Good People
The other day I was talking with a family interested in receiving ABA Therapy Services from Carlyle Center, and the conversation went as it typically would.
We introduce ourselves as people first; who we are, what we believe in, how we understand & may apply Behavioral Therapy for their child.
We talk about the boring details like insurance information, too.
During these conversations, it’s not uncommon for a family to share Carlyle Center as an alternative after having begun services elsewhere. It’s not always, but the majority of families come to us out of frustration with their existing provider.
While many families know about us even prior to starting at another therapy center, they’ll typically forgo us at first… more often than not, It has to do with us bearing little name recognition, and not being one of the “big guys,” in the field. We are a husband and wife duo, a real ma & pa shop.
Yet when they do come to us, it’s for the very reason they forwent us in the beginning. We aren't a big guy. Instead, we are small for a reason. And care deeply about moving autism forward.
We tend to hear the same reasons parents are looking into new therapy centers:
Therapy session no shows
Constant “subs,” for originally scheduled Technicians
Little to no communication with their BCBA – this is crazy!!!!
For anyone that knows a thing or two about the field of ABA Therapy, this is deeply concerning. Yet, I also am beginning to think for those who know a thing or two about the field of ABA Therapy, this is not surprising … which is equally disturbing!
To me, you’re going to know everything you need to know about a Therapy Center from the first conversation – it’s simple… What aren’t they telling you?
Are they telling you how they handle call offs?
Are they telling you the negatives of going with them?
Are they telling you your insurance plan, and how much you can expect to pay out of pocket?
Are they talking to you about the Treatment Plan, and what goals they’re suggesting for a 6 month period?
The reality is, nothing is perfect. There will be times the schedules fall apart. There will be times you are paying a portion of the therapy. There will be negatives, no matter how good you or your organization is at what it does. That is life. It’s how we communicate through the less than ideal moments that describe the character of the organization and/or people within it.
The family highlighted the information I’d shared with them about our process; an Initial Assessment, a review of our suggested treatment plan, how we’ll work with their insurance company, was never brought up to them either. That means, they didn’t even know what goals the organization would be working on with their child before agreeing to receive services. It’s not the first time a family has shared this either.
As I went on to walk through their insurance plan, I showed that their insurance covered therapy at 100%, up to a certain amount. I went onto explain the amount, while on paper looked good, wasn’t nearly enough to cover services for the year. Alternatively, the family would be out-of-pocket for more than double the coverage amount.
When I asked the family if this was explained to them when they started services elsewhere, they said no, and were shocked with the imminent bill headed their way.
Any provider will tell you it’s the family's responsibility to know the plan, and I can understand that. I always preface with families to verify any information I share regarding their plan with their insurance agent. Because technically, it’s correct.
Yet even while I can understand it, I wholeheartedly disagree with placing that responsibility on the family. We as administrators within the field have the advantage of seeing all sorts of plans. We work with these plans, and insurance companies on a daily basis, and simply by the amount of time spent within these plans, know more.
And we need to be helping our families better understand their insurance plans. We need to help families understand their Treatment Plans. We need to help families understand we are their partner in delivering this therapy, and our strategies are meant to translate. Taking the steps to provide clarity, support, and our time at the outset pays dividends for the provider/family trust in the long run. Even more importantly, it’s just the right thing to do.
When I started thinking about this blog, I kept going back to the song by Jack Johnson, “Good People.”
In it he sings, “Where did all the good people go?”