Txaba Public Policy Group

THE ORGANIZATION HELD ONLINE MEETINGS OF THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THESE MEETINGS PROVIDED INFORMATION RELATED TO PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING AND/OR OF INTEREST TO BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS IN TEXAS AND INCLUDED PLANNING FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S ACTIVITIES.THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES IN 2022 WERE THE FOLLOWING: 1.AUTISM INSURANCE EQUITY BILL: A CLEANUP BILL TO ADDRESS INSURANCE STATUTE THAT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH CURRENT PRACTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH PARITY PROTECTIONS. INCLUDES AN UPDATED DEFINITION OF AUTISM.2.EXPEDITED CREDENTIALING: CREATES AN EXPEDITED CREDENTIALING PROCESS FOR LICENSED BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS FOR ALL HEALTH PLANS.3.ABA SERVICES FOR TELEHEALTH: ADDS A TELEHEALTH OPTION FOR ABA SERVICES FOR THE STATE MEDICAID PROGRAM.4.CREATING AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATUTE: CREATES AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN STATUTE TO ASSIST HHSC IN IMPLEMENTING THE ABA MEDICAID BENEFIT.5.BCBAS IN EDUCATIONAL REGIONAL CENTERS: CREATES A DEDICATED STAFF POSITION FOR A LICENSED BCBA AT EACH REGIONAL EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER TO ASSIST PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS AND SERVICES.THE TXABA PPG HAS 4 TASK FORCES TO HELP MOVE FORTH THESE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES: 1.INSURANCE, 2. MEDICAID, 3. PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND 4. TELEHEALTH. THE INSURANCE TASK FORCE MET 10 TIMES VIA ZOOM. THE INSURANCE TASK FORCE FOCUSED ON THE FOLLOWING:A)MONITORED RAMSTAD-MODEL LEGISLATIONB)MONITORED TELEHEALTH COVERAGE FOR ABA SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT SB40 IS BEING ENFORCEDC)REVIEWED HB3459, EFFECTIVE 9.1.2022 FOR APPLICABILITY TO BCBASD)REVIEWED HHSC PARITY PLAN AND TDI PARITY RULES FOR POTENTIAL LEGISLATIVE ACTIONSTHE MEDICAID TASK FORCE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED:A)FEEDBACK GIVEN ON MEDICAID DRAFT POLICYB)TESTIMONY: POLICY COUNCIL FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIESC)TWO RATE HEARINGS!D)LOTS OF MEETINGS AND CALLS TO REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS ACROSS THE STATETHE PUBLIC EDUCATION TASKFORCE GOAL IS TO REVIEW AND ACT UPON LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY AND PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT IMPACT BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS AND THE STUDENTS THEY SERVE. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES: A)REGIONAL CENTERSB)RESTRAINT/SECLUSIONC)EARLY PICKS UPSD)INCREASE ABILITY FOR BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS TO OBSERVE AND COLLABORATE WITH TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTE)ALLOW ABA SERVICES THAT ARE MEDICALLY PRESCRIBED AND COVERED BY HEALTH INSURANCE TO BE PROVIDED IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTTHE GOAL OF THE TXABA PUBLIC POLICY TELEHEALTH TASK FORCE IS TO RESEARCH, REVIEW, AND ACT ON LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY AND OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO THE USE OF THE TELEHEALTH SERVICE MODEL IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS. THE MAIN EFFORT OF THE TASK FORCE WAS TO UPDATE THE TXABA PUBLIC POLICY TELEHEALTH TASK FORCE REPORT. THE SECONDARY EFFORT OF OUR TASK FORCE HAS BEEN TO UPDATE THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS RESOURCE GUIDE FOUND ON THE TXABA WEBPAGE. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN TWO FACEBOOK PAGES. THE FIRST PAGE IS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC (BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS ONLINE) AND PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING AND/OR OF INTEREST TO BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS IN TEXAS. THE SECOND FACEBOOK PAGE IS LIMITED TO MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION.OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION, PLUS MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAVING INTERESTS CONSISTENT WITH THE GROUP, PROVIDED TESTIMONY AT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AND PUBLIC AGENCY HEARINGS RELATED TO PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING AND/OR OF INTEREST TO BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS IN TEXAS.OFFICERS OF THE ORGANIZATION MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS TO EDUCATE THEM REGARDING PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING AND/OR OF INTEREST TO BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS IN TEXAS, AND TO LEARN FROM THEM OF ISSUES IMPORTANT TO THEM AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS, AND TO PLAN COOPERATION RELATED TO ISSUES OF MUTUAL INTEREST.THE ORGANIZATION DISTRIBUTED BY EMAIL TO MEMBERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS INFORMATION REGARDING PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING AND/OR OF INTEREST TO BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS IN TEXAS, ORGANIZATION PLANS, ACTIVITIES, AND EVENTS. THESE EMAILS INCLUDED A CALL FOR ACTION BY MEMBERS REGARDING PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING AND/OR OF INTEREST TO BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS IN TEXAS.THE TXABA PUBLIC POLICY GROUP PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL AND STATE ABA CONFERENCES TO SHARE THE WORK BEING DONE IN TEXAS.