In this episode, Dr. Sara Feldman interviews Rebecca Womack, BCBA and Director of ABA at Optum, to explore how quality is viewed from the payer perspective, the importance of treatment planning, and how BCBAs can align with systemic standards to improve care sustainability and outcomes.

Topics Covered

• Payer perspective on ABA quality
• Treatment planning and assessment
• Standards of care and systemic alignment
• Data-driven quality measurement
• Provider and payer collaboration
• Site visits and organizational trust
• Impact of systemic standards on clinical practice
• Future of value-based care in ABA

Guest:

Rebecca Womack

Director, Optum Health

LinkedIn

Resources

BACB - Behavior Analyst Certification Board

Optum - Healthcare Service

Summary

In this episode, Dr. Sara Feldman speaks with Kendra Little about the emotional realities families face when navigating autism services, the importance of real-life skills, and how clinicians can build trust and connection with families.

Key Topics

• Family emotional weight and stress
• Importance of real-life skills for independence
• Building trust and connection with families
• Delivering data with hope and positivity
• Parent advocacy and empowerment
• Community-based life skills training
• Navigating IEPs and school systems
• Provider-family relationship dynamics

Guest:

Kendra Little, Founder of Hope & Faith Autism Life Skills

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the podcast and guest

00:27 Meet Kendra Little and her journey

01:25 Families' emotional weight and struggles

03:23 What families need from providers

05:22 Surprises in the autism journey

06:50 Hope during difficult times

08:12 Positive impacts of professionals

10:03 Being seen versus being just an appointment

11:06 Discovering the diagnosis and initial reactions

13:35 Receiving the autism diagnosis

15:40 The mindset of resilience and hope

18:36 Advice to newly diagnosed parents

19:17 Building trust with providers

23:06 Asking the right questions as a family

26:37 Language and communication with families

27:48 Avoiding title-heavy approaches

31:56 Delivering data with hope

33:34 Setting goals and hope for progress

35:23 Community outings and real-life skills

38:44 Parent workshops and advocacy

39:50 Empowering parents in IEP meetings

41:25 Finding your voice as a parent

48:12 Understanding family worries and fears

48:56 Permission to bring authenticity and whole self

51:35 The importance of bringing humanity into therapy

52:20 How families can connect with Kendra

53:41 Closing remarks and contact info

Kendra Little Contact:

Linkedin

Instagram

Autism Life Skills

Summary

This episode tackles the critical issues facing the ABA industry, including recent media reports of unethical practices, profit-driven motives, and the importance of ethical standards. BCBAs share insights on maintaining integrity, navigating ethical dilemmas, and advocating for high-quality, ethical care.

Key topics

Media reports on unethical ABA practices

Profit motives and industry accountability

Ethical standards and oversight in ABA

Strategies for ethical decision-making in practice

Role of BCBAs in advocating for quality care

Chapters

00:00 Addressing Concerns in Autism Services

05:33 The Impact of Growth on Service Quality

10:15 Profit Over Children: Ethical Dilemmas in ABA

14:47 Billing Practices and Their Consequences

19:12 Out of Network Strategies and Their Implications

23:53 The Role of BCBAs in Ethical Practices

27:25 Allegations of Abuse and Accountability

28:19 Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in ABA

33:08 Interviewing for Ethical Practices

37:49 Identifying Quality ABA Providers

43:39 Empowering Families and BCBAs

45:53 Ethics in Practice: Real-World Scenarios

Summary

Dr. Sara Feldman shares her insights on leadership development, emotional intelligence, and creating a positive organizational culture in ABA. She discusses practical strategies from her entrepreneurial journey, book recommendations, and how to foster independent thinking within teams.

Takeaways

Leadership starts with self-awareness and self-leadership.

Ask more questions, tell less, to foster critical thinking.

Create a psychologically safe environment for innovation.

Use curiosity and questions to develop team members.

Promote humility, hunger, and smartness in hiring.

Chapters

00:00 The importance of leadership in ABA

01:18 Leadership as a mirror for personal development

03:00 High turnover and leadership responsibility

04:15 Creating humans, not just ABA providers

05:03 Books that shaped my leadership approach

05:51 The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stainer

06:43 Overcoming the advice monster

08:03 The importance of questions over answers

11:03 Asking the right questions to empower teams

13:13 Psychological safety and trust

14:30 Building leaders, not followers

15:37 Brene Brown's Dare to Lead

19:30 Emotional maturity and vulnerability

21:07 The concept of rumbling and honest conversations

23:14 Creating a culture of psychological safety

24:25 Encouraging respectful dissent

24:50 Patrick Lencione's Ideal Team Player

26:06 Self-awareness and team growth

31:05 Hiring, firing, and promoting with purpose

31:58 The importance of humility, hunger, and smartness

36:08 Final thoughts on leadership and self-awareness

36:24 Permission slip: Curiosity over answers

36:52 Closing remarks and resources

Summary

This episode features Dr. Kristen Byra (BCBA-D) discussing the importance of clinical quality in ABA, sharing her journey, insights on training, mentorship, and practical steps for BCBAs to improve their practice.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to ABA Entrepreneurship

01:08 Journey into ABA: Personal Stories

03:26 The Importance of Clinical Quality

12:39 Navigating the ABA Landscape

17:05 Defining Quality in ABA

22:32 Advice for New BCBAs

28:57 Building a Supportive ABA Business

31:13 Navigating Job Offers and Sign-On Bonuses

32:05 Empowering BCBAs in Interviews

34:24 Difficult Decisions for Quality Assurance

40:52 Taking Action for Quality Improvement

46:29 Building a Supportive Community for BCBAs

50:20 Rapid Fire Reflections and Insights

Takeaways

• Prioritize clinical quality over compliance for better outcomes.
• Seek mentorship and community support to grow professionally.
• Use self-assessment tools to identify and address gaps in practice.
• Treat your first two years post-certification as a pro-tum experience to build competence.

Guest Host

Dr. Kristen Byra

Upskill ABA

Headstart Health

Kristen Byra Linkedin

Summary

This episode features Dr. Sara Feldman, Breanna Holm, and Janelle Wade discussing the journey of building independent ABA practices, the support systems available through Headstart Health, and the transformation of providers from clinicians to entrepreneurs. They share insights on starting, scaling, and sustaining successful ABA businesses, emphasizing community, systems, and provider empowerment.

Hosts

Dr. Sara Feldman, Breanna Holm, Janelle Wade

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to BCBA's Who Build Podcast

06:00 Meet the Team Behind Headstart Health

11:57 The Journey to Building an ABA Company

15:09 The Movement Towards Independent BCBAs

20:32 Overcoming Barriers to Independence

25:55 The Role of Head Start Health in Supporting BCBAs

29:15 Training and Onboarding for New Providers

35:35 Navigating Insurance Complexities

39:06 The Importance of Delegation in Business

40:54 Delegating to Elevating: The RBT Recruitment Process

42:58 Client Acquisition and Support: Simplifying the Process

46:17 Transformations in Leadership: From Provider to Entrepreneur

46:17 Success Stories: Real Transformations in the ABA Community

53:05 Building a Legacy: The Impact of Leadership in ABA

resources

Headstart Health Website - https://headstarthealth.com

Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) - https://www.bacb.com

Guest Links

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarafeldmanphd/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/holmbreanna/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenelle-wade-bcba-744aa1a4/

Keywords

ABA, BCBA, independent practice, entrepreneurship, Head Start Health, provider support, business scaling, insurance management, clinician empowerment

Key topics

Pathways from clinician to business owner

Support systems for independent BCBAs

Scaling and managing an ABA practice

Insurance and billing support for providers

Community and mentorship in ABA entrepreneurship