Brain Power with Dr. Eko

How ABA Supports Teens, Adults, and Individuals Beyond Autism | Naomi Noel, BCBA, LBA

• Dr. Hokehe Eko

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0:00 | 16:22

In this episode, we explore how Applied Behavior Analysis can support older children, teens, adults, and individuals who are not considered traditional learners, including those without an autism diagnosis. We discuss how ABA can be used across the lifespan to strengthen daily living skills, communication, behavior support, and independence, while challenging common misconceptions about who can benefit from these services. 

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Welcome And Meet Naomi Noel

SPEAKER_00

Are we live? Oh, we're live. Hi everybody. Okay, welcome to a wonderful Wednesday. My name is Dr. Hoke Echo and welcome to Glow with Dr. Echo. So here we are, and I have an amazing guest today, uh, Miss Naomi Noel, who's a BCBA, and she has an important topic for us to discuss today. So, welcome to the show, Naomi. And please tell more people who you are and what you do and all of the good things.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, well, thank you for having me. I'm super excited to be here. Like Dr. Echo said, my name is Naomi Knoll. I am a board certified behavior analyst or BCBA, and I am the founder and executive director of Aligning Hope, which is a behavior analytic organization based out of central Oklahoma.

SPEAKER_00

Wonderful. So tell us, how did you end up becoming a BCBA? Like what was your journey? How did you decide that's what you wanted to do?

SPEAKER_01

Sure. So I started working with the exceptional needs population as a teenager and decided that's something I wanted to do, but I wasn't sure how I was going to do that. And when I started undergrad, I studied special education, but quickly decided that the red tape of special education was not something that I really wanted to do because it took away from the direct work of like working with learners. About that time, ABA kind of fell into my lap. I knew a little bit about it, but this was before it was really, you know, common here in Oklahoma. So I kind of stumbled into it, fell in love with it, and decided that's what I wanted to do.

Where To Start For Teen Support

SPEAKER_00

That's wonderful. So we're gonna be talking today about support for teens, adults, and non-traditional learners. So let's let's let's just get into it, right? So we know that there's a lot of support for younger children and not so much for the for the teenagers and the adults. And so what are some, first of all, what would you say to the parents who's seeking help for their teenagers, their young adults, and non-traditional learners? Like where do they even start?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so it's really hard right now because a lot of those resources that are designated for ABA therapy, like you said, are specific to those early learners. Um, depending on the age of the individual, they may still be able to access coverage through insurance if they have that autism diagnosis and are below the cutoff, which varies. For some insurances, it's 20, for some insurances it's 22. You really have to look at your insurance policy to see if that coverage is going to be extended into teenage years and young adulthood. Other options that people really don't know as much about, um, they're kind of under the radar. Um, through DDS, you often can access behavior analytics services as well as through DRS. So if your um older teen or young adult is looking at trying to secure employment, it is possible to access ABA services through DRS.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. And how long, like how much time do they give um through DRS? Like, what does that what does that application process look like? Like, like tell us all the things. Sure, because lots of parents are overwhelmed and like one more thing to do. So break it down to this is where you go, and this is what you can expect, and what and all of that. So, yes.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so what you'd want to do is go to DRS, the Department of Rehabilitation Services, which is a branch of the state of Oklahoma, so it is a government agency, and they have the application online. You fill that out, send it in, and they connect you with a staff member who they call a counselor, which is very similar to a case manager. Um, you and your loved one meet with that counselor, determine what your goals are, and then once they have a good idea of what you need and where they're going, um they will help you get in contact with an ABA provider who's able to support those employment readiness skills.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, that sounds good. And if they are not in the state of Oklahoma, I it sounds like you would need to look for similar departments in your state. Um which would be, I'm sorry, one second, let me turn off my phone. So, which would be like the department of rehabilitation services, wherever in whatever states you are. I think most states have similar things or at least similarly named.

SPEAKER_01

Um, so Department of Rehabilitation Services, um, developmental disability services, DDS is a common one. Lots of different states have waiver programs. So any of those keywords plus your state should get you pointed the right direction.

Spotting Gaps In Current Services

SPEAKER_00

Right. Yes, absolutely. So um how can parents determine like what are we, what are things that we need to look for to determine? Okay, so my child isn't getting enough support that they need because you know some parents are not even aware that their kids are not getting the support they need.

SPEAKER_01

Right. So you definitely want to be asking questions based on the support that you're getting now. So if your learner is enrolled in ABA, have those regular conversations about what they're working on, how is it going? Are they gaining skills or are they a little bit stagnant and something needs to be different? Is what your learner needs actually within the scope of that provider's skill? That's actually a big one. Uh, some providers will take individuals on and actually not have the skill set to be able to help them in supporting and gaining those skills. So it's also a question to ask: Does your provider have the skills that they need in order for your child or your adult to make progress? If not, who can they refer to? Who else is in the area who provides those services or can come in and consult and collaborate so that those skills can be gained?

Questions To Ask ABA Providers

SPEAKER_00

That's a really big one. I'm I'm so glad you touched on it is asking, do they have the skills? So, what are a few more things that parents can use to interview ABA providers? Because it's important to find one that's skilled, that will provide the care that your child needs. So, what are things that parents should be asking?

SPEAKER_01

Definitely um, you know, how long that person has been an ABA, not to discredit anyone who may be a brand new BCBA, but how long have you been in the field? If you're new to it, what experience do you have that is related? You know, so did that provider used to be a special education teacher? Or, you know, did they used to be a case manager with DDS and they decided they wanted to be more hands-on? Related experience is great. Um, I would also ask who they go to when they're stuck. You know, behavior is very dynamic, humans are very dynamic and things change. So if you can't figure it out, who is your professional support system that you go to to groupthink and brainstorm? Um, I would also ask about their approach. Like how do you approach this? Are you flexible in creating interventions and working with individuals based on their individualized needs? Those are my big ones.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, no, that those are important. Thank you for sharing that. And so um I think the other thing that you mentioned is if the if you find out that like parents, don't be shy to ask for a recommendation, right? If the provider you're talking to says we can't help you, the next question should be, well, do you know who could you could possibly send me to that could? I think that's important to ask for help in that way because otherwise, like, where are we gonna get the help from?

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so what are some other things that you you can share? Um, like, so let's talk about young adults. How can parents support their young adults better?

SPEAKER_01

Sure. So that you know really depends on that young adult's needs. And one of the things about ABA is a lot of people believe that it is only for those early learners, and it's only if you have that autism diagnosis, which that makes it easier to get the services, but that's not the only way to access those services. When it comes to those older learners, they often need support in things like social skills and self-management, following routines and being safe in the community. Um, we talked about those work readiness skills, independent living skills, coping skills. All of that can be helped and supported with ABA. You just have to find a provider who is able to do that. Um, because of kind of the belief that early intervention and ABA just go hand in hand and that's it, a lot of ABA providers tend to gravitate towards that. But there are behavior analysts out there who will work with learners who are, you know, 8, 10, 12 on up to adulthood.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, that's wonderful. Um, so what are questions for for the young adults? What are questions that parents should be asking or looking for? How can parents understand, okay, what their needs really are, and um how who best to solve that?

Long-Term Planning And Guardianship Timing

SPEAKER_01

Sure. So I think you have to really be thinking long term, and that's hard because you know, you're in it now, and you're going, okay, I'm just trying to survive the day by day or the hour by hour. But it really is important to take a step back and kind of zoom out and look at you know what you want the best case scenario to be in 10 to 40 years. Um, you know, statistically, your your child is going to outlive you, and that's something you've got to plan for. So, you know, I want my learner to be as independent as possible in 20 years, and you kind of take that and you kind of reverse engineer it. Well, if I want you to be able to independently work a job in 20 years, what do we need to be working on now to set you up for that success?

SPEAKER_00

Right. Okay, that's thank you for that. Um do you do you is this outside of your scope? And if it is, that's fine. Like pointing parents to when do you start to have the discussion about guardianship and in what like who where do you go for help for that so that you can set up your adult learner for success?

SPEAKER_01

So that is a little bit out of the scope of what I do, but I would encourage parents really be thinking about that before the age of 18. You know, I'm in a lot of different Facebook groups and things, and I see parents who are kind of panicking because their child turns 18 in a month, and it often takes longer than a month to get all the pieces in order. So I would encourage parents, um, if you are, you know, thinking that guardianship is going to be necessary in order to continue to support your learner, then be thinking about that around 16 or 17.

Helping Non-Traditional Learners Grow

SPEAKER_00

That's good. That's important. Okay, great. And so, what about the non-traditional learners? Um, what are what are ways to think about their needs and how do we approach them?

SPEAKER_01

Really, you want to think about it from the standpoint of what they should be doing based on their chronological age? You know, within what I do, I look at both their chronological age, how old they actually are, and their developmental age, which is where they're presently functioning. My job is to fill the gap. So if you bring me a 12-year-old who has the skill set of a six-year-old, my job is to be able to teach them the things they need to do to be closer to functioning as the 12-year-old that they are. Um, and sometimes you kind of have to isolate some of those skills. So is it again, you know, they struggle with socialization, or do we have to take it a step back and focus on functional communication? Like, how are they communicating with their environment to get their needs and wants met?

SPEAKER_00

Okay, yeah. Um those are good points. And where would you point parents? I mean, so in your practice, do you take non-traditional learners? Like, do you care for them?

SPEAKER_01

We do. So we serve from early intervention on to adulthood, um, both through insurance. We are actually now, as of about a week ago, able to provide services through DRS. And then we can provide services via private pay funding as well.

How To Reach Aligning Hope

SPEAKER_00

Okay, that's great. So tell, can you tell our listeners about your practice and um where it's located and how people can get in touch with you?

SPEAKER_01

Sure. So our physical location is in Edmond, Oklahoma. Um, but we are able to provide services via telehealth across the state, and we're actually like actively getting ready to launch a satellite location um in the Lawton area. So you can find our website at www.aligninghope.com. Um, our social handles on Facebook and Instagram are aligning hope, or you can give us a call at 405-367-3171.

Self-Care And Next Steps

SPEAKER_00

Okay, wonderful. Yes. So please, parents who are listening and you're in Oklahoma and you do need help, she's amazing. I've met her in person several times. Yeah, we we run into I I just loved her mission of serving across the age span and not just being limited to um early intervention, but being able to serve adults that need services as well. So definitely reach out to her. And what's one last tip that you would give parents who are listening that may feel overwhelmed and and just need reassurance?

SPEAKER_01

I would say it takes a village and you have to prioritize yourself. You know, parents are so used to pouring in to everyone around them, and that's important. I mean, that's your responsibility, but you can't neglect yourself. So definitely take time for yourself.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, well, you heard it, and I agree. So, parents, thank you for listening. Please share this with families or friends that need to hear this. There is hope, there's support for your children who are getting older, um, guardianship, non-traditional learners, all of that. There is support out there. And so um, if you're in need, if you're listening or you know someone that's in need of an autism evaluation, reach out to us at GlobePediatrics. If you are concerned about your child's sleep, constipation and behavior, reach out to us at Globe Pediatrics. We'll provide holistic care for your children. And of course, our partner, our ABA partner, Ms. Noel, and and her amazing services. So thank you again for listening, and we'll see you at the next episode. Have a wonderful day.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you.