| Abstract: Collaboration in the practice of ABA is often focused on collaboration among professionals who provide services to a specific client. For example, a BCBA and a Speech pathologist may work together to develop and implement interventions to support language acquisition goals. In this presentation, a broader university-community collaborative approach will be described as a model for creating positive impacts on a variety of community support services to improve availability and , quality of services and supports for individuals with autism and their families on a much broader scale. Initiatives at Utah Valley University's Melisa Nellesen Center for Autism and M Ed in ABA program will serve as examples of the utilization of stakeholder input to drive ABA-based training initiatives resulting in improvements in focused service availability, public school programs, community awareness, safety, and healthcare for autistic individuals. Collaboration at this level requires ongoing feedback from community stakeholders to identify service gaps, and resources to support community-level change. This broader conceptualization of collaboration has the potential to positively impact entire communities by leveraging the resources and expertise of relevant University departments to address socially significant service issues. |