Volume 6, Number 1

July 2010

Official Newsletter of the Georgia Association for Behavior Analysis

This month’s
agenda:
Conference
Ethical Answer
Ethical Dilemma
Meet a BCBA
ABAI Recap

3rd Annual GABA Conference

Friday, September 24th, 2010
Register for Crowne Plaza Perimeter Hotel
this year’s Atlanta, GA
GABA
conference
This year’s conference will be the first time GABA will have
online at
two-tracks of presentations. One track will feature presen-
Georgia- tations appealing to behavior analysts and other behavioral
ABA.com professionals. The second track will feature presentations
of interest to consumers of ABA including parents, teach-
ers, and others. Behavior analysts will have the opportu-
nity to earn CEUs for no additional charge. There will be a
poster session, provider expo, lunch, and social after the
event.
Volume 6, Number 1 Page 2

Ethical Dilemma—March
Ethical Dilemma—June
Jessica Pugh, MS, BCBA
Jessica Pugh, MS, BCBA
A behavior analyst is at a professional meeting with
her peers. She runs into an old classmate and they An undergraduate psychology major just went
are talking about how they enjoy their jobs, trading sto- to a 2-day workshop on Applied Behavior
ries and enjoying each other’s company. The class- Analysis. She is very excited about what she
mate mentioned the name of a student of his and de- has learned and ready to apply it. She de-
scribed in detail how the student was doing. There cides she will advertise on Craigslist and she if
were several other people standing around within ear- she can get some clients. She describes how
shot. What should the behavior analyst do and why? she has volunteered in a special needs class
Answer: The behavior analyst should tell her class- and now taken a class in Applied Behavior
mate that they should go to a spot where they can Analysis. She gets some books from Barnes
maintain confidentiality. The classmate should not and Noble on Behavior Analysis. She gets her
discuss a client with someone who is not involved in first client and copies some pages out of the
the case. If she needs advice from a colleague then books she has received and begins working
you should not discuss identifying information or the with the child. She knows a friend of a friend
name of the individual. This should be done in private
who is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and
where others cannot over hear the conversation . We
as behavior analysts agreed to task list number 1-9 to contacts him to ask him some questions.
maintain confidentiality. Please see the below from What should the behavior analyst do and why?
our ethical standards on confidentiality.
.06 Maintaining Confidentiality.

a. Behavior analysts have a primary obligation and What should the behavior
take reasonable precautions to respect the confiden-
tiality of those with whom they work or consult, rec- analyst do and why?
ognizing that confidentiality may be established by
law, institutional rules, or professional or scientific
relationships.
b. Clients have a right to confidentiality. Unless it is
not feasible or is contraindicated, the discussion of
confidentiality occurs at the outset of the relation-
ship and thereafter as new circumstances may war-
rant.
c. In order to minimize intrusions on privacy, behavior
analysts include only information germane to the
purpose for which the communication is made in
written and oral reports, consultations, and the like.
d. Behavior analysts discuss confidential information Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center,
obtained in clinical or consulting relationships, or San Antonio, Texas—Site of the 2010
evaluative data concerning patients, individual or ABAI Conference
organizational clients, students, research partici-
pants, supervisees, and employees, only for appro-
priate scientific or professional purposes and only
with persons clearly concerned with such matters. 

 Featured Georgia BCBA—Keely Watkins
How long have you been a BCBA? 3 years
Where are you currently employed? I am a Behavior Analyst in the Autism Spectrum Disor-
ders Program at Laurel Heights. We are located in Atlanta near the Virginia Highlands and
Emory/Druid Hills areas.
What do you do there? I work with children ages 6 to 14 years old with severe problem be-
haviors (i.e., high frequency/intensity aggression and self-injurious behaviors). I develop
and assist in the implementation of treatment and behavior plans. The goal of our program
is to reduce harmful behaviors in order for the children to step down into a less restrictive
environment. Many of our children leave our program and are successful at home with in-
home applied behavior analysis services. Another important aspect of my job responsibili-
ties includes staff performance. Direct care staff are required to meet competency in three
areas: responding to appropriate behaviors, responding to inappropriate behaviors and
teaching strategies. I continuously give feedback in these areas to help ensure success.
Our program is ever changing and I am an intricate part of this process.
What drew you to the field of ABA? Nine years ago I met someone who was an in-home ABA
therapist. I bombarded her with questions and became extremely interested. Like anyone
who works in the field, before you recommend someone you have to know that they will be
dedicated. I finally bugged her enough to where she put me in touch with a couple of fami-
lies. My very first day of work, I fell in love. Everything just made sense to me. I lived for
the moments when something finally “clicked” with the child and seeing the day to day pro-
gress that they made was extremely rewarding. My favorite story to tell is when one kid’s
program involved teaching phonics and sight words. When I first started working with this
kid, he struggled to read and decode words. Within a year (or less), he was reading chapter
books. One day, I was sitting on the couch with him and he was reading me a story from a
chapter book and didn’t need any of my help with any of the words. Tears began to come
down my face. He looked up at me and said, “Keely, why are you crying?” and I said
“Because, I am just so proud of you.” That moment is what defined my career. I knew that I
wanted a part in this much needed and growing field for the rest of my life.
How would you describe a behavior analyst to someone who have never heard of ABA? Well,
the common question I usually get is “Are you analyzing my behavior right now?” But to get
back to your question, I would try not to get too technical and say something like this: A be-
havior analyst is someone who looks at behavior in a different light than most people. It’s a
science. We study the behavior of an individual and why they do the things that they do.
We use science to help us develop ways to change behavior for the better. I often tell peo-
ple that it’s not just my job, it’s a way of life.
Where do you live? Decatur
What's your favorite thing to do on the weekends? Hang out
with my best friend/fiancé, Matthew, and dog, Tristen.
Favorite ABA quote? “It’s all about your reinforcement history”
“Behave well” Glenn Latham
“Give me a child and I will shape him into anything” BF Skinner
Georgia Association for Behavior Analysis

2 Peachtree St., NW
Suite 22-434
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-657-2288
Fax: 404-657-2310

President: Clint Trusty

Vice-president: Nathan Call
Secretary: Chad Favre
Treasurer: [Vacant]

Visit the website: Scenes from San Antonio

www.georgia-aba.com

Reflections from ABAI Conference 2010 San Antonio

Clint Trusty

It was another Memorial Day weekend and another ABAI conference but this time it was a
scorcher in the city of San Antonio. This was my first trip to San Antonio and my first experience on the
Riverwalk which I must mention because it is a one of a kind experience. Between the river, the people,
and all the bars, restaurants, and shops it was tough to not find something entertaining. Amid all these
entertainment options, you couldn’t forget your purpose for being in San Antonio which was to learn
more about applied behavior analysis.
I had the opportunity to attend many different presentations including symposiums, poster ses-
sions, paper sessions, and panel discussions. As always, some were more engaging than others but
overall most that I attended were intriguing and informative. Some highlights included a motivating and
entertaining presidential address by Patrick Friman in which he urged practitioners and researchers to
push the science into the mainstream. I was also impressed by Gregory Hanley who presented a method
to allow individuals with developmental disabilities and limited verbal repertoires to choose treatment
procedures and conditions. Still other highlights of my attendance included interesting topics such as
the use of technology in ABA, toilet training, and the ever popular ethics discussions.
In addition to attending those sessions, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop held by the
Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA). This workshop brought representatives together
from most every state and allowed discussions regarding developments in their states, public policy, cer-
tification and licensure issues, as well as other topics. Along the lines of state issues, I was able to share
developments and the mission of GABA at the ABAI expo/poster session. GABA also held a business
meeting although it was rather poorly attended. Altogether, the conference was a very fun and entertain-
ing event and as always left me motivated to stay more in touch with the literature and better promote
the field of ABA to those that may be less familiar with it.