State Wide Task Force in Pa.

[Guest guest]

Hey all,

As many of you know, I am a member of Pa's CASSP advisory

board and sit on a Pa Taskforce on autism. However, another

task force is in the process of beign formed and it is

looking for members from Pa residents.

Pa-DPW has started a state wide taskforce to redesign the

mental health, social service, and educational system with

respect to children with serious emotional disturbance (ADHD,

Bipolar Disorder, ODD, Schizophrenia, Depression, etc.). This

task force wants to acheive 50% parent representation, so I

am reaching out to this list to see if people want to sign

up.

Their is much to do. This would give you the opportunity to

advocate for better access to services,more competent staff

with possibly a central training program (a three year staff

development plan), more fair greivance and appeal process.

The first meeting will be on May 22 in burg but most of

the work will take place by e-mails and conference calls. The

report will be given directly to Estell Richman and the

governor.

I think that they are going to have twleve to fifteen

subcommittees. I would like to see more behavior

analyst's to ensure that BCBA is adopted into residentail,

group homes, and BHRS services. In addition, I think that we

could make the suggestion for moving to a lic. for behavior

analyst.

Also, I was hope to get the client's rights policy to be

worded close to the Right to Effective Behavioral

Intervention statement that Axelrod co-authored some time

back.

If the state support behavior analyst's more will be trained.

Currently St. ph's University put out appoximately 30

BCBA's/year. Temple puts out about 20. Penn State Trains

about 260.

If any Behavior Analysts on this list are in this state or

you know a BCBA that wants to join feel free or so please

forward them this message.

DPW will be hosting a kick-off meeting later this spring (May

22), bringing together anyone who has interest in being a

part of the Children's Behavioral Health Taskforce.

Additional information on the Taskforce and application forms

can be found online at

http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/exec/dpwBhtf.asp.

Joe