Hanna C. Rue, Ph.D., BCBA-D is the Executive Director of the National Autism Center. She holds a joint appointment as Vice President of Autism Services for May Institute. Her responsibilities include overseeing the second phase of the National Standards Project, a multi-year initiative that resulted in a groundbreaking 2009 report which identified best practices in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). She is currently leading a national team of expert panelists, article reviewers, and consultants in evaluating data from over 400 treatment articles for adults (i.e., 22 years of age and older) with ASD, as well as for individuals identified as “at risk” for developing an ASD. The NSP-II will also update the findings for individuals under the age of 22.
In November 2012, The Bay School welcomed Dr. Rue to provide two free community presentations. The first presentation focused on the how the NAC evaluated the quality of science for each of the 775 treatment articles that were reviewed. The treatments identified as established, emerging, and unestablished were discussed. Dr. Rue also reviewed how practitioners can use these treatments as part of evidence-based practice for the treatment of autism. The second presentation focused on helping parents understand the function or purpose of challenging behavior and how to manage it in the home setting. Parents had the opportunity to learn about assessing challenging behavior, the importance of data collection, and how the function of the behavior is related to the intervention. Helpful hints regarding what behaviors to target for reduction, how to implement a plan, and when to seek assistance from a professional were discussed. Dr. Rue also included information regarding increasing appropriate behaviors.
The Bay School was thrilled with the level of community interest and participation in these lectures. We thank Dr. Rue immensely for her time and for sharing this valuable information with us!