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The team typically includes persons who assume different responsibilities. Discrete Trial Teaching is conducted by Program Specialists or Tutors. Case Management and Parent Training, typically two-three hours per week, is provided by Program Supervisors. Clinical Supervisors and theProgram Directors provide overall supervision during child staffings at the clinic as well as during trainings and group and individual supervision meetings.

The primary and essential ingredients for a successful treatment team include: (1) Close family involvement; (2) Individuals (teachers and staff) who possess the personal qualities necessary to be a good behavioral instructor; (3) Training and supervision provided by a qualified clinician. Ideally, the team should include all individuals currently involved in the child’s educational program and those who may be newly recruited. This should include school personnel as well as other professionals who will be involved in the child’s ongoing treatment program.

FAMILY: The involvement of the family is critical in the treatment process. No one knows the child better nor cares more about his welfare than do his parents and they are the ones most affected by the child’s disorder. Parents spend a great deal of time with the child and are in a position to carry over teaching goals into everyday living situations. They can also provide some structured teaching sessions to the child. However, it is important to realize that living with an autistic child takes a heavy emotional toll and coordinating the treatment team is already a large undertaking.

The majority of intensive teaching should be provided by paid staff, volunteers or school personnel. This allows parents to have some respite and the remaining time spent with their child can be more enjoyable and productive. Parents can utilize the child’s "free time" to augment intensive teaching time, in developing play, social and self-help skills. Bath time, dinner, getting dressed, and feeding the family pet are just a few examples of everyday routines that offer opportunities for teaching. Outings to the park, grocery shopping, mailing a letter and visits to a relative's home are opportunities to generalize skills and work on improving behavior. In this way the child's entire day becomes part of the treatment process and the parents become an integral part of the team.

STAFF: It is rare to find an experienced staff person who can step in and start working with your child on the first day. If you are working with an agency such as Autism Partnership, we can provide trained staff. While experience is a plus there are many other factors that determine whether a person will be a good behavioral interventionist. We look for people who are enthusiastic, eager to learn, reliable, and able to accept and incorporate feedback. Completion of a degree in psychology or special education is highly desirable, but families who have to recruit staff on their own have often had good results hiring students still in college. We recommend a team ranging from 2-5 staff, who can each work between 6 and 12 hours per week.

SUPERVISION: You will need a qualified person to lead the team. It takes years of training and experience to be able to train and supervise others in the implementation of behavioral programming. While there are common elements in the treatment of most autistic children, each child presents a unique challenge in designing and guiding the optimal learning process. The level of supervision necessary is based on a number of factors, including skill level of staff and parents, stage of treatment, complexity of programs required, number of treatment hours, etc. It is important that a qualified supervisor be involved on a regular, and as needed basis. Treatment may get "stuck" and the child’s progress impeded if there is not a qualified supervisor with sufficient expertise to effectively address these difficulties.

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