Autism

Biography

Biography: Aleida Lanza

Abstract

The need to scale access to parity is clear, now more than ever because it is no longer theory.  Parity has been reduced to code smart enough to enable self-directed treatment, and embeddable in every process across environments.  The answer to the need for parity is an artificially intelligent applied behavior analyst, to which you are now introduced.

We have spent a billion dollars in autism research and have learned that the primary treatment remains the same: unattainable to most in need.  Few are aware that a Federal court order precipitated CMS requiring states to cover Applied Behavior Analysis (“ABA”) for individuals with autism until they are 22.  This court order also ruled that withholding ABA from an individual with autism causes irreparable harm. 

The American Medical Association then revised its policy urging better access to behavior services in schools, while the U.S. Department of Education ignores the needs of its students with autism when more than half of U.S. states consistently fail IDEA requirements meant to protect our most vulnerable.  Instead, they abdicate intervention and criminalize the need for services they refuse to provide, violating the civil rights of most students with autism as standard operating procedure.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control has identified Applied Behavior Analysis (“ABA”) as the first-line treatment for autism spectrum disorder.  While the treatment rate remains at an average of 1:308 in the United States, nothing is done to bridge the gap in services. This deplorable statistic predicts a Trillion dollars in spending over the next ten years, and no plan to mitigate it.  Our nation’s current health and education policies work to disenfranchise 99% of the affected population from the primary treatment for their condition. 

Today, for the first time in history, anyone can go online and access ABA in the presence or absence of a clinician, and produce clinical treatment, analysis, and reporting that is consistent with current clinical standards. 

Democratized access to health will predict better outcomes, and you’re invited to join the Parity Project in your efforts to better serve your communities.  Let’s ensure every individual with autism has access to the first-line treatment: ABA.