Reference no: EM133743359

Question: Use the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (2020) in your responses. Create a detailed original post where you use the structured problem solving approach to:

Detect the problem
Define the problem
Generate potential solutions (at least two)
Evaluate the pros and cons (of the potential solutions that you generated in step 3
Repeat for all 3 scenarios

Scenario 1- I am a parent and I have a question regarding ethics when it comes to charging fees. My wife and I recently reached out to a behavior analyst for our son who has been diagnosed with mild autism. The therapist sent us her fee schedule and we scheduled a phone-intake interview. We knew we were being charged for this interview, but I should make it clear that we have never signed anything saying that we understand how her fees work. She then proceeded, with our permission, to observe our son at school. We knew we would be charged for this as well. She also consulted with numerous other people on our son's team (teachers, speech therapist etc.). Her fee schedule mentioned that she charges for any consultation time above 15 minutes. Before contacting these people, she never reminded us of this nor did she ask how long we would give her permission to be on the phone at our expense. We were not present for these phone calls so we had no control and she did not make the people being consulted aware of the charges. She has now charged us a large sum for these calls as well as her calls to us beyond the initial phone interview. Basically, she has charged us for consultations that went beyond what we would have given her permission for had we been informed properly of this charge AND she is charging us for getting information on our child. This is a form of ransom, isn't it? I am also a teacher and I know that my principal wouldn't dream of charging parents for teacher contact. It's expected, it's part of the job. We have spoken to numerous other BCBAs who have informed us that the above practices of this behavior therapist are not the standard. So, I guess my question is: Has this behavior therapist broken anything in your Code of Ethics? If she has, what can we do? We will not be continuing with this therapist as her hidden expectations have put a bad taste in our mouths.

scenario 2- I am an RBT. One of my supervisors has a client on her caseload who has engaged in noncompliance/tantrums/aggressions for the past year. These behaviors have increased in frequency and duration. While no formal data is taken, I would estimate that the client now spends 70% of his time at the clinic engaged in problem behavior. The BCBA has never conducted a functional analysis and no formal plan exists to respond to the problem behavior, despite the fact that I have asked for these things multiple times. There is also no reinforcement system in place to proactively treat the problem behavior. The same demands are placed each day, and the child is expected to comply 100% of the time. The consequences delivered change almost daily, and often the BCBA or another RBT will physically hold the child in the chair. I refuse to do this. I have taken this issue to the clinical director, who has agreed with me that it is wrong, but all she has done is agree to observe a session and make suggestions for the BCBA. She has expressed that because it is not her client, she cannot make decisions about the treatment plan. I feel that this situation is highly unethical in multiple ways. No assessments have been conducted other than an initial FBA that is a year old (and the child did not engage in noncompliance during the assessment). There is no formal plan to respond to the behavior, nor is any real data being taken and analyzed. I feel that holding the child in the chair is an unsafe consequence that is doing harm to the child. I have gone both to the BCBA and the clinical director, with no actions taken to improve the situation. At this point, I do not know what to do, and I am also afraid that I will lose my job if I report the situation. This BCBA's behavior is similar with all of her clients. Most of her data sheets are copied and pasted between clients, she does not supervise her RBTs or assess new problem behaviors, and most of her clients make limited progress. Do you have any advice for me?

scenario 3-I recently gave a 30-day written notice to my employer due to unethical practices. I felt I could no longer continue to work for an unethical company. The company rejected my 30-days-notice, and instead gave me 10 minutes to pack up my belongings and leave the facility. All of my supporting documents of fraudulent paperwork is with my supervisors and the facility and I have no further access to this documentation. Although I have documented several ethical code violations in my own record of dates and by whom, I do not have the actual documents to support my claims. Will the BACB look at my case even though I don't have the original documents to support these claims?