Explanatory Fiction

Maya Edwards is an 8-year-old girl who lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She lives with her fathers, Blake and Jeff, who have resided in Colorado Springs for 11 years. They moved to Colorado Springs to specifically live at the Congregation of the Sun, which is a unique place as it is an intentional community centered around providing wrap-around behavioral and mental health services for troubled youth. She was born in a lower-income family situation that devolved into neglect which ultimately led to the state obtaining custody of her for maltreatment. Her biological parents are not involved outside of stating they want to be around for major holidays and events. This is where you come in, you’re the resident BCBA who is in charge of intake and analysis at the Congregation of the Sun. You oversee approximately a dozen treatment teams, each with their own BCaBA leading their respective team… we start with you rolling up to the community, and you notice it has just about everything that you could imagine, a store, dining options, a school, and next thing you know, you roll up to Mr. and Mr. Edwards’ house where you knock on the door to be greeted by both Blake and Jeffrey. Get BACB CEUs for this episode at: https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-010-bacb-ceus/

Lilly is a 7-year-old girl who lives in Cordova, Tennessee with her parents and brother. She’s been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anxiety Disorder and received services in school for the past couple years for each. You were contacted by her principal to do a classroom observation. It’s a Wednesday afternoon and you walk into Lemmon Lake Elementary school where you’re escorted back to the classroom of Miss Mandy Patsy. His classroom is a specialized classroom located in Cordova, Tennessee a suburb of Memphis. When you walk into the classroom you are greeted immediately… Get BACB CEUs for this episode at: https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-009-bacb-ceus/

Esme Aubree is a 7-year-old girl who lives in Los Angeles County in California. She has an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis since she was 3 years old. She’s received behavior analytic therapy in the past via in-home therapy and is now located in a public school. Her BCBA Darcy oversees a self-contained room with an RBT who works with Esme every day. Darcy has been in the field for a couple of years and is someone you knew from graduate school. She reached out to you because she knew you were going to be in the Santa Clarita area delivering a lecture that evening and wanted you to review Esme’s case because she’s a little stumped. Earn BACB CEUs for this episode at: https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-008-bacb-ceus/

Marcie Dallas is a 5-year-old white female that lives with her parents in Portland, Oregon. She has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and engages in some repetitive vocal stereotypy. Her parents are very involved and have been doing everything they can to try and understand Autism Spectrum Disorder since their daughter was diagnosed. Marcie really enjoys time with her parents, carrying preferred items, marble runs, and… for this episode, we’re trying something a little different… You’re the clinical director of an ABA clinic where Walter is a BCBA that works under you and while chatting over lunch about some cases, things start to take a very quick turn… Earn BACB CEUs for this episode at: https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-007-bacb-ceus/

Tatianna Carter is a 5-year-old girl that lives with her parents in Belleville, Kansas. Belleville is a small town of about 2,000 people where her father and mother were both born and raised. Tatianna is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and has a medical diagnosis of Anxiety Disorder. Her parents hired a BCBA but due to their rural location, he is only there occasionally, so their RBT, Darren, works with Tatianna regularly. Darren is halfway through his online master’s program for applied behavior analysis and absolutely loves the field and working with Tatianna. Recently there was an incident where Tatianna engaged in some aggression in the form of throwing objects, leading to her parents seeking an alternative opinion. This is where you come in. You have been scheduled to do an in-home visit during one of her ABA sessions with Darren. So, Dimitri, welcome to Belleville, Kansas. As you step out of your car, you see a dog, the dog’s named Toto, who leads you to the door as you approach their lovely house. You knock on the door, look at Toto, and think… man, we really ARE in Kansas… Earn BACB CEUs for this episode at: https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-006-bacb-ceus/

Şermin is a 17-year-old young woman who lives in Waterville, Ohio. She recently moved into a residential facility due to the severity of her behavior. She was emergency admitted due to aggression and property destruction at the direction of her parents due to safety concerns. Her communication is limited to short 2-3 word phrases that typically include communicating demands and requests of her, or requests that she is making herself. Her parents want to be involved and have her return home, but whenever they visit the residential facility her behavior amplifies to an unsafe level. As a result, her parents feel like they are losing their daughter, and they are afraid that they may not be able to have her in their life in the future. Earn CEUs for this episode at https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-005-bacb-ceus/

Damian is a 15-year-old high school student that was adopted at a young age by his parents Noah and Amelia. They reside in the beautiful state of Maine. He’s been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, but it has been under control in the past through medication. It’s an open house at Pleasantville High and Damian King’s parents are visiting with his teacher, Andrew. Andrew is sharing how Damian’s first few weeks have started and his parents hear a few things that concern them. Andrew is reporting that Damian is struggling with some routines in the classroom and some of his school work isn’t going as expected either. His parents hide their concerns during the open house, but make a phone call the next day to the school principal. The principal scrolls his contacts and remember’s a behavior analyst that is just right for the case… you.  Earn BCBA CEUs for this episode: https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-004-bacb-ceus/

Trevor Woodrow is a 14 year old boy in a middle school diagnosed with Emotional Behavioral Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder with a known history of domestic violence from his father when he was young. His mother raises him on her own and he was recently placed in a special education classroom to receive help for two behaviors. The first is vocal stereotypy which occurs typically in the form of constant narrations of the actions of himself and the others occurring around him. The second is threats of self-harm and suicidal ideation that can occur if his behavior escalates. He has a 1:1 paraprofessional assigned to him in the classroom, Chris, who is overseen by the teacher Amy, and the school social worker, Percy, is very actively involved in his case due to the suicidal ideation and threats of self-harm. He does not currently receive behavioral supports, but you have been asked to come in and evaluate the case and assess the need for potential services. Earn BCBA CEUs for this episode: https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-003-bacb-ceus/

Fabio Zavala is an 8-year-old Hispanic male with severe intellectual disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and a Traumatic Brain Injury resulting from a prenatal car accident. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico which his family and attends a public school where he just received a 1:1 aide in an intervention classroom. The Intervention Specialist, Neville, has worked with a similar case before so the school principal, Alfanso placed Fabio in there with the aide. After two quick weeks in the classroom, everyone is struggling with behavior management due to Fabio’s strong need for constant physical contact. If they are not careful, he will engage in elopement to preferred adults, climb on furniture, and engage in self-injurious behavior (SIB). Classroom staff are struggling to have time to themselves and to the other students in the self-contained classroom. This is where you come in. You’ve been scheduled to conduct a classroom observation in the school because they just cannot figure out where to start… Fabio is just constantly on the hip of his mother, his teacher, his aide… everyone. This is where you come in! You pull up to the school in your 2012 Toyota Corolla, chug your morning coffee, and head into the school to sign in… welcome to Desert Pines Elementary… Earn BCBA CEUs for this episode: https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-002-bacb-ceus/

Kaitlyn Morton is a twelve-year-old child with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. In the past, she has hurt others through aggressive behavior, eloped from home and school, and threatened others. However, there are clear signs of escalation that occur prior if you’re watching closely. She doesn’t like going to school and struggles to make friends due to her anxiety. Her father believes that she will move past the stage and can succeed in a tech-related field if she focused on the right things now. However, her mother disagrees and is constantly wondering how to motivate her daughter to go to school, make friends, and engage in social settings. In the past, she received in-home ABA therapy as a child and nowadays receives full-time support through her parents at home, and has some infrequent but regular group Speech and Language Therapy social skills sessions when she does make it to school. Oh, and she absolutely loves her therapeutic horseback riding when it’s offered at school. That’s where you come in… the behavioral consultation she currently receives needs to be evaluated. You received a call from her mother asking for an independent consultation and evaluation of the behavior analyst who is currently providing 10 hours a week of in-home ABA therapy. We start when you open the door… Earn BCBA CEUs for this episode: https://www.explanatoryfiction.com/product/ef-001-bacb-ceus/