Project Description:
Purpose:
There is a need for more certified professionals in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to meet the
needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or challenging behavior in both
Puerto Rico (PR) and the state of Iowa. Compared with other children with special healthcare
needs, children with ASD have been found to be more likely to have unmet needs in the areas of
specialized health services, family support services, delayed or missed care, family-centered care
and timely, appropriate referrals. Shortages of trained providers have created a national
emergency in access to care for children with ASD and other complex disabilities. This is
especially true among Spanish-speaking populations. Despite widespread knowledge about the
effectiveness of early diagnosis and intervention to improve outcomes, wait times for diagnostic
evaluations across the country are unacceptably high.
Specifically this MOU is designed to:
- Increase the number of professionals who are trained in ABA in Puerto Rico and
Iowa.
- To support the PR University Center for Excellence in Disabilities (UCED) in
creating a Board Certified Behavior Analysis (BCBA/BCaBA) certificate
program.
-To enable University of Iowa students to identify access to care issues for individuals with disabilities in Puerto Rico and learn how culture and family considerations impact care.
Roles and Responsibilities:
The Iowa LEND program will contract with Yaniz Padilla Dalmau PhD, BCBA-D, former Iowa LEND trainee and native of Puerto Rico to serve as a consultant to lead this collaborative effort.
The Iowa LEND program will provide payment for Dr. Padilla's preparation and training time,any necessary training materials and travel expenses.
Core Function(s):
Training Trainees, Continuing Education/Community Training
Area of Emphasis
Quality Assurance
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Legislators/Policy Makers, General Public
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Limited English, Geographic Areas, Rural/Remote, Urban
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
Single-County
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
