Alright – so, if you know then you understand my ughhh with the BACB board. Although they have been sort of listening and getting a bit more diverse in their board, sadly not staff though. They even now have data that shows us the diversity of BCBAs nationwide. This is a board that was all white when I started sending them emails to remind them how yucky they were maybe over a decade ago. They are located in Colorado in marble flooring, mighty building and literally make up ethical rules. Who is to say your morals and ethics are better or worse than mine, right? Well – BACB thinks it has the right to tell us what is ethically and morally right and what it is not.
Let us not forget, we all have diverse ways we think based on our culture. In fact, all human behaviors are embedded in their cultures. In other words, one person has zero right to say to another culture my ethics or morals are better or superior than yours. We should all respect each other’s culture and values.
Now, where am I going with this. Well, the almighty BACB board that preaches to the rest of us to do the right thing is now allowing their BCBAs to charge an arm and a leg in Minnesota’s EIDBI benefit. The reimbursement rate for EIDBI is public since Medicaid funds it. The most per hour/encounter for the treatment plan is about $80.00. Yet, these blood sucking greedy bastards are charging mostly Somali EIDBI providers up to $1000 per hour. What the heck? Where is this money going to come from? Guess who is going to suffer – the children and families.
What is the state Medicaid agency doing about this? Nada. In fact, DHS’ policy lead and state legislator Rep. Hicks is helping agencies like Holland with what to write and how to milk mostly minority/Somali EIDBI providers. Un-bleeping believable. What is DHS leadership and commissioner doing about it? Nada. Imagine if Rep. Hicks was Black or even had a suntan. DHS would be releasing news, punishing, and screaming from their lungs. Now, silence is their game. And, they say there is not racism in DHS. Oh please. That is like saying the ocean is not salty.
Equally important, what is the BACB board that rides on a high horse doing about this highway robbery by their certified BCBAs? nada, zilch and zero. Lovely.
The above words do not reflect any candidate, agency, or committee.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom and Retired Advocate