Katie
Access to Quality Education
Empowering Families and Educators to Support Kids with Autism: Insights from Katie, a BCBA with 25 Years of Experience
In this episode, K. Elizabeth sits down with Katie, a passionate Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with 25 years of experience working with children with autism. Katie shares her journey into the field, highlighting the transformative power of behavioral interventions in both educational settings and parent coaching. From her early inspiration in a university class to her current work helping children communicate their needs and thrive, Katie provides invaluable insights into fostering meaningful connections. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about advocacy, play-based learning, and empowering parents and teachers to support children with autism to ensure they have access to quality education.
Healthy People 2030 is the fifth iterative of a 40+ year initiative to help communities, organizations, and individuals improve American’s health and well-being. One of the key goals of Healthy People 2030 is to highlight the importance of the 5 Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in increasing equity and reducing disparities in health; one of the five goals of Healthy People 2030 is directly related to the SDoH to “create social, physical, and economic environments that promote attaining the full potential for health and well-being for all” (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
The SDoH are the non-medical factors and environmental conditions where people are born, live, learn, work, play, and age. The SDoH influence up to 55% of our health outcomes including a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
One of the five SDoH is access to quality education; there is a direct correlation between higher levels of education and healthier and longer lives. Children are more likely to struggle with math and reading if they are from low-income families, have disabilities, or experience social discrimination such as bullying. Further, these kiddos are less likely to graduate high school or go to college, which in turn, means they are less likely to obtain safe high-paying jobs and more likely to have health issues such as diabetes, depression, and heart disease. To add insult to injury, the brain development of children can be negatively affected by living in poverty, and attendance at poorly performing schools can further impede their ability to thrive in school and escape poverty. Interventions to increase access to quality education can help address these short and long-term health concerns.
Episode Resources:
Katie’s Parental Coaching (Learn, Love. Autism)
Free Resources from Katie
Record a Toast to honor someone who has increased your quality of life
US Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2030: SDoH
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Social Determinants of Health