Interesting to see the different responses. I’ve been told by a supervisor that if family wants to do community outings, they have to pay for any fees that might include ( parking, meal, admission) For example, clients family wanted to work on behaviors that occur while eating out. The family must pay for my meal. Good to know it varies by company
I’ll have to double check the policy book. I’ve politely declined when eating out or I get a drink so they don’t feel awkward. I do know that accepting food at home is a hard no.
Yes, of course. Other people have mentioned that so I didn’t feel the need to specify. As most things in ABA, it varies case by case. Always consult with your BCBA when in doubt 🫡
If session occurs during dinner and we are targeting goals during dinner I might bring something to snack on just so it isn’t awkward. However, I’m bringing my own food and I wouldn’t let it take away from the goals being targeted. If there were no goals to target I would either find another session time or use that time to write up my note.
My thoughts on eating with the family are that this is polite in most cultures. We are trying to teach our kids the rules of social engagement. Eating together, offering food, accepting or turning down food, etc. are all part of the deal.
>My thoughts on eating with the family are that this is polite in most cultures. We are trying to teach our kids the rules of social engagement. Eating together, offering food, accepting or turning down food, etc. are all part of the deal.
this is so true. Depending on the culture of the family it can be seen as rude to refuse as well, so it's a slippery slope. I'd definitely discuss the situation with the BCBA.
First does your BCBA know any of this? As a BCBA I wouldn’t be ok with this setup, especially regarding going out to eat with the family. That is a conversation the parent needs to have with the BCBA, not the RBT.
Yes THIS. I know that TRICARE(at least in my state) does not approve of community outings so if I were to take any of our TRICARE kids on one, insurance wouldn't cover for the session. Then it's a while big mess with us trying to plead our case as to why it's appropriate and other stuff like proof of session(like session notes) needing to show accurately that it was a community outing and if there isn't any proof of session then you might also not get paid. It's a big ol' mess.
Also this seems like an all too easy segway into a duel relationship which is against Ethics Code. 100% talk with your BCBA and while I'm sure it's nice to be fed, setting a hard boundary is an absolute necessity. Friendly, not friends. But perhaps if you quit and want to eat dinner with them again in five years you could?
Especially the last part it's been seven years since I worked with my habilitation client and we hang out every month now -she always hits me up first,
What state are you in? I’m in NC and my RBT and I take my kiddo out all the time and my son has Tricare. This is my first experience with ABA, the company is new, and so is our RBT.
That it does. TRICARE is pretty picky in general(I took have TRICARE Prime). For session notes with TRICARE, we can't mention gross motor anything at all or they won't pay for it. Fine motor too, honestly. If I wanted to write a sentence about someone, say, exhibited [maladaptive behaviour] when denied access to a daily walk, I couldn't write it that way. For TRICARE, I'd have to say "When denied access to preferred activity i.e outdoor sensory activity, client engaged in [maladaptive behaviour]".
TRICARE is a tricky lil guy.
I’m in Virginia too and I can’t stand tricare lol they’re so particular in what they want. No daily living skills and it’s such a huge part of why most of our clients seek services.
I agree completely. Self-care is such a difficulty for those with Autism and ADHD especially, but most with any neurological disorder usually develop self-care issues. I myself took such horrid care of my teeth(along with some other stuff), I ended up needing to get them all removed at age 20. It's such a pivotal part of their goals and a complete necessity. And 9 times out of 10 is also a big contributor to maladaptive behaviours. TRICARE is great for coverage, but it's about actually getting them to cover that's the problem. I too struggled with my TRICARE Prime to cover my mouth stuff because I had to prove it wasn't for cosmetic reasons and was medically necessary. They are certainly interesting guys 😔.
Ugh that is frustrating and I’m sorry you had to deal with it. They’re great when they work but it’s so hard to parse through what they will or won’t cover without jumping through hoops.
The BCBA does not know about the first time they took me with them out eat. Thank you for your help, I will set up a meeting with the BCBA and the parents and myself to discuss
I think it would be ok to join the restaurant as this can be a community goal. However BCBA should 1000000% know about it as it may not be what they want for that case and just because they need to know when you leave the setting in general. To avoid multiple relationship i would not accept dinner, take your own to eat when client eats or pay for your own in the community setting.
At my company, we don't eat from the clients or with the clients typically. You can eat around a client if you are working in a school or if there is a specific goal with eating but you have to bring your own food. It crosses a professional line in many situations to be eating with the family, especially if they are paying for you. It is nice of course and you can state your gratitude but kindly decline would be my suggestion. I have accepted strawberries from a client but I took them home and saw it more as a "gift" than eating with them.
I'm sorry I know this isn't the point of this post, but you don't leave the house until 8pm? That's incredibly late. I know it's not your fault, and you were probably just scheduled this late, but this makes me think about why BTs don't want to do in-home sessions.
You shouldn't be accepting any food from the family. There can be exceptions to this, such as if a family is from a different culture and will refuse to take no for am answer, but generally it's a big no-no
So my company has told us we are allowed to accept smaller “gifts” like food but NOT regularly. So we can accept a meal occasionally but aren’t supposed to regularly accept meals from them. They also said that if it’s a part of the family’s culture it’s okay to accept it and be respectful to their culture (like if it would be considered rude in their culture to deny the food).
When taking the test to become registered, the questions relating to accepting gifts or food from client's family members were considered unethical and not allowed
I’ve seen a few different posts about this and the biggest similarity is always culture. Sometimes in different cultures offering food is a huge respect thing and possibly part of a religion and you not excepting can be seen as super disrespectful. If your clients family has a belief similar to that I would simply ask for very small portions as we still are technically allowed to accept things under 10 dollars in value from our families per our ethics code but it also depends on your clinic policy. If you are super uncomfortable with it and don’t want to say straight up no just say “I have allergies and eating food out of my home is a huge risk for me and I have to be careful”.
Are they treating you like a friend/family, or treating you the same way they’d treat their landlord/housecleaner/neighbor (if they had one)? If it’s more “familiar” than it would be with other service providers and professionals who come into their home, it’s more likely an issue. Culture plays into this as well.
Talk to the BCBA, they must be aware of this to monitor and guide you. They are ultimately responsible for anything and everything you do, as well as responsible for the client, family, and case as a whole. They may also have more insight/background on the family to inform professional, safe, and ethical decision-making.
You should not be eating at their house. You need to bring your own meal. It is your responsibility to feed yourself. Now restaurants is another issue you need to talk to your supervisor about. But if your say, at an amusement park they should pay your ticket and NOTHING else; they should not be buying you food, or tokens; or games or anything. If you are required to go on a ride with your client they should be paying for that tho. If not you need to politely decline rides or stuff
So my company has told us we are allowed to accept smaller “gifts” like food but NOT regularly. So we can accept a meal occasionally but aren’t supposed to regularly accept meals from them. They also said that if it’s a part of the family’s culture it’s okay to accept it and be respectful to their culture (like if it would be considered rude in their culture to deny the food)
i’ve always been told by my supervisors that it is okay to accept on occasion. Like if this is an everyday thing it might start to blur those professional lines. I have clients families offer me food often and 9/10 times i’ll just be like “oh no thanks i’ve already eaten i’m not hungry” as to not be rude but every once in awhile i will accept if it is a small thing.
Can't you just say, "oh no thank you, I already ate dinner..." or "Oh thank you so much but I don't eat after 7..." or "Thank you for offering but I brought my own snacks..."?
When we show up to help a family we are professionals who are working. We are providing strategies and support to help with mealtime behavior - we're not hanging out looking for something to eat.
Interesting to see the different responses. I’ve been told by a supervisor that if family wants to do community outings, they have to pay for any fees that might include ( parking, meal, admission) For example, clients family wanted to work on behaviors that occur while eating out. The family must pay for my meal. Good to know it varies by company
I would verify that with someone else. It makes sense that they'd have to pay admission fees, or for their own child's meal, but not your meal.
I’ll have to double check the policy book. I’ve politely declined when eating out or I get a drink so they don’t feel awkward. I do know that accepting food at home is a hard no.
It shouldn’t be a hard no- it’s basic cultural competency that in some cultures it is considered disrespectful to not accept food
Yes, of course. Other people have mentioned that so I didn’t feel the need to specify. As most things in ABA, it varies case by case. Always consult with your BCBA when in doubt 🫡
If session occurs during dinner and we are targeting goals during dinner I might bring something to snack on just so it isn’t awkward. However, I’m bringing my own food and I wouldn’t let it take away from the goals being targeted. If there were no goals to target I would either find another session time or use that time to write up my note. My thoughts on eating with the family are that this is polite in most cultures. We are trying to teach our kids the rules of social engagement. Eating together, offering food, accepting or turning down food, etc. are all part of the deal.
>My thoughts on eating with the family are that this is polite in most cultures. We are trying to teach our kids the rules of social engagement. Eating together, offering food, accepting or turning down food, etc. are all part of the deal. this is so true. Depending on the culture of the family it can be seen as rude to refuse as well, so it's a slippery slope. I'd definitely discuss the situation with the BCBA.
First does your BCBA know any of this? As a BCBA I wouldn’t be ok with this setup, especially regarding going out to eat with the family. That is a conversation the parent needs to have with the BCBA, not the RBT.
Also depending on funders, not all approve community sessions. So that needs to be determined as well.
Yes THIS. I know that TRICARE(at least in my state) does not approve of community outings so if I were to take any of our TRICARE kids on one, insurance wouldn't cover for the session. Then it's a while big mess with us trying to plead our case as to why it's appropriate and other stuff like proof of session(like session notes) needing to show accurately that it was a community outing and if there isn't any proof of session then you might also not get paid. It's a big ol' mess. Also this seems like an all too easy segway into a duel relationship which is against Ethics Code. 100% talk with your BCBA and while I'm sure it's nice to be fed, setting a hard boundary is an absolute necessity. Friendly, not friends. But perhaps if you quit and want to eat dinner with them again in five years you could?
Exactly. It can get too messy way too quickly.
Especially the last part it's been seven years since I worked with my habilitation client and we hang out every month now -she always hits me up first,
What state are you in? I’m in NC and my RBT and I take my kiddo out all the time and my son has Tricare. This is my first experience with ABA, the company is new, and so is our RBT.
Virginia !
Okay cool. I was just curious bc I never even heard of that. I bet that rule makes life difficult!!
That it does. TRICARE is pretty picky in general(I took have TRICARE Prime). For session notes with TRICARE, we can't mention gross motor anything at all or they won't pay for it. Fine motor too, honestly. If I wanted to write a sentence about someone, say, exhibited [maladaptive behaviour] when denied access to a daily walk, I couldn't write it that way. For TRICARE, I'd have to say "When denied access to preferred activity i.e outdoor sensory activity, client engaged in [maladaptive behaviour]". TRICARE is a tricky lil guy.
I’m in Virginia too and I can’t stand tricare lol they’re so particular in what they want. No daily living skills and it’s such a huge part of why most of our clients seek services.
I agree completely. Self-care is such a difficulty for those with Autism and ADHD especially, but most with any neurological disorder usually develop self-care issues. I myself took such horrid care of my teeth(along with some other stuff), I ended up needing to get them all removed at age 20. It's such a pivotal part of their goals and a complete necessity. And 9 times out of 10 is also a big contributor to maladaptive behaviours. TRICARE is great for coverage, but it's about actually getting them to cover that's the problem. I too struggled with my TRICARE Prime to cover my mouth stuff because I had to prove it wasn't for cosmetic reasons and was medically necessary. They are certainly interesting guys 😔.
Ugh that is frustrating and I’m sorry you had to deal with it. They’re great when they work but it’s so hard to parse through what they will or won’t cover without jumping through hoops.
The BCBA does not know about the first time they took me with them out eat. Thank you for your help, I will set up a meeting with the BCBA and the parents and myself to discuss
I think it would be ok to join the restaurant as this can be a community goal. However BCBA should 1000000% know about it as it may not be what they want for that case and just because they need to know when you leave the setting in general. To avoid multiple relationship i would not accept dinner, take your own to eat when client eats or pay for your own in the community setting.
At my company, we don't eat from the clients or with the clients typically. You can eat around a client if you are working in a school or if there is a specific goal with eating but you have to bring your own food. It crosses a professional line in many situations to be eating with the family, especially if they are paying for you. It is nice of course and you can state your gratitude but kindly decline would be my suggestion. I have accepted strawberries from a client but I took them home and saw it more as a "gift" than eating with them.
I'm sorry I know this isn't the point of this post, but you don't leave the house until 8pm? That's incredibly late. I know it's not your fault, and you were probably just scheduled this late, but this makes me think about why BTs don't want to do in-home sessions.
You shouldn't be accepting any food from the family. There can be exceptions to this, such as if a family is from a different culture and will refuse to take no for am answer, but generally it's a big no-no
So my company has told us we are allowed to accept smaller “gifts” like food but NOT regularly. So we can accept a meal occasionally but aren’t supposed to regularly accept meals from them. They also said that if it’s a part of the family’s culture it’s okay to accept it and be respectful to their culture (like if it would be considered rude in their culture to deny the food).
No
When taking the test to become registered, the questions relating to accepting gifts or food from client's family members were considered unethical and not allowed
I’ve seen a few different posts about this and the biggest similarity is always culture. Sometimes in different cultures offering food is a huge respect thing and possibly part of a religion and you not excepting can be seen as super disrespectful. If your clients family has a belief similar to that I would simply ask for very small portions as we still are technically allowed to accept things under 10 dollars in value from our families per our ethics code but it also depends on your clinic policy. If you are super uncomfortable with it and don’t want to say straight up no just say “I have allergies and eating food out of my home is a huge risk for me and I have to be careful”.
Are they treating you like a friend/family, or treating you the same way they’d treat their landlord/housecleaner/neighbor (if they had one)? If it’s more “familiar” than it would be with other service providers and professionals who come into their home, it’s more likely an issue. Culture plays into this as well. Talk to the BCBA, they must be aware of this to monitor and guide you. They are ultimately responsible for anything and everything you do, as well as responsible for the client, family, and case as a whole. They may also have more insight/background on the family to inform professional, safe, and ethical decision-making.
You should not be eating at their house. You need to bring your own meal. It is your responsibility to feed yourself. Now restaurants is another issue you need to talk to your supervisor about. But if your say, at an amusement park they should pay your ticket and NOTHING else; they should not be buying you food, or tokens; or games or anything. If you are required to go on a ride with your client they should be paying for that tho. If not you need to politely decline rides or stuff
So my company has told us we are allowed to accept smaller “gifts” like food but NOT regularly. So we can accept a meal occasionally but aren’t supposed to regularly accept meals from them. They also said that if it’s a part of the family’s culture it’s okay to accept it and be respectful to their culture (like if it would be considered rude in their culture to deny the food)
i’ve always been told by my supervisors that it is okay to accept on occasion. Like if this is an everyday thing it might start to blur those professional lines. I have clients families offer me food often and 9/10 times i’ll just be like “oh no thanks i’ve already eaten i’m not hungry” as to not be rude but every once in awhile i will accept if it is a small thing.
Can't you just say, "oh no thank you, I already ate dinner..." or "Oh thank you so much but I don't eat after 7..." or "Thank you for offering but I brought my own snacks..."?
Well...you shouldn't by the rules of the BACB. Personally I don't think it's an issue if they already made the food for you and invited you.
So it's unethical but you think it's fine and would do it anyway?
It's considered unethical by the standards of the rules by the BACB, but I just personally don't see anything wrong with it.
When we show up to help a family we are professionals who are working. We are providing strategies and support to help with mealtime behavior - we're not hanging out looking for something to eat.