What services does QBO provide?
QBO provides three primary services in the state of Hawaii: Paraprofessional Support, Behavioral Consulting, and Parent Education.
What is a paraprofessional?
Paraprofessionals, also sometimes referred to as skills trainers or habilitation workers, work directly with the individual child or adult with special needs to help them learn new skills, ensure behavior intervention programs are followed, and in general support the implementation of goals and objectives specified in the individualized plan that has been developed for that client.
Do paraprofessionals always work one-on-one with the client?
While one-on-one support is the most common manner in which paraprofessionals work, in some cases individual clients might receive more or less support. The exact number of paraprofessionals and the number of hours they work with the client is usually specified in the individualized plan that has been developed. In some cases there might be two or more workers with a single client at one time if safety reasons or particularly intensive programming requires such a level of support.
In what locations do paraprofessionals work and how are services Procured?
QBO paraprofessionals can provide service in the home, schools, and community. In order to provide services in the public schools such services would be contracted by the Department of Education. Services outside of school can sometimes fall under the domain of the Department of Education, when the primary purpose of the support is to ensure the implementation of goals and objectives written into the student’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). Otherwise such services would either be contracted with QBO by the Department of Health, through an insurance company, or privately by a family. Anyone with questions about how to go about procuring QBO services in Hawaii can contact our Director of Behavioral Services, Todd Addleson, at (808) 281-6770, or taddleson@qboutcomes.com.
Is QBO a mainland company or a Hawaii company, and how long have they been providing service in Hawaii?
QBO was started on the island of Maui in 1999, and we have been providing services in Hawaii continually since then. We also have offices on the Big Island and Oahu. We also provide services in California (in the Bay Area and Humboldt), and have an ever expanding network of providers throughout the United States.
What age groups and types of special needs does QBO work with?
QBO has provided services across the life span, ranging from young children under 3 years old, up to adults over sixty years old. We are comfortable and enjoy the opportunity to expand skill sets and support an increase in the quality of life for any individual, regardless of age, gender, or severity of need. We have experience working with individuals with severe communication, social, and behavioral disorders with diagnoses including autism, a variety of developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, rare chromosomal disorders, as well as with high-functioning individuals with behavioral or emotional disabilities.
What are the qualifications of QBO Paraprofessionals?
At a minimum, QBO Paraprofessionals must meet the minimum requirements for the specific type of service they will provide (e.g. if they will be working in the schools they must meet all Department of Education / No Child Left Behind requirements). Additionally, we normally require that paraprofessionals have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and experience working with individuals with special needs. Exceptions will be made on a case by case basis if person’s experience, skill set, and general demeanor make them especially well suited for working with typical QBO clients.
What types of treatments are you able to help implement?
The number of treatment options for individuals with special needs is always expanding, and there are a wide variety of alternative treatments being developed and tested that hold promise to make a positive impact in the lives of individuals. That being said, our agency is focused on training people in the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and we are only able to help implement programs that have been well researched and have demonstrated effectivness. We rely heavily on the findings of the National Autism Center (NAC) to help make determinations of which interventions are considered evidence-based. Such interventions may include (when implemented in a manner consistent with basic principles and best practices of ABA):
We are often asked if can implement or assist in the implementation of various diets, bio-medical treatments, hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), and other treatment packages. While such interventions are not currently considered to have met the criteria of the National Autism Center, we respect the rights of parents to explore alternative treatments and will, on a case by case basis, consider helping to set up data collection systems to help measure progress so that parents and teams may make informed decisions on whether an alternative treatment is potentially having a measurable positive effect.
What kind of training and support do QBO Paraprofessionals receive?
QBO paraprofessionals receive a minimum of 24 hours of initial training before they are assigned to work with a client. This training includes:
· Understanding job requirements and how to keep a client-centered focus while meeting expectations of the contracting agencies (such as DOE requirements)
· Understanding the legal rights of individuals with special needs based on state and federal law
· Understanding autism and other developmental disabilities
· How and why data is kept
· The A-B-C’s of behavior (or how to understand the functions, analyze and respond to behaviors using an ABA perspective)
· Promoting/teaching social skills
· Promoting/teaching functional communication skills (including a review of common augmentative communications systems such as PECS)
· Introduction to discrete trial training programs (DTT)
· Introduction to other teaching strategies
In addition to the above course work, QBO trainees complete multiple job shadows in the field and must demonstrate basic competence in material and appropriate attitude and demeanor before they will be assigned to a case. Finally, new QBO paraprofessionals will complete a 2-day certification program in crisis avoidance and management (CPI Certification) sometime during their first month that they are with the company.
Once a paraprofessional is assigned to a client they continue to participate in ongoing learning modules and supervision to ensure they are always developing their skills and abilities to work effectively with their clients. They complete a minimum of forty hours of training each year, and must participate in an additional two hours each month of individual supervision with a QBO consultant (usually a masters level board certified behavior analyst). Topics for training can include those listed above, as well as topics such as:
· Pivotal Response Training (PRT)
· Antecedent Management Strategies
· Sign language and other alternative communication systems
· Precisions Teaching / Fluency-based Instruction
· Direct Instruction
· Chaining and Shaping Complex Behaviors
· Uses and Fading Scripts
· Teaching Play Skills
· Incidental Learning and Other Strategies for Promoting Generalization
What are the qualifications of QBO Consultants?
QBO Consultants must have a minimum of three years experience working with children with special needs and have completed their master’s degree in a field related to education or psychology. We will promote especially skilled paraprofessionals to a consultant position if they have a minimum of five years experience and are actively pursuing their master’s degree in behavior analysis. Additionally, QBO consultants must have earned and maintained their certification as behavior analysts (BCBA). Exceptions to this will be made for individuals who have completed all course requirements and are within a year of completing the BCBA experience requirements and sitting for their certification exam.
Who should I contact if I am interested in procuring QBO services?
If you are interested in learning more about QBO services in Hawaii you may contact Todd Addleson, our Director of Behavioral Services, at taddleson@qboutcomes.com or by phone at (808)281-6770.