As an SLP-BCBA, collaboration is a really important part of my work. Julianne Trudeau is an SLP and Director of Speech Services at Bierman Autism Center. This center grew from a small in-home provider to a clinic-based therapy center with 17 locations across the country. Bierman operates a Collaborative Service Model in which BCBAs, SLPs, and OTs work together to best serve the child.

I've shared many stories in the past about the difficulty I've both seen and experienced with the collaboration between SLPs and BCBAs. Julianne uses an analogy, I love. BCBAs and SLPs are like a married couple, they may not always see eye to eye but they have the same goal at heart. This goal is in the best interest of the child. In collaborating together, BCBAs and SLPs can take a bit from each other to become better, more informed professionals and make the child the most successful as possible at the same time.

Bierman Autism Center increases the success of their collaborative service model by embedding opportunities into the schedule. Providers have embedded meetings for communication and collaboration for their cases. They also schedule weekly clinical staff meetings, monthly center staff meetings, and quarterly meetings for centers across the region. Bierman also embeds collaborative training opportunities for staff and parents.

Intake a Bierman begins with a family tour led by the center director. During this time services, goals, and collaborative ideas are discussed with the family. This visit will be followed up with an initial assessment and the parents will be provided the opportunity to have their child's ABA supplemented with service from other center providers such as SLPs and OTs. When a family chooses to participate in a collaborative service, each department will assess the child and collaborate and touch base on overlapping areas and goals.
You can find out more about Bierman Autism Centers at their website or on social media.

What’s Inside:

• What is a Collaborative Service Model?
• What is Collaborative Assessment?
• How SLPs, BCBAs, and OTs can effectively collaborate.
• Using Collaborative Assessment to get a true snapshot of the child.
• Planning appropriately for intervention.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Bierman Autism Centers