Chapter Spotlight: Arizona ABA

“While the year was challenging, it also provided an opportunity for our chapter to live our values”

JESSICA PAINTER


Like so many around the world, the Behavior Analytic community in Arizona was faced with novel challenges and environmental variables we had not prepared for. The beauty was found in how our community and Arizona ABA responded with strength, connection, innovation, and support. Specifically, AzABA hosted several Leadership Roundtables to provide guidance on navigating services within the context of COVID, a Town Hall on Equity and Inclusion, and established the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee.

Our annual conference was held in October, offering a hybrid format where both in-person and virtual attendance options were available to members throughout the state and beyond. Additionally, AzABA maintained a trajectory of growth amongst its five special interest groups and added a sixth group. The special interest group topics are feeding, RFT/ACT, expanding the scope of ABA, ABA in schools, coordination of care, and growing greatness.

While the year was challenging, it also provided an opportunity for our chapter to live our values:

  • Be a Community Resource: We strive to present learning opportunities and professional development across a wide variety of interests and will seek to maintain a pulse on the needs of those we serve.
  • Advance our Ability to Practice: We will fight for the integrity of behavior analysis in political and legal doings within Arizona.
  • Purposeful Governance: We commit to process-driven and data-supported decision making, and careful and considerate financial planning.
  • Connection: We are working to create a place where the behavior-analytic community can come together with each other, with other professionals, and with community stakeholders. We value the inclusion of our entire membership and the recognition of every voice.

As AzABA moves into a new year, the organization looks forward to continuing to bring these values to life. Membership can look forward to new and improved opportunities to grow as professionals, and specific avenues for the growth of quality service providers in our state.

About Author