Newsletter
Volume 30| 2007| Number 2
Indiana ABA
by Paul D. McComas and Freda Patterson
Chapter Mission/Objectives
The Indiana Association for Behavior Analysis is proud to be a state chapter of the International Association for Behavior Analysis. Indiana ABA was created by a group of interested practitioners and educators throughout the state of Indiana who saw a need to facilitate greater communication among professionals who are using the tools of applied behavior analysis, families who are accessing these services, universities who are training future practitioners, and policy makers attempting to regulate and define these services in Indiana. Many individuals with an interest in applied behavior analysis in the state had recognized the need for some time, and their efforts laid groundwork for the recent activities. An online discussion group was begun several months ago, and the response was overwhelming with over twenty interested individuals excitedly signing up and expressing interest in starting a state chapter. The current registry for Indiana ABA includes twenty-two persons with varied interest in the field including professors, practitioners, and Indiana state program directors, with attendance more than doubling from the inaugural to the second meeting. The purpose of Indiana ABA is to encourage the understanding and application of applied behavior analysis in academic, research, and the natural environments, as well as to publish and distribute information on behavior analysis. Initial efforts in this regard will center on the development of a Website to represent Indiana ABA and to centralize information and resources for interested parties. The Indiana ABA also exists to promote the Behavior Analyst Certification Board as the appropriate credentialing body for credentialing practitioners of applied behavior analysis in the state of Indiana. Indiana ABA also will serve the professional community as a reference group for other practitioners working in disciplines that embrace the principles and practices of applied behavior analysis.
Membership
Membership in Indiana ABA is broken into two groups, full members and affiliate members. Full members are individuals who hold at least a Bachelor’s degree in behavior analysis, psychology, education, or related field with training or professional experience in behavior analysis and whose interests include teaching, research, and/or the practice of behavior analysis. Affiliate members are students, direct care staff, parents, consumers, or individuals with an interest in the field. The annual dues structure matches these distinctions with a current annual cost of $15 for affiliate members and $40 for full members. The executive committee was elected from full members at the inaugural meeting and several committees were formed at the second meeting focusing on topics such as legislation, parent and caregiver training resources, and marketing.