Alright – so, Minnesota Autism Center (MAC) does applied behavior analysis (ABA) for hundreds of children annually and has made millions of dollars doing it. This is mostly due to the fact that the owners Mr. Ron Carey, a local politician and Kathryn Marshall, an attorney force their licensed mental health professionals to recommend 40 hours for most of their clients. Most center kids if not all are 40 hours a week or eight hours a day for every child. There ain’t nothing individualized about that approach no matter how they explain it.
Let’s put this into context – a licensed mental health professional’s clinical “judgement” must be based on just that their clinical judgement along with the needs of the child and the family. This is not what happens at MAC. For example, we know from tons of autism research that ABA works best for young children when done intensely. There is no research anywhere in the world for a blanket 40 hours per week for every center kid from 2 to 20 years old, and I would know given that I was a member of IACC (the federal committee that literally reads, goes through all autism research and makes recommendations to Congress and U.S HHS Secretary).
This body of evidence or research does not seem to drive MAC’s clinical or so called clinical team. Instead they are driven by whatever recommendations Mr. Carey or Ms. Marshall say. I have seen many autism parents tell me their child was discharged because MAC demanded 40 hours. I have seen families that Ms. Marshall who is not a licensed mental health professional called and told them to “come pick up your child now”. I have seen families that MAC sent discharge certified letters to because their child was having a behavior in a behavior clinic mind you. This is like an ophthalmologist discharging a patient for having eye problems. I have seen parents cry in despair in front of DHS staff and nothing happens. I have seen children suffer because of what MAC has done and DHS does nothing. I have seen so many problems with MAC’s diluted and greed based clinical judgement and DHS again does nothing. Sooner or later, families will start suing the state agency whose responsibility is to assure children with disabilities including autism are not bullied or harassed.
Next time you hear this treatment plan is based on my clinical judgement – please be aware whose judgement it really is. MAC has been doing this for years and years so far no one seems to correct it permanently. DHS just makes deals and negotiates with them. WTF?
I have seen many mental health professionals and therapist that worked at MAC and asked why they kept recommending an insane amount of hours for almost every child especially in MAC centers. Most of them replied “if they didn’t – they would be fired”. Some actually were fired by Ms. Marshall or Mr. Carey because of it.
DHS fails our children with autism again. Instead of asking for an objective evaluation for every child to assure quality of medical care that is cost effective and based on child and family needs – they just give MAC a blank check with no oversight or accountability. As a result, many children are discharged if parents don’t comply with 40 hours of ABA and suffer as a result. Imagine if DHS actually started talking to some of those licensed mental health professionals that left or were fired from MAC, abandoned families and advocates to get to the bottom of this and finally address it.
Above words do not represent any candidate, agency or committee.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Minority Advocate