Abstract

As a volunteer, Bob advocated for over 50 autistic children to improve their NDIS supports, mostly with access to funded EIBI/ABA, via the previous Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and he’s helping more with the reviews in the new Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). Bob has no legal training – he is not a lawyer.

This talk describes:

1. the ART review process to ABA clinicians who may become involved. It offers
1. a map of the process,
2. my perspective on human rights for autistic Australians
3. showing the roles of the clinician in the process.
4. about Independent Medical Examiners (IMEs)
5. evidence vs biases in Tribunal processes
6. value for money and cost benefit aspects
2. the role of an individual advocate and some of the different approaches to advocacy.
3. the relationship between advocate and clinician in the ART review process – ART requirements for expert/clinical witnesses. How can I help best? What might my employer do to help?
4. the significance of “reasonable and necessary”
5. tips on writing recommendations and reports … from an advocate’s perspective.
6. working with NT or ND parents.
7. AAT outcome decisions about EIBI and ABA – some of the data and what it tells us.
8. an advocate’s (non-clinician) view of EIBI/ABA (or NDBI/ABA) vs PBS
9. my personal hopes for the future of funded supports for severely/profoundly autistic NDIS participants … and a bit about political reality.

Hopefully, there will also be time for questions at the end (or catch Bob around the venue).

Learning outcomes

• Understand the process and barriers for autistic children seeking EIBI, NDBI, and other ABA or high intensity supports from the NDIS.
• Guidance on the roles and responsibilities of ABA clinicians in the complex process of getting funding to support autistic NDIS participants.

Biography

Bob Buckley is an experienced Australian autism advocate, known for his contributions to the autism community through leadership, policy development, systemic and individual advocacy. With support from his partner and as Co-convenor of Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) since 2003, he spearheads national efforts to represent and support individuals across the whole autistic spectrum and their families.

Bob's advocacy began in 1997, inspired by his personal experiences as a father to a severely autistic son (who still lives at home). His commitment to improving autistic lives led him to serve as the ACT representative and Director of the Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders. He also held the position of vice-president of Autism Asperger ACT Inc. and longtime Chair of Speaking Out for Autism Spectrum Disorder in the ACT. He wrote an Annex on advocating for your child in the Australian Autism Handbook.

In 2014, Bob was recognized as a state finalist for ACT Senior Australian of the Year, highlighting his significant impact on the autism community.

Professionally, Bob worked in and taught computing/ICT, computer science, and software engineering. He enjoyed a full and diverse career that included consulting, algorithm design, computer systems engineering, a data analyst (in many fields), academic curriculum design, automation, bioinformatics and was an owner and the technical director of INFuse Pty Ltd, a top ten consultancy for the Defence Department in the 1990s. He also consulted in industrial relations, workforce planning, intellectual capital, and change management. He retired early in 2021 from John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University from his position as a Computational Genomic Specialist.

Bob is also a semi-professional musician, playing bass, fiddle, guitar, flute & whistle, vocals, etc. … most recently playing and calling bush dances with Paverty Bush Band, Canberra’s oldest bush band, and other groups in the region.

Bob's own neurodivergence enhanced his diverse life experience.

Level: Intermediate

Target audience: Parents, behaviour analysts, advocates

Duration: 1hr 15 min

ABAA PDUs: 1.5