About

Mission-driven, nonprofit accreditation supported by a known and trusted entity

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nonprofit trade association cultivating, sharing, and advocating for provider best practices in autism services

In 2019, The Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) began exploring the development of an accreditation program geared toward organizations serving individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As CASP continued working on its ABA Organizational Guidelines and Practice Guidelines, it became apparent that developing an accreditation program which incorporated these sources was a logical next step.

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 nonprofit accreditation program for applied behavior analysis organizations serving individuals with autism

In 2022, CASP founded the Autism Commission on Quality (ACQ) to establish and promote organizational standards that improve the quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of ABA services for individuals and families impacted by autism. ACQ’s vision is for all recipients of applied behavior analysis services to reach their full potential through access to organizations offering the highest level of care.

ACQ’s mission is to continuously improve the impact of applied behavior analysis services for the autism community through education and accreditation of provider organizations. ACQ is proudly supported by CASP, however, all essential accreditation decisions (e.g., policies, standards, recognition, appeals) are handled independently from CASP. No single organization, including CASP, is permitted to have majority control over the Standards, Accreditation, and Appeals Committees that form ACQ. Additionally, all CASP member organizations are subject to the same review and are required to go through the same accreditation process as non-CASP members. Any ABA organization serving individuals with autism is eligible to apply for ACQ accreditation, regardless of their CASP membership status, business structure, or size.

Autism Commission on Quality Staff

ACQ is staffed by professionals with extensive experience and knowledge in applied behavior analysis and accreditation.  

Erick M. Dubuque, Ph.D., LBA, BCBA-D
Erick M. Dubuque, Ph.D., LBA, BCBA-DDirector
Dr. Dubuque serves as the Director of ACQ’s industry-wide accreditation program designed to promote quality care for individuals with autism. He is a former assistant professor with over a decade of experience coordinating, advising, teaching, and supervising students across three graduate training programs in applied behavior analysis domestically and internationally. His professional, voluntary, and scholarly activities have centered around quality control in the training and application of behavior analysis. As an accreditation administrator, expert witness, licensure board chair, and consultant, Dr. Dubuque has shaped legislation, regulations, and policies designed to protect the public and increase access to effective and ethical applied behavior analytic services for individuals with autism. Dr. Dubuque received his Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Garry Carneal, JD
Garry Carneal, JDAccreditation Advisor
Garry Carneal is the President & CEO of Schooner Strategies and serves as ACQ’s Accreditation Advisor. He is a leading expert in health care having researched, written and published extensively on quality, medical management, information technology and regulatory trends. Garry has established a track record helping trade associations, accreditation organizations, nonprofits and other health-related businesses scale nationally. Throughout his career, he has brought to market over 25 accreditation programs that have been recognized by 45 states and three federal agencies. He serves on numerous boards and committees in support of improving the U.S. healthcare system. Garry received an undergraduate degree from Washington & Lee University, a master’s degree from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Virginia.

Judy Behm
Administrative Reviewer

Judy Behm serves as an administrative reviewer and assistant for the ACQ. In this role, she helps coordinate standards development, provides support for client customer relations management (CRM) databases and oversees marketing campaigns. Prior to her involvement with ACQ, Judy worked in Maryland with the Institute for Learning Innovations assisting in projects involving lifelong learning and the DNR’s Critical Area Commission supporting project staff. Judy is a graduate of Penn State University.

Stephen Siegel
Technology Support

Stephen oversees ACQ’s portal and provides technical support. He has an educational background in both design and programming, and continually researches new technologies and best practices to refine his workflow. Prior to joining the team, he has worked on a variety of projects in a freelance capacity both in and out of the healthcare spectrum.