Over prescribed client
As the title suggests , I fear one of my current clients was assigned more hours than necessary. I’m grateful for the work I’ve been given and my client is arguably the best I’ve ever had. However they’ve got 30 hours a week as per my BCBA. The client from the jump has met and exceeded all treatment goals and learning outcomes assigned. However I feel my client needs things I cannot ethically provide them with; nor even a BCBA. At this point it feels a little exploitative of the family as my clients needs as I see them needing less hours a week and my clients needs as a whole. I still carry out my sessions as instructed, but I just feel morally conflicted. His interfering behaviors listed are minor, yet even then he’s not escalated to any of the behaviors mentioned in his plan.
The hours I have are great right now with just this client alone, however the pay I receive feels icky to receive while a client isn’t really getting what they need from ABA therapy as the client exhibits a great competency in the skills we’re assessing and “building”. Honestly I don’t think the client needs to see me more than maybe twice a week and even then, I feel the time spent in sessions could be better used in activities I cannot provide the client with as an RBT because of ethics. I don’t feel comfortable going into great detail as to not overshare, but in working with my client I seldom feel as if my presence isn’t even necessary because treatment goals are all skills he has demonstrated with great independence. This isn’t to say that he doesn’t have autism; I think he does for certain. But this kid does not need to be prescribed 30 hours in my opinion.
But I’m really wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar with their care team and any words of wisdom as to how to proceed. So far I’ve been spoken to by the family and also notified my BCBA as well and nothings really changed. I just feel a little morally conflicted and essentially like I’m participating in the financial exploitation of a family. I’m grateful for the work in a field where hours can be nonexistent and inconsistent. But it feels wrong to earn my pay like this.