NMU Hosts UPABA Conference Nov.

Northern Michigan University will hold the fourth annual Upper Peninsula Association for Behavior Analysis (UPABA) conference Nov. 7-8. This year's event focuses on language acquisition strategies and features national speakers, practical workshops and networking opportunities. The goals of the annual conference are to increase knowledge, improve client support and collaborate with institutions for effective care across the Great Lakes region.

The number of applied behavior analysis providers in the Upper Peninsula has grown significantly over the last decade. Local professionals recognize that high-quality training and resources often require extensive travel and expense. UPABA was established in 2019 with the assistance of a grant from the Superior Health Foundation in recognition of the growing need for local training and resources. Since then, the organization has provided webinars, annual conferences, and parent & caregiver trainings totaling nearly 40 hours of Type 2 CEU's to more than 70 regional members.

NMU Professor Jacob Daar is the incoming president of UPABA. The regional non-profit organization is dedicated to supporting the science and profession of behavior analysis through research, education and practice. To achieve these feats, the organization facilitates opportunities for professional development, promoting scientific inquiry and information dissemination, advocating for policy and best practices and by supporting a collaborative network throughout the Upper Peninsula.

The conference event schedule features a keynote presentation, "From Certification to Treatment Supervision: Considering the Readiness of New BCBAs," by Carl Sundberg. Subsequent presentations include:

● Equivalence-Based Instruction: Filling Gaps and Applied Research by Anna Petursodottir

● Individualized Analyses of HIV Suppression During a Contingency Management Intervention by Corey Toegel

● How Children Come to Learn Language Incidentally: A Theory of Verbal Behavior Development by Jessica Dudek

● Coaching on the fly: An empirical study of follow-up coaching in a school setting by Kara Shawbitz and Logan Zupko

● Panel Discussion: The Ethics of Goal Writing and Insurance Funding

● Getting the most out of our Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program by Carl Sundberg

● From Observing Responses to Incidental Language-Learning: How to Establish and Accelerate Children's Verbal Development by Jessica Dudek

To learn more about the conference or UPABA, visit UPABA.org.

Student writers Ashley Kluting and Bridgette Bowser contributed to this story.