The Public Policy Committee strives to provide outreach, collaboration, and advocacy for its stakeholders at the state and federal levels. The current projects in progress include:
The COABA Public Policy Committee (PPC) works under the direction of the COABA Executive Board. The PPC facilitates actions with key Colorado state decision-makers including the state legislature and other governmental bodies, as well as other practitioner and parenting advocacy organizations to recommend policy, legislative, and regulatory solutions. The PPC also arranges trainings on issues relevant to our membership (e.g., billing codes and issues, legal issues).
Initiatives to date include the provision of ABA CPT Code Training by Jeanna Mitton, planning for an Autism Law Workshop by the Autism Law Resource Center (Dan Unumb and Tim Courtney), submitting and managing the Sunrise Application for licensure consideration, intimately supporting HB22-1260 on Medical Necessity in Schools, and general discussions on regulatory practices of behavior analysis in Colorado.
Committee Chairs
Ken Winn
Originally from Ohio, I lived in Florida since 1988 and moved to Colorado in 2014. I have been a Florida Certified Behavior Analyst since 1989 and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst since 2008. I owned and operated a behavioral consulting firm for 14 years, with 30 employees, providing behavior analysis services throughout Florida for individuals with developmental disabilities as well as mental health problems, for both children and adults.
I mainly concentrated on children with developmental disabilities, with a specialization in autism, and individuals who were dually diagnosed. I have experience in clinic and home-based settings, as well as residential and institutional settings. I have worked in the field of developmental disabilities for over 30 years and directed clinical services for several agencies. I have worked in direct care, management, and government. I worked in state government assisting the Senior Behavior Analyst, overseeing behavioral services throughout Florida, including developing regulations in the Home and Community Based Medicaid Waiver as well as helping develop regulations regarding the use of restraint and seclusion, oversight and monitoring of behavior analysis services, and residential licensing of group homes.
I have directed clinical services for a number of agencies and have provided direct service to individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. I specialize in working with persons with severe problem behaviors. I have a passion for behavior analysis and its value in the lives people with autism and developmental disabilities. I have done research on behavioral procedures and training of behavior analysts. I am also a professional guardian for a young man with a developmental disability and have seen how ABA has had such a positive impact this has had on his quality of life.
Committee Chair
Emily Ice
Emily Ice is the Executive Director of Step-In Autism Services and a behavioral sleep treatment mentor for Behavior Analysts across the globe. As ED, she understands the challenges associated with accessing funding sources necessary for providing quality care. She has been actively involved in Medicaid reform for Alaskan Medicaid and has co-led the COABA Medicaid subcommittee to advocate for Colorado ABA stakeholders. It is her aim to continue this advocacy and improve the Colorado Medicaid coverage for ABA.
As a behavioral sleep treatment mentor, Emily strives to increase access to ABA for treatment of sleep disturbances. Emily’s doctorate research focuses on the behavioral conceptualization of sleep and analyzing contingencies affecting sleep. Since 2001, she has worked with families, children, and adults experiencing developmental disabilities in home and center-based settings, witnessing the impact that sleep treatment and ABA has on the entire family unit. Emily’s passion is to empower Behavior Analysts to become sleep curators for their clients.
Committee Co-Chair
Committee Members
A huge shout out to these amazing Colorado #wavemakers that are creating meaningful change!
Main Committee
Rebecca Urbano-Powell
Bethany Coop
Alexandria Tomei
Katie Topham
Elizabeth Ostendorf
Robin Ledebuhr
Medical Necessity in Schools Action Committee
Katie Topham
Rebecca Urbano-Powell
Robin Ledebuhr
Medicaid Action Committee
Alexandra Tomei
Rebecca Urbano-Powell
Bethany Coop
Emily Ice
Be a part of the movement! COABA is seeking movers! Contact the Public Policy Committee, click here.
Sign up to be a part of the Medical Necessity in Schools Action Committee or Medicaid Action Committee below! Indicate your preference in the main body.
