Featured CAS or ACAS Name: Dr. Ann Marie Leonard-Zabel, CAS, ACAS 1 and ACAS 2; Full Professor of Psychology; School Neuropsychologist; Clinical Instructor and Clinical Supervisor

State/Country: Massachusetts

School/ Organizations: Curry College Department of Psychology; NEALAC Clinic – private practice; KidsInc School Neuropsychology Post-Graduate Certificate Program

1) How has earning the Certified Autism Specialist and/or Advanced Certified Autism Specialist been meaningful and satisfying?

I had the distinct pleasure of earning my CAS, ACAS 1 and ACAS 2. Having these credentials is special to me since I can provide a variety of services to my clientele who have children and youth with ASD. Most of all, I can develop new courses for my college undergraduate program to enhance a given student’s skill set in order to pursue additional graduate training in ASD. In addition, I can enhance my delivery of skills to provide in-depth training to my students who are pursuing a diplomate credential in School Neuropsychology.

2) How has the CAS or ACAS credential affected your professional growth?

Hugely! Having these credentials enhances credibility and best practices to service students/clients and families living with ASD. My goal is to offer more services within my private practice and to enhance service delivery that is state of the art in the field. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to train and enhance my professional skill development to help others.

3) How has your CAS or ACAS credential been a benefit to your district/ organization/ or employer?

I believe my credentials  will enhance my college’s course offerings and to prepare college students for a field that needs as many highly trained professionals as possible. My private practice will be enhanced to provide “best practice” approaches with not only assessment but interventions and strategies so necessary to assist families, educators and the medical communities with knowing how to effectively interact with ASD individuals in a positive light.

4) How do you like to be recognized, acknowledged and rewarded for a job well done?

How I would like to be recognized, acknowledged and rewarded for a job well done is when one states, “thank you for helping me understand my child, my student, and/or providing me credible knowledge to pursue a career”. That would be the greatest joy for me coming from my clientele.

5) What is your greatest challenge or roadblock?

My greatest challenge in the field of ASD is to work with someone who does not fully understand ASD and its neurocognitive implications upon learning and behavior. I exercise due diligence and care  when applying research knowledge to help educate the individual, to not only understand the unique needs of ASD, but how to exercise patience, meekness and understanding toward the individual(s).

6) What makes you feel like a valuable contributor?

My career has spanned 35 years and I can say having a solid knowledge base with learning differences and developmental disabilities has allowed me to expand my expertise to help others. I will be  the Keynote Speaker and will present two papers soon at the 24th World Congress on Learning Disabilities at the University of Sunderland, London, England. It is in this venue,  I will  share information with colleagues from around the globe on the topic of “Resilience” despite learning and behavioral disorders. One of my papers will focus on the topic “Solving the Assessment Mystery of Autism Spectrum Disorder from a Pediatric Neuropsychological Perspective”. I believe achieving my CAS, ACAS 1 and ACAS 2 will allow me the avenue to expand my skills to offer more training and program development for children and youth globally.

7) What do you enjoy most about your job?

As a professor and a clinician I am so grateful to have a career that I love and cherish. I enjoy so many facets of my jobs but most of all empowering one to succeed despite his or her personal challenges. Afterall, that is the most important role I can take.

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JACKSONVILLE, FL (June 15, 2016) –  The International Board of Credentialing & Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) is excited to announce the launch of two brand new advanced training and certification programs developed for educators and health care professionals that would like to expand into ABA-focused therapy techniques. ABA, or Applied Behavior Analysis methodology, is proven to have to have the highest rate of success in treating Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 

The new certifications include the Advanced Certified Autism Specialist (ACAS) and the Advanced Autism Certificate (AAC). Each program is designed to help educators and licensed health care professionals successfully implement ABA programming in the home, center, school or community environments. 

“We are very excited about adding an advanced certification program with a focus on ABA therapy,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman. “Many of our current Autism Specialists have been asking for this type of training and certification for several years.”

The new advanced ABA certification programs are designed to build upon the foundational knowledge and experience that a current Certified Autism Specialist (CAS) or Autism Certificate (AC) holder has obtained. Once a candidate has been awarded a CAS or AC, they will be eligible for the advanced ABA training and certification through IBCCES.  This new advanced certification will greatly enhance the knowledge and marketability for Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, School Psychologists, Social Workers, Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessionals and others responsible for the care of individuals with autism.  

“As a BCBA and executive director of a residential center that specializes in serving students with autism, we are thrilled about the Advanced Autism Certification offered by IBCCES,” said Daniel Bayes, BCBA and Bayes Achievement Center Executive Director. “We believe this new evidence-based training with its emphasis in ABA will be a benefit for anyone involved in the treatment of students with autism or intellectual disabilities.”

The content of the online training was developed under the guidance of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and other professionals with clinical ABA experience. The new ABA program is specifically designed for an individual who currently holds a Certified Autism Specialist (CAS) Certificate or an Autism Certificate (AC) from IBCCES and wants to increase their knowledge and expertise in the field of ABA therapy.

Program Highlights:

• Certification is designed around the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) methodology which is proven to have the highest rate of success in treating Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• The entire 10-week online course can be accessed online from the comfort, convenience and the privacy of your home or office with absolute freedom and flexibility with scheduling.
• Both the training and the certification program were developed by highly trained professionals who have extensive fieldwork experience and knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis and ABA therapy.

With the rate of autism diagnosis rapidly increasing worldwide, the need for credentialed and licensed autism-related service providers continues to grow every year. Autism, commonly known as ASD, is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a wide range of symptoms and impairment levels.  According to a 2016 study conducted by the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 68 children in the US have been diagnosed with ASD.  It is five times more common among boys than girls, and there are currently over 10,000 job openings available for educators and educators with training and certification in the field of autism.

For more information, please click here, or contact kristin@ibcces.org. 

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