Inside Behavior Analysis
Volume 3 | 2011 | Number 2 | Online ISSN: 2151-4704
New York State ABA
By Vicki Madaus Knapp and Dennis Mozingo
The New York State Association for Behavior Analysis (NYSABA) represents scientists, scholars, and practitioners in psychology, education, and related fields. We sponsor local presentations, publish a newsletter and mailing list, and run an annual conference. NYSABA keeps members in touch with events that affect those of us living and/or practicing in the state of New York. NYSABA supports quality education for human services in New York through the applications of ethical, humane, and effective principles of behavior analysis.
NYSABA has an Executive Board that includes the president (Vicki Madaus Knapp), past-president (Dennis Mozingo), president-elect (Deborah A. Napolitano), treasurer (Linda Matey), and secretary (J. Helen Yoo). The full NYSABA board includes Consumer Representative Gail Aiken and our representatives-at-large: Joseph Pancari, Dana Reinecke, Paul Luyben, Helen Bloomer, and Frank Cicero. Also on the board are our committee chairs: David McAdam (education), Michael Friga (public relations), Dennis Mozingo and Cathy Bryson (legislative), Joseph Pancari (finance), Daniel Fienup (student activities), Frank Cicero (membership), and Paul Luyben (conference). The NYSABA board relies on Office Manager Dave Atkinson for his web-hosting, e-blasting, and organizational skills.
In November 2010, NYSABA held its 21st Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY, which featured Gina Green and Peter Gerhardt as the keynote speakers. Nearly 300 people from Western, Central, Upstate and Downstate New York attended our conference and we are proud to report that the number of students who attended our conference increased by six times.
We are currently planning our 22nd Annual Conference to be held at the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, NY, which will occur on November 10–11, 2011. Preconference workshops will be held on November 9. We are pleased to announce that Brian Iwata and Sandra Harris will be featured as our keynote speakers. Additionally, we are planning six-tracks including the topics of autism, developmental disabilities, schools, experimental analysis of behavior, behavior disorders, and behavior therapy.
NYSABA is sponsoring a 1-day conference at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains, NY on December 2, 1011. This conference is being planned by Bobby Newman and will include several distinguished speakers, including Peter Gerhardt and Joanne Gerenser.
NYSABA's Legislative Committee has led the way in the organization's mission to gain recognition of the profession of behavior analysis in New York and to advocate for consumers of behavior analysis in state policy and legislation. The committee has been more active in the last 6 years than at any point in its history. Recent activities have included working closely with the New York State Department of Health on the revision of its early intervention regulations, which now include limited recognition of BCBAs and BCaBAs. This work continues as the department is rolling out the new regulations. The state Office for People With Developmental Disabilities has sought NYSABA's guidance preserving state-level positions that implement behavior analysis services as an exemption for these professional approaches its end point. Finally, NYSABA has worked with Autism Speaks and the legislature in providing recommendations for wording of legislation that requires insurance funding for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Such a bill unanimously passed both New York state houses last fall, but met with a veto at the governor's desk. A similar, improved bill, is currently working its way through the legislature.
NYSABA is committed to continuing its leadership in New York on behalf of our constituents—researchers, practitioners, and the consumers of behavior analytic services. For more information about any of NYSABA's activities, please visit our website, www.nysaba.org.