Concerns over the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) interpretation of Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) led us to launch a grassroots campaign called ABA Our Way at the close of 2020.

This campaign brought ABA providers and autism advocates from across the commonwealth together to ensure the provision of 1:1 ABA services in a center for children who need them. Through the ABA Our Way website, a petition that garnered more than 11,000 signatures, news coverage, and many vocal supporters, we’ve been able to make some inroads with OMHSAS on this issue.

But our work is not yet done. At present, OMHSAS is still requiring that service providers justify center-based 1:1 ABA services and is attempting to use this tactic to limit access to this service. We are actively working with providers and families across Pennsylvania to identify examples of denial of services so we can ensure adherence to the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.

Anyone with questions about the ABA Our Way initiative or concerns regarding their access to services, can email Kristine Quinby at KQuinby@potentialinc.org

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