1.5 Ethics Type CEUs
The Moral Tightrope: Why Good People Sometimes Choose the Wrong Path
Are you at risk of fraudulent billing? You might be surprised!
Instructor: Amelia Dalphonse, MA, BCBA
Amelia Dalphonse, MA, BCBA
Why is The Moral Tightrope essential to your career as a BCBA®?
In 2019, I moved my family over a thousand miles to take a job in Florida as a director at a local clinic. Confident in my skills and driven by a genuine passion for helping others, I was excited to embark on this new adventure.
However, my initial optimism clashed with the stark reality of working for a for-profit business. Prioritizing financial reports over client well-being, the environment emphasized billable hours and metrics over client progress. I found myself pressured to justify increased service durations that conflicted with my own professional judgement, creating a dissonance between my values and the organization whose pay supported my family.
Despite my efforts to improve the situation, ethical concerns continued to overshadow client care. This, coupled with the immense personal investment in relocating my family for the opportunity, led to a period of significant professional and personal stress. It became evident that simply changing employers within the existing system wouldn’t solve the problem.
It was during this pivotal moment, when I was ready to leave the field for good, that I decided to get involved with changing the field of ABA. I whole-heartedly believe that you should never complain about a problem you’re not willing to help fix, and while the challenges in the field of ABA felt far beyond my influence, I felt I had to try.
This is why I created the course The Moral Tightrope: Why Good People Sometimes Choose the Wrong Path..
What you will learn:
Spot Red Flags
Identify organizational practices that encourage unethical billing.
Understand the Impact
See how unethical billing harms clients, families, and the ABA field.
Analyze Ethical Dilemmas
Dissect real-world billing ethics cases.
Master Ethical Decisions
Learn to make sound billing decisions that prioritize clients
Advocate for Change
Address unethical billing and advocate for ethical services.
Protect Yourself
Document your work and communicate clearly to avoid ethical repercussions.
The Problem with the Field of ABA
This course will not only equip you with the knowledge and skills to implement assent-based practices but also revolutionize the way you approach ABA therapy:
Autism spectrum disorder can feel like a tangled web of obstacles, but ABA therapy is the patient thread that unravels it. Through personalized strategies and unwavering support, ABA therapists don’t just address behaviors, they build bridges. Brick by brick, they lay the foundation for communication, independence, and a future brimming with possibilities. For individuals with ASD, ABA therapy isn’t a magic solution, but it’s the steady hand that guides them towards a life filled with confidence and connection:
ABA is a necessary support for many individuals, which is why it is covered by insurance companies.
Because of the growth in those with diagnoses that require these services, investors have taken notice and continue to buy ABA companies to add to their portfolio.
Meaning many companies now focus on profits over progress.
But that’s not the end of it—the problem’s actually worse than that!
Increased Challenging Behaviors: Forcing learners to participate in activities they do not want to engage in can lead to increased frustration, anxiety, and challenging behaviors. This can create a negative cycle where the learner associates therapy with coercion and distress.
Decreased Motivation and Engagement: When learners feel their preferences are not being considered, their motivation to participate in therapy can dwindle. This can hinder skill acquisition and progress towards goals.
Long-Term Negative Impacts: The negative experiences associated with non-assent-based practices can have lasting effects on the learner’s mental health, self-esteem, and overall well-being. It can also lead to a negative perception of ABA, further stigmatizing the field.
BCBAs® are trapped by conflicting priorities and are forced to make decisions that don’t always align with their values.
Luckily for you, there’s now a course to support ETHICAL behavior. Introducing The Moral Tightrope:
3 lessons totaling 90 minutes of training with actionable steps you can use right from the start
Why good people make bad decisions: Discover the research that shows the contingencies that support unethical behavior.
The reason for fraud:
Learn the factors that lead people to engage in fraud. Case studies:
Review 4 cases of fraud from different states.
Action steps: 9 action steps BCBAs® and BCBA® business owners can take to support ethical behavior, especially ethical billing.
Trusted ACE Instructors Approved through the BACB
Quality Assurance You Can Trust: All of our instructors are certified Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) providers through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). This ensures that our CEU courses meet the rigorous standards set by the BACB and qualify for CEU credits towards maintaining your BCBAs’® certifications.
See what people are saying about The Moral Tightrope
This course provides the truth about what we all suspect is happening in our field and provides information on possible controlling variables. Thanks for disseminating this information.
Susan M.
Act now, and you can get The Moral Tightrope – plus get these exclusive bonuses!
Meet the Instructor
Amelia Dalphonse, MA, BCBA
Amelia Dalphonse, MA, BCBA, co-founded Master ABA with her twin sister, Dianna Kelly, bringing over 13 years of expertise in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Passionate about prioritizing client needs, Amelia earned a Master’s degree in ABA and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
At Master ABA, Amelia and Dianna lead with innovation, emphasizing client-centered care to drive meaningful change. As an ACE provider, they’ve established the institution as a hub for progressive ABA practices, inspiring others to adopt compassionate and ethical approaches.
Through her role at Master ABA, Amelia advocates for advancing the ABA field with empathy and integrity. She stays abreast of the latest research, continuously seeking opportunities for professional growth.
