We Love Autism Academy VA recognizes the importance of cultural competence and diversity in providing effective behavioral health services. This policy outlines the guidelines and procedures to ensure that the clinic fosters an inclusive and culturally sensitive environment in compliance with the rules and requirements set forth by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).

 

Cultural Competence Training

All staff members, including behavior analysts, technicians, and support staff, will receive ongoing training in cultural competence. Training will cover cultural awareness, sensitivity, and the impact of cultural factors on behavioral health.

 

Inclusive Service Delivery

Behavioral health services will be individualized to meet the unique cultural, linguistic, and social needs of each client. Cultural competence will be integrated into assessment, treatment planning, and service delivery. 

 

Recruitment and Staffing

We Love Autism Academy VA is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.

Efforts will be made to ensure representation from various cultural backgrounds among clinic staff. Hiring processes will include assessments of cultural competence and sensitivity.

Personnel involved in hiring decisions will receive training on recognizing and valuing diversity.

 

Respect for Cultural Differences

All personnel will interact with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders in a manner that reflects respect for cultural differences. Stereotyping, bias, or discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated within the clinic.

 

Collaborative Care

Collaboration with other healthcare professionals and community organizations will be conducted in a manner that respects and values cultural diversity. Referrals to other specialists or services will be made with sensitivity to clients' cultural preferences.

 

Evaluation and Quality Improvement

We Love Autism Academy VA will actively seek feedback from clients about their experiences with cultural competence and diversity within the clinic. Feedback will be used to inform quality improvement initiatives. Regular quality assurance reviews will be conducted to assess the clinic's adherence to cultural competence and diversity policies. Corrective actions will be implemented promptly in response to quality assurance findings.

 

Review and Revision

This Cultural Competence and Diversity Policy will be periodically reviewed and updated to ensure alignment with BACB standards and any changes in relevant laws or regulations.

Social Media Policy

 

We Love Autism Academy VA has various social media accounts (ie: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google+), allowing us to share practice information, news and event updates with other social media users. This document outlines our practice’s policy related to use of social media. Please read it to understand how we conduct ourselves on these social sites as behavioral health professionals and how you can expect us to respond to various interactions that may occur between clients and clinicians on the Internet.

 

 

Confidentiality means that we cannot tell people that you are a client. You are encouraged to take your own privacy as seriously, as we take our commitment of confidentiality to you.

 

 

Posting

 

 

We Love Autism Academy VA and all subsidiaries, will not use current or former clients for marketing or social media activities. Clinical staff are not permitted to share or create online content likely to result in the sharing of any identifying information about current or past patients and supervisees. If you have questions about this, please contact our administrative office, they will be able to assist.

 

 

 

 

 

Friending

 

 

Therapists are not permitted to accept “friend” requests from current or former clients on their personal social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.). Adding clients as “friends” on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. We believe this may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please contact our administrative office, they will be able to assist.

 

 

Interaction

 

 

Clients and their parents/guardians are welcome to “like” or “follow” our social media feeds and read or share articles we post; however, because social media sites are public spaces, anyone who can see our social media pages can see their post or comment. In addition, when a client or their parent/guardian posts, comments, or “likes” a page, it will be published on their page as well. They are welcomed to use their own discretion in choosing whether to follow our practice.

 

 

In order to maintain ethical boundaries, therapists are not permitted to follow you back. We believe casual viewing of clients’ online content outside of the therapy hour can create confusion in regard to whether it’s being done as a part of your treatment or to satisfy curiosity. In addition, viewing your online activities without your consent and without our explicit arrangement towards a specific purpose could potentially have a negative influence on the therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please contact our administrative office, they will be able to assist.

 

 

Messaging

 

 

Clients and their parents/guardians are not permitted to use SMS (mobile phone text messaging), wall posting, @ replies, messaging on social networking sites in order to contact our therapists. Engaging with your therapist in this way could compromise your confidentiality and the therapist may not even receive your message. It may also create the possibility that these exchanges become a part of your legal medical record and will need to be documented and archived in your chart.

 

 

Use of Search Engines

 

 

It is not a regular part of our practice to search for clients on Google or Facebook or other search engines. Due to the fact that therapists are mandated reporters, extremely rare exceptions may be made during times of crisis. If a therapist has reason to suspect a client is in danger there might be an instance in which using a search engine (to find you, find someone close to you, or to check on your recent status updates) becomes necessary as part of ensuring your welfare. These are unusual situations and if your therapist resorts to such means, the information will be fully documented and discussed with the client and their parent/guardian during the next session.

 

 

 

 

 

Business Review Websites

 

 

If you should find WLAAVA on any web-sites which list businesses and include forums in which users rate their providers and add reviews, please know that this listing is not a request for a testimonial, rating, or endorsement from you as a client. If you are using these sites to communicate your feelings about your therapeutic experience with your therapist, the communication may not be seen by your therapist. Clients and their parents/guardians have a right to express themselves on any site they wish; however, due to confidentiality, we cannot respond to any review on any of these sites whether it is positive or negative.

 

 

Our hope is that the client or their parent/guardian will bring their feelings and reactions concerning treatment directly into the therapy process. This can be an important part of treatment, even if the client and their parent/guardian decides to go elsewhere.

 

 

If you do choose to write something on a business review site, please keep in mind that you may be sharing personally revealing information in a public forum.

 

 

Review and Revision

 

 

This Social Media Policy will be periodically reviewed and updated to ensure alignment with BACB standards and any changes in relevant laws or regulations.