Proud Moments ABA Therapy Celebrates the Signature of A.10741, a Bill Allowing the State Education Department to extend Autism Therapist Permits for a Year

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the United States, parents of special needs children, including those diagnosed on the autism spectrum, have a unique set of needs.  Unpredictable school schedules, remote learning, and general uncertainty can exacerbate already difficult situations for families.  So when parts of the New York State government shut down and processing for professional licenses was put on hold, autism therapists awaiting their license or license renewal in New York State were not able to obtain their paperwork. As a result, these therapists could not begin or continue to provide care for children.  Families affected were in some cases forced to scramble to identify new therapists and re-do paperwork and insurance authorizations.  Affected providers who had spent time with a child, learning about him or her and building a rapport to aid progress, often had to start from scratch because of interruptions resulting from these delays.

Proud Moments, as the largest provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services in New York State, has been especially concerned about this problem.  In addition to the unsettling disruptions in care for the children and families we serve, our therapists facing these delays were not able to work without current licensure and were losing their livelihoods.

Compounding this difficult situation is the fact that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder is on the rise in the US – it increased from 0.4% to 1.9% of the US population from 2001-2020 according to the CDC – but there is a pervasive shortage of BCBA therapists to provide necessary ABA services nationwide. 

Given this challenging situation, Proud Moments has been working tirelessly with our partners in Albany to affect change.  So we are thrilled to announce today that Governor Cuomo has signed A.10741, a bill allowing the New York State Education Department to extend limited and provisional permits to ABA therapists (BCBAs and LBAs) for a year.  The signing of this bill will not only ensure continuity of care for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder across the state but will also alleviate the stress facing our clinicians and many other professions awaiting licensures and renewals.

About Proud Moments ABA Therapy

Proud Moments ABA Therapy is a national organization founded in 2014 with a mission to provide the gold standard of care to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, while allowing their families the ability to affect positive change in their family dynamics.  Our highly qualified BCBA/LBAs (Board Certified Behavior Analysts/ Licensed Behavior Analysts) possess years of experience and training, and utilize their extensive skills to improve social, behavioral and adaptive skills with individually tailored programs. Proud Moments services the five boroughs of NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, Syracuse, Rochester, Nevada, Nashville, TN and the DC/ Maryland area.   New York State is the epicenter of Proud Moments' clinical practice, with almost half of our BCBAs/LBAs practicing in New York.  We offer expert treatment, innovative techniques, and compassionate, child-centered care, scheduled at families' convenience.   

For more information, visit www.proudmomentsaba.com or call (877) PMT-ABA1.

Contact: 

Abby Kushner, Executive Vice President Marketing & Communications 

Proud Moments ABA Therapy  

T: (718) 215-5311 

E: akushner@proudmomentsaba.com

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SOURCE Proud Moments ABA Therapy