Hoosier ABA

By Amber Badgett

HABA made it through 2020 thanks to our Executive Board, Membership, and our affiliation with ABAI. In the first quarter of 2020, we started out strong having our first member CE event of the year in person in Michigan City, Indiana focusing on all thing’s licensure. We had a Q & A with Dr. Michael Dorsey and Dr. Gordon Bourland from ABAI and a presentation by Dr. Gina Green from APBA. HABA continued to partner with IN-PEAT to work with a lobbyist in an attempt to obtain licensure. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in 2020 and due to financial instability HABA was no longer able to fund the lobbyist. The board worked super hard to plan for our 2020 conference entitled, “Versatility-A Toolbox for Practitioners”. We secured our location, our line-up, and we were working hard on obtaining sponsors and engaging membership to help us out of our financial challenges from sustaining a lobbyist.

Then the pandemic hit, and everything changed. With much uncertainty we determined that was safest to cancel our in-person conference. We pivoted and created, Hoosier Happy Hour Virtual Events. Our first event in April was a roundtable discussion on telehealth and things to consider for returning to in center services. In July in response to the cultural climate we attempted to form a committee to increase awareness and interest in behavior analysis careers among students of color in hopes to perhaps do our small part to increase representation in our field. Unfortunately, while we had interest in the initiative professionals were struggling with pandemic life and we were unable to get enough interest to pursue this initiative.

In October, we hosted a virtual conference with the following line-up: Dr. Becca Tagg, Dr. Malika Prichett, Dr. Bridgett Harrison, Dr. Carl Sundburg, and Vince LaMarca. This conference was a one-day event, and it was quite successful and fun to “see” our members. We even had a super fun virtual social hosted by Vince LaMarca. Our 3rd Annual Bridget Harrison Award was presented to Melany Shampo a former president of HABA for her continued commitment to HABA’s mission. Overall, we had 60 in attendance and members were able to purchase the online conference and view post-event if they were unable to attend.

In November, HABA hosted Gordon Holmes with Mass Mutual and provided a free workshop, “How Caregivers Can Secure the Future of Their Dependents with Special Needs” we shared this resource and opened it up to all members and their clients’ families. In December, we held a Hoosier Happy Hour Event hosting special guest, Dr. Ellie Kazemi who provided 1 CE training on “Unleash the Power of Behavior Analysis: Make Everyone Fall in Love with You.”

This past year was very difficult and pushed the HABA board and members to pivot and engage in networking and learning together in new ways. All in all, we are proud of how we survived the pandemic year 2020.

Strategic Plan Goals
HABA’s strategic plan goals from 2020 included the following:

Obtain BCBA Licensure: not accomplished.
Increase Membership: not accomplished.
Increase Sponsorships: not accomplished.
Host Conference 2020 in Bloomington with goal of 300 attendees: cancelled due to Covid-19 closures affecting our ability to get sponsorships; there are not enough funds for us to host conference.
Host Two Quarterly Events in different locations across the state: one completed in Northern Indiana in January and two offered virtually through Hoosier Happy Hour.
Participate in strategic planning and strategic plan review and revision with executive board and committee chairs: completed.
Increase membership involvement in committee’s: not completed.
Increase opportunities for behavior analysts around the state to participate in person by offering different locations for events: discontinued due to pandemic.
Updated April 2020—in place of conference, host monthly Hoosier Happy Hours with a variety of topics to discuss in a roundtable format with invited special guests: completed.
Updated April 2020—work to stabilize our financial situation through offering pre-recorded conferences and quarterly events from 2018. Sell HABA merchandise and work on getting sponsors for 2021 conference: completed.

Our strategic plan goals for 2021 include:

Obtain Licensure: As of April 19, 2021 our licensure bill has passed through the senate and the congress. We are waiting for the governor to sign by the end of this week.
Provide Monthly Hoosier Happy Hour CE events.
Hold an in-person conference.
Stabilize finances.
Simplify.

Leadership
We would like to thank the 2020 Executive Committee and Committee chairs: