Autism Funding in BC

How much experience do therapists need?

There is a school of thought that says your therapists should have no experience when you hire them. They have no preconceived ideas and can be trained as you desire. What you don't want is a therapist who may be experienced in a slightly different form of ABA, butting heads with your consultant. On the other hand if your consultant has therapists on other teams who are looking for work this may ideal as they are partly trained and familiar with your consultant's work.

You do want one therapist with experience to act as a Lead Therapist. This individual will maintain the books, train new therapists and carry out additional tasks as directed by your consultant. Start by asking your consultant for recommendations and then advertise on the FEAT chat board. Follow up the references provided very carefully as this position is key to a smooth running team.

Keep in mind, the BC Autism Funds program requires that they be at least 19 years old and have a clear criminal record check. The applicant must go to the local RCMP detachment to request the criminal record check, which will cost $35 at present.

Where can I find them?

Here are some ideas where to find therapists:

Samples ads are provided on my Files page.

The interview

If you are not experienced interviewing people, start with the questions and information sheet provided on my Files page. Ask the candidate for a resume ahead of time. Some things are show stoppers. For example, if you live out in the country and the interviewee doesn't have a car, end things right there. Don't waste anyone's time.

Have them fill out an application form. The information on this sheet may not be relevant, but it gives you a chance to assess their written communication skills. Try to have your child available for at least part of the interview. Take note if the person tries to initiate contact. You want someone with great energy and play skills. Learn to trust your gut feelings.

Don't be blinded by your desire to hire someone and get the team going. It will pay dividends down the road if you hire only quality candidates. Ensure you are provided with references and check all of them out!

How many should I hire?

New teams should start with  4 to 8 therapists as you may lose one or two within the first month. A child will often start with 20 hours and work up to nearly 40 within a few months. The number of hours will be determined by your consultant. It is important that therapists have at least 3 shifts per week, if they are new, so that they gain experience quickly. This is a difficult balance to work out. You don’t want to be short of therapists, but you also need to offer them enough hours. Better to be overbooked, than lose therapy hours. 

Training

Your consultant, program supervisor or lead therapist will put together a training plan for your new therapists. There are also therapist workshops available through FEAT, ABLE clinic and Harmony House.

How much should I pay them?

This is the mother of all questions. It's a very sensitive topic amongst parents and I would advise you to tread lightly. Not all families have the ability to pay for a full on ABA program and the hourly wage is directly related to the amount of therapy their child will receive.

Having said that, I'm going to make some suggestions:

• Firstly start with a training wage, unless the therapist is experienced. I would suggest anywhere from $8 to $10 until such time as they are able to run their own shifts (a minimum of 2 months if they are green).
• Keep in mind, the minimum wage in BC is $8/hour, unless you are hiring someone under the First Job/Entry Level Wage
• Once they are on their own, I would suggest a raise.  Anywhere from $9 to $12 depending on what the market will bear in your area.
• I would also schedule regular raises (6-12 month intervals) for your team if their performance is satisfactory.  You want to have an incentive for them to stay.