at Gateway, Melissa is an active advocate for individuals with special needs. In recent years she has served on the Board of Directors for several SF Bay Area non-profits, helping to advance missions related to inclusion, equity, and access for children with special needs. Melissa has worked with individuals with autism for over 20 years. She began her career as a teacher and has taught in both general education and special education classrooms. Prior to founding Gateway, Melissa worked as an Autism &amp; Behavior Content Specialist for San Francisco Unified School District where she designed and launched the LEAP program. LEAP was SFUSD’s first formal effort to offer ABA early intervention services to preschoolers with autism. Melissa is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She holds a Master’s Degree in Behavior Disorders from Teachers College, Columbia University and a B.S. in Education from SUNY Geneseo. <h1>Contact Information</h1> <ul> <li>Contact Melissa Willa at her <a href="http://www.gatewaylg.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website.</a></li> <li>Facebook Page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gatewaylg/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li> </ul> <h3>Listen Now</h3><a href="https://www.csnlg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MelissaWillaGatewayLG-1.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.csnlg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MelissaWillaGatewayLG-1.mp3</a>

Behavior Analyst Melissa Willa Helps Us Understand ABA