Inside Behavior Analysis
Volume 3 | 2011 | Number 2 | Online ISSN: 2151-4704
Tennessee ABA
By Beth Urbanczyk and Jason Otto
The Tennessee Association for Behavior Analysis (TABA) held its 13th Annual Conference at the Scarritt Bennett Center last October 22–23, 2010. TABA members were pleased to have Richard W. Malott, Vince Carbone, and Jim Johnston as invited speakers. Many participated in the poster and paper sessions including behavior analyst practitioners in Tennessee and professors and students from East Tennessee State University (ETSU), Vanderbilt University, Southern Illinois University, Spalding University, and the University of Memphis. In the spring of 2011, TABA held its annual regional meetings. The West TABA Meeting was held on March 4, 2011, at the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services in Arlington, TN. This was a full-day conference with topics on ethics, functional assessment and behavior intervention plans, The Good Behavior Game (a treatment package for aggression), and electronic data collection. The East TABA Meeting was held on April 15, 2011 at ETSU where Martin Ivancic discussed his paper titled, "Considering Covert Reinforcement Contingencies." Finally, the Middle TABA Meeting was held on April 26 at the Renaissance Center, where a team of presenters held a full-day training event titled, "Increasing Appropriate Communication to Decrease Inappropriate Behavior."
As an organization, TABA is in a period of growth. TABA's website changed to www.tennesseeaba.org when www.BehaviorScience.org began web-hosting and consulting on TABA's web design. The improved website has allowed members to enter their membership information and register for the annual conference, while improving TABA's tracking of membership. Members are able to access past Executive Committee minutes and newsletters. Also in 2010, TABA became a 501(c)(3), recognized by the IRS as a charitable organization focused on education. This came after several years of TABA's efforts toward this goal. TABA also became an affiliate of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts.
TABA's 14th Annual Conference is on October 20–21, 2011, at the Scarritt Bennett Center. The colorful fall season and its historic campus and buildings have led to high reviews from participants attending TABA at Scarritt Bennett. Our Continuing Education Committee has invited several speakers: Gina Green, Linda LeBlanc, Jose Martinez-Diaz, Jim Johnston, Michael May, Bruce Davis, and Elizabeth Roof.
In an effort to develop TABA into a strong and vibrant organization, it attempts to stay abreast of current events that have a strong likelihood of impacting the practice of behavior analysis in Tennessee. The president and Executive Committee of TABA will forge ahead, develop, and implement its strategic plan to strengthen behavior analysis in Tennessee. The plan follows TABA's mission statement, but specifies the details needed for further action. The Executive Committee and related volunteers involved with TABA's committees for publications, continuing education, professional standards, and membership all play their relevant roles in this action. Of course, Tennessee is "the volunteer state," and so far it shows in TABA! These volunteers are helping TABA realize its mission.
The Executive Committee and recently appointed chairpersons held its annual face-to-face meeting in Nashville on March 5, 2011. The three primary objectives at this time are to hold the 14th Annual Conference, increase TABA membership, and implement TABA's strategic plan. If you want to join TABA or attend the 14th Annual Conference, go to www.tennesseeaba.org for more information.