<p>This came up in another post and it sounds like an interesting career choice. Does anyone know how you become an autism therapist -what training is involved and who offers it? Is it a good paying job?</p>
<p>If anyone knows about programs in New York/New Jersey would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Increasingly, trained Autism therapists are required to have certification as Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA requires special coursework at the MA level and beyond) or as a BCaBA (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst, requires a BA and special course work). Most Autism therapists have an MA or higher.</p>
<p>Here are some schools in NJ:
[New</a> Jersey Association for Behavior Analysis](<a href=“http://www.njaba.org/NJABA-education.htm]New”>http://www.njaba.org/NJABA-education.htm)</p>
<p>In NY:
<a href=“Welcome - Association for Behavior Analysis International”>Welcome - Association for Behavior Analysis International;
<p>You can also become an occupational therapist that specializes in autism. It requires a masters degree.</p>
<p>For a college student or new grad with a degree in psychology or related area, and experience in working with children and some interest in and knowledge of autism - </p>
<p>You can contact local schools and autism consultants and ask if there are families or schools that need to staff one-on-one programs. There are also listserves that might provide contacts. I cannot even imagine investing in further certification without some experience working with autistic individuals. Disclaimer - I know some professionals with degrees up the whazoos whom I would not trust to be left alone in my house with my autistic child, for lack of any one-on-one experience outside of a limited clinical setting.</p>
<p>I know some college and even high school students who have started by working in camps for autistic children. And, I also know adults who have gotten involved with this as a second career. Typically, individuals will work with more than one child (but one at a time!), at a center or in a home. Parental involvement in programs is expected, although parents often work on generalization rather than one-on-one training. Periodically (from once a week to once every several weeks), everyone involved in an individual child’s program meets to compare notes and troubleshoot a program.</p>
<p>In this type of position, working under close supervision by professionals with an M.A. or higher and specific certification, hourly rates tend to vary according to experience but would generally range around $20 per hour. It is a good background to have for any number of professional tracks involving work with autistic children (or even typical children) and not everyone goes on to gain post-bac certifications. One young lady who worked with my son (and others) did go on to become a certified behavioral consultant, but others have gone on to fields such as occupational therapy, special education, regular education,and school psychology.</p>
<p>I would suggest that anyone interested in this google “Applied Behavior Analysis, autism” to get a general feel for the field. There is a short book by Karen Pryor, <em>Don’t Shoot the Dog</em>, that also provides some background (not autism specific) in behavior analysis.</p>
<p>binghamton has an excellent program in applied behavior analysis – there is a track in the psych major. [Binghamton</a> University - Academics: Schools and Colleges: Harpur College of Arts and Sciences: Degree Programs: Psychology: Undergraduate: Applied Behavior Analysis](<a href=“http://www2.binghamton.edu/psychology/undergraduate/applied-behavior-analysis.html]Binghamton”>http://www2.binghamton.edu/psychology/undergraduate/applied-behavior-analysis.html)
students get the chance to work in bingahmton’s institute for child development – [Undergraduate</a> Studies | Institute for Child Development](<a href=“Institute for Child Development | Binghamton University”>Institute for Child Development | Binghamton University) and see links therein
see also – [Binghamton</a> University - Academics: Schools and Colleges: Harpur College of Arts and Sciences: Degree Programs: Psychology: Features: Raymond Romanczyk](<a href=“http://www2.binghamton.edu/psychology/features/romanczyk.html]Binghamton”>http://www2.binghamton.edu/psychology/features/romanczyk.html)
the head of the program, dr. romanczyk, is very well respected in the field.</p>
<p>but make no mistake – this is a demanding program.</p>
<p>This is what my daughter wants to do for grad school–become an occupational therapist. Lots of opportunities for OTs out there and will continue to be in high demand. We have a neighbor who has worked in the school district as an OT for several years, and that includes working with autistic children. In fact, parents of kids with autism have publically praised and awarded her for her excellent job she’s done interacting with their children. Before that she worked in hospital rehabilitation alongside physical therapists.</p>
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<p>You can also become an occupational therapist that specializes in autism. It requires a masters degree.</p>
<p>
Here is a comprehensive site that explains the approach, training, etc. [CCBS:</a> Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for Autism treatment and Early Behavioral Intervention](<a href=“http://www.behavior.org/autism/]CCBS:”>http://www.behavior.org/autism/)</p>
<p>idad, your second link in Post #2 - about New York = doesn’t work, perhaps because it was swept from a secondary source.</p>
<p>Can you please return to the original home site, sweep that link in its entirety and post it here again?</p>
<p>I work in numerous facilities, all that specialize in MR/DD population.</p>
<p>The OT’s all have B.A.'s or M.A.s though I think you need an MA now if you enter the field. They have gotten experience working with these individuals and do not as far as I know have special training.</p>
<p>The ABA staff is certified in ABA (training) but do not necessarily have any college degree that I am aware of.</p>
<p>I suggest your child seek out some of these centers for MR/DD or special needs preschools and spend the day or part of, observing.
If you are on Long Island, PM me and I’ll see if I can set you up.</p>
<p>To be certified in ABA requires an MA, one can be an assistant with a BA.</p>
<p>Another option would be an Autistic Support teacher if you’re interested in that.</p>
<p>If your kiddo want to be do ABA as the go to person, they need a BCBA as noted above in another post. May autism programs hire support staff who are trained by the program to do the ABA direct therapy at least a good chunk of the time. </p>
<p>Questbest…are you looking for careers for your daughter? If so, the best thing she can do is find some folks to shadow in their jobs during the summers or during the school year while in college (maybe while she is on breaks…college breaks are usually at different times than regular school breaks). She can then get a feel for the different job responsiblities, the types of student populations she might be interested in, and the like. </p>
<p>There are many professionals who work with students on the Autism spectrum ranging…special education teachers, OT, PT, Speech paths, psychologists, social workers, etc. The folks who make this their specialty have usually worked in the field and done training above and beyond what they got in college.</p>