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Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 14, 2023

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Website and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Website. By using the Website, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation

The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

Account means a unique account created for You to access our Website or parts of our Website.

Association (referred to as either "the Association", "We", "Us" or "Our" in this Agreement) refers to Florida Association for Behavior Analysis, 3116 Capital Circle NE, Suite 2, Tallahassee, FL. 32308.

Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.

Country refers to: Florida, United States

Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone or a digital tablet.

Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.

Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Association. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by or contracted with the Association to facilitate the Website, to provide the Website on behalf of the Association, to perform services related to the Website or to assist the Association in analyzing how the Website is used.

Third-party Social Media Service refers to any website or any social network website through which a User can log-in or create an account to use the Website.

Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of Website or the Website infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).

Website refers to Florida Association for Behavior Analysis website, accessible from http://www.FABAworld.org

You means the individual accessing or using the Website, or the Association, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Website, as applicable.

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

Types of Data Collected

Personal Data

While using Our Website, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

Email address

First name and last name

Phone number

Address, State, ZIP/Postal code, City

Usage Data

Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Website.

Usage Data may include information such as Your Device's Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Website You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

When You access Website through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Website or when You access the Website by or through a mobile device.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies

We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Website and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Website. The technologies We use may include:

Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on Your Device. You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Website. Unless you have adjusted Your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, our Website may use Cookies.
Web Beacons. Certain sections of our Website and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Association, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of a certain section and verifying system and server integrity).

Cookies can be "Persistent" or "Session" Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on Your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close Your web browser.

We use both Session and Persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:

Necessary / Essential Cookies

Type: Session Cookies

Administered by: Us

Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.

Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies

Type: Persistent Cookies

Administered by: Us

Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.

Functionality Cookies

Type: Persistent Cookies

Administered by: Us

Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.

For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookies Policy or the Cookies section of our Privacy Policy.

Use of Your Personal Data

The Association may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

To provide and maintain our Website, including to monitor the usage of our Website.

To manage Your Account: to manage Your registration as a user of the Website. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Website that are available to You as a registered user.

To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application's push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.

To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events.

To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us.

For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Website, products, services, marketing and your experience.

We may share Your personal information in the following situations:

With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Website, to contact You.
With business partners: We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside. If You interact with other users or register through a Third-Party Social Media Service, Your contacts on the Third-Party Social Media Service may see Your name, profile, pictures and description of Your activity. Similarly, other users will be able to view descriptions of Your activity, communicate with You and view Your profile.
With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.

Retention of Your Personal Data

The Association will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Association will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Website, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Association's operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Association will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Delete Your Personal Data

You have the right to delete or request that We assist in deleting the Personal Data that We have collected about You.

Our Website may give You the ability to delete certain information about You from within the Website.

You may update, amend, or delete Your information at any time by signing in to Your Account, if you have one, and visiting the account settings section that allows you to manage Your personal information. You may also contact Us to request access to, correct, or delete any personal information that You have provided to Us.

Please note, however, that We may need to retain certain information when we have a legal obligation or lawful basis to do so.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Law enforcement

Under certain circumstances, the Association may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements

The Association may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

Comply with a legal obligation
Protect and defend the rights or property of the Association
Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Website
Protect the personal safety of Users of the Website or the public
Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Personal Data

The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Children's Privacy

Our Website does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

Links to Other Websites

Our Website may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. A third party’s sponsorship of an advertisement on our Website is not an endorsement by FABA of the third party’s services, practices, or products. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party's site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:

By email: [email protected]

FABA DEIA Mission Statement

We are committed to advancing, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility because it makes us a stronger, more impactful organization, and because it directly aligns with our mission to improve the world with behavior analysis. In this commitment, our goals are to:

Elevate voices from marginalized groups and facilitate actions that directly benefit these groups, because this benefits all of us and aligns with our values as an organization
Create inclusive spaces that cultivate a sense of belonging for all members
Honor both the collective and individual identities of our members and recognize how those identities shape experiences
Identify and dismantle barriers to executing these goals

We are actively striving to incorporate these principles into all facets of FABA. Our approach is rooted in listening, learning, and acting. In this way, we encourage feedback and value accountability.

You may contact the FABA DEIA Committee by emailing us at [email protected].

Here you will find answers to many of our most frequently asked questions. If you do not see the answer you are looking for, please reach out to us by clicking the button in the bottom right corner of your screen.

Membership

What is the membership year? When do I have to renew?

FABA membership runs through the calendar year (January-December) and renews on January 1^st of each year regardless of when you joined.

My membership expired. How do I rejoin?

No problem! You can join again by clicking here: https://www.fabaworld.org/renew-my-faba-membership

How do I cancel my membership?

You may cancel your membership by emailing us at [email protected]. Please note that you may cancel your membership at any time, but the dues paid for membership are nonrefundable.

I am a behavior analyst in the state of Florida, doesn't that automatically make me a member?

No; while FABA works to support the field as a whole across the state, you must register an account and pay annual membership dues to be listed as a member of the organization.

I paid once and still receive occasional updates, why is it saying I am not a member?

You must register an account and pay annual membership dues to be listed as a member of the organization. It is likely that you still receive updates because you registered your email and checked the boxes to receive email communications at some point in the past. Membership is good for the calendar year in which it is purchased. If membership is purchased on January 1, it is active through December 31. If membership is purchased on June 1, it is still only active through December 31.

Conference

When is the CoFABA conference?

The CoFABA conference stands for the Chapters of FABA and is offered in collaboration with our local chapters throughout the state. This single-day, one-track, intimate conference typically offers around 5 CEU presentations and is held in the spring (April/May) each year. Registration opens early in the year. Be on the lookout for the exact dates in your email and on FABA’s official social media accounts.

Where is the member discount for the CoFABA conference?

The CoFABA conference is a member-only event. Since you must be a member to attend this conference, the listed price is the member price. We welcome members and non-members alike to join us in the fall for the main FABA conference. There is a member discount for the fall conference.

When is the main FABA conference?

This conference takes place in the fall (typically September) each year. Registration opens in the first quarter of the year along with the room block for those looking to stay at the official conference hotel.

September 18-21, 2024 - Miami - JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort

September 17-20, 2025 - Ponte Vedra Beach - Sawgrass Marriott Gold Resort & Spa

September 2026 - Orlando - Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

Does the FABA conference hotel offer accessibility services? What options do they offer?

2024 - JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort - https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/miajt-jw-marriott-miami-turnberry-resort-and-spa/rooms/

2025 - Ponte Vedra Beach - Sawgrass Marriott Gold Resort & Spa - https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/jaxsw-sawgrass-marriott-golf-resort-and-spa/overview/

2026 - Orlando - Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress - https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/florida/hyatt-regency-grand-cypress/vista

How do I become a FABA Sponsor?

The Call for Sponsors opens just before the registration window for both FABA and CoFABA conferences. Please check the specific pages for each conference or email us at [email protected] for more information. If you are looking to sponsor the FABA webpage, email us at [email protected] for current options and availability.

When should I plan to arrive at the main FABA conference?

The FABA conference begins Thursday with additional pre-conference workshops on Wednesday before the conference. For the best conference experience, we suggest that you arrive no later than 7:00 am Thursday and plan to stay through noon on Saturday.

When can I apply to be a speaker at the conference?

The Call for Papers opens in March for the main FABA conference. Your submission will be reviewed and a notification letter will be sent by May.

How do I get CEUs?

FABA offers behavior analyst CEUs. These can be purchased as an add-on package to the conference registration. FABA uses BehaviorLive for CEU certificate tracking and delivery. In-person attendees should download the BehaviorLive app from the Apple AppStore or Google Play Store before attending the conference. If you are attending online, please log in and follow the on-screen instructions. Find out more here: https://support.behaviorlive.com/hc/en-us/articles/360052296874-Attendee-Quick-Reference-Guide

How do I receive my CEU certificate?

After the conference, we will process and "release" all CEUs. When that happens, if you are seeking MH/PSY CEUs, you will be able to log into BehaviorLive, go to CEU History and view that certificate. Once you pay the fee for those CEUs (in CEU History), you will be able to download your certificates. We will send follow-up instructions when this is ready.

Can I register now and pay later?

Yes, some organizations require an invoice to be submitted before payment can be made. If your organization requires this step, please click here and complete the online request form or contact us at [email protected] to set up your registration. For FABA 2024, this must be requested via email no later than August 1, 2024, and payment must be completed by August 31, 2024.

Mailing List

Will FABA forward my research study information?

Unfortunately, the FABA membership has not elected to receive email forwards at this time. We wish you the best with your research but are unable to assist you in this way, at this time.

Advertising

Paid advertisements appear in Florida Association for Behavior Analysis publications, including print and other digital formats such as the fabaworld.org website. FABA does not endorse or evaluate the advertised companies, services, practices, or products, nor any claims made by the advertisement. FABA reserves the right to refuse, reject, or cancel any ad for any reason at any time without liability.

Last Updated: March 17, 2024

Collaboration with Public, Charter and Private Schools:

How Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) and Behavior Analysts Can Work as Private Instructional Personnel (PIP) to Support School Teams Working with Students with Behavior and Learning Challenges

10 minute video overview of the Florida Law with a short story of successful collaboration:

Ethan's Story

Please download the documents below that were designed to assist School Administrators and Teams (as mentioned in the above video):

Examples of Allowable and Restricted Services by Behavior Analysts and RBTs Operating as Private Instructional Personnel (PIP)

Federal Law - IDEA - IEP - Medical Necessity - ABA is not a Related Service

Florida Laws, Florida DOE Letter, and Behavior Analysis Certification

Presented by the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis - Public Policy Committee

Please email your questions, concerns, and recommendations to [email protected]

Special thanks to Rachel Davis, BCBA, for her narration of Ethan's Story

April 11, 2022

Agency for Health Care Administration
Bureau of Medicaid Policy
2727 Mahan Drive, Mail Stop #20
Tallahassee, FL 32308

Re: 59G-4.125, Behavior Analysis Services Coverage Policy

The Florida Association for Behavior Analysis would like to thank the Agency for Health Care Administration for working with FABA and providers of behavior analysis to make this transition to CPT codes as smooth as possible and to make certain that effective and ethical behavior analysis services are available to all Florida Citizens.

There are improvements in the proposed policy. One notable improvement is the emphasis
on parent involvement and the allowance for up to two hours per week of telehealth to allow for increased connection at times that are convenient to the recipient. However, as FABA and many others have discussed in prior meetings and in the workshop on 4/8/22, there are significant concerns with a number of aspects of the draft policy:

2.2 - Requires that the referral includes a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation (CDE) that recommends behavior analysis services. This is problematic in that some families are not able to find a provider to conduct a CDE in a timely fashion. FABA recommends that this be modified so that if a CDE has not yet been done but the recipient has a physician’s recommendation for behavior analysis, they would be eligible for services if a CDE was scheduled.

If is also the case that not every professional completing a CDE will recommend ABA. Perhaps ABA was not needed at the time the CDE was initially done, but was later deemed necessary out of concerns for safety, communication, or ability to perform major life activities. The CDE may have been completed in a state that did not have ABA services. FABA recommends that if the CDE did not recommend behavior analysis services but shows that the individual meets criteria for functional impairment, another physician, licensed profession or BCBA-D assess and make a recommendation the individual receive behavior analysis services.

4.2.1 – Requires two specific tools – The Vineland and BASC be administered with each prior service authorization request. These two tools are not sensitive to measuring improvements in recipient behavior, thus the benefit for their repeated use is unclear. The cost of purchasing the tests, obtaining training to administer and administering on a repeated basis are significant. FABA recommends that the pool of allowable assessments be expanded to include other tools such as the ABLLS, AFLS, PEAK, VB-MAPP and Essentials for Living. The professional conducting the assessment should select the tools most appropriate for the individual being assessed.

4.2.2 - The first paragraph indicates that the parent or guardian must participate in treatment. FABA supports the idea that parents participate in treatment, however, there are concerns over what “participate” means. There are also concerns about how this applies to situations when the recipient is over 18, lives in a group home, or has other primary caretakers. FABA recommends that the first paragraph of this section, and subsequent sections that address parents and guardians also include caretakers. Caregivers could be defined as person or personnel that must participate in treatment (e.g., grandparent, home staff, teacher, etc.). Consideration could also be given to providing specific activities that can demonstrate participation (assist with implementation, review data, etc.).

4.2.2 – The listing of procedures does not include all procedures on the fee schedule (e.g., T codes, supervision code. FABA recommends that all procedures on the fee schedule be defined in the policy.
4.2.2. - FABA continues to be concerned about the lack of modifiers when medically necessary treatment is implemented by BCBA, BCBA-D, BCaBA or FL-CBA.
4.2.3 - Supervision - FABA members have raised concerns about the requirement to bill a non-reimbursable code for supervision. For many providers, this will add additional administrative costs in generating and approving notes, entering into billing systems, etc. If supervision occurs in the middle of an RBT’s session, they will have to write 3 notes instead of one.
4.2.4 - Discharge – This section implies that individual would no longer be eligible to receive services if any of the items were true. For items three, four and five, this is problematic since the absence of maladaptive behavior should not be the only criteria for discharge. FABA recommends combining items 3-6 into one item such as “Data indicates the frequency and severity of maladaptive behaviors(s) or level of functional impairment no longer poses a barrier to recipient’s ability to function in their environment”
5.2. – Exclusion – FABA is concerned about the number of new exclusions added to this section. These exclusions will eliminate recipients from getting medically necessary services in environments where the behaviors occur, in situations that will allow the person to integrate into their communities and will interfere with ability to choose the most appropriate educational environment for their child. An unintended consequence of these exclusions will increase the delivery of services in clinics only, perhaps with only the those needing acquisition skills, leaving those bigger stronger, more violent recipients without any providers. Limiting provision of services in some setting will have an adverse affect on some families ability to work.

Concerns with specific exclusions:

What is the definition of an Autism Specialty School? Why is the ASD diagnosis singled out?
Recreational, leisure or educational camp? Although an RBT should not be used merely to provide 1-1 care in these settings, if these services are deemed medically necessary to treat severe or intense behaviors, or teach skills related to the recipients functional impairment, why is it excluded?
Extracurricular activities – In some areas, this may be the best situation to train social skills rather than in contrived social situations.
Caregiver of Childcare settings – This can be a valuable area to train skills and address challenging behaviors in integrated setting.

FABA recommends that the exclusions section be re-evaluated and concerns about the environments that services be provided be addressed through the prior authorization process. Perhaps some general guidance could be written into the policy.

6.2.2 This list is similar, but not identical to the Model Coverage Policy provided by the ABA
Coding Coalition. FABA recommends a number of items be modified:

The third item requires a “Thorough Medical History…”. This seems excessive and goes beyond the scope of practice of behavior analysts. This should be modified to “Brief background information including available relevant medical history”
The Supervision Plan requires the name of the person who is providing supervision. This should be modified to clarify that this is the plan for providing clinical oversight on this plan. Requiring the name of the actual person is problematic as it implies that the plan will need to be updated if there is turnover or coverage issues at the agency.

6.2.4. – FABA members have raised concerns about the practicality of session notes signed. It may not be clinically appropriate to get each note signed. Some electronic medical record systems allow for signatures, but the system do not show all the clinical items listed. It does not appear that this is a requirement for other Medicaid services. In lieu of requiring that each session note be signed, perhaps the parent, guardian or caretaker could sign a verification log that indicates the date, time in, time out, name and credentials of the provider. If the goal is to ensure parent/guardian/caregiver inclusion, the above verification log, along with parent training records, and signatures on assessments would appear to meet that objective.

FABA looks forward to working with AHCA to improve this policy. Please let us know if you
have any additional concerns.

Eric Prutsman – [email protected]
Tiki Fiol - [email protected]
Mary Riordan - [email protected]

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