ATAMn Membership Information

The Autism Treatment Association of Minnesota (ATAM) is an industry association of providers of autism treatment and related services that serves individuals throughout Minnesota. Our mission is to ensure that the most effective treatment options are accessible to all families. 

We will accomplish this mission by uniting the autism community and providers to make a positive influence on Minnesota public policy. This impact will ensure that Minnesota has a sustainable service delivery system that supports high quality, evidence-based interventions that improve the lives of people with autism and their caregivers. We work to enact laws to advance the interests of our members and the people we serve. 

While we have accomplished much, there continues to be significant challenges to access to treatment that require our on-going attention and efforts. Our current priorities include: 

1. Ensure that the new BCBA licensure bill is rolled out in an expedient process.
2. Ensure that the BCBA license enables the provider to be an EIDBI QSP.
3.  Ensure that the results of the EIDBI facility licensing study are implemented in an effective and efficient manner.
4. Ensure that the results of the current rate study are implemented in a way that supports workforce development.
5. Enhance the EIDBI positive behavior supports amendment with practical due process safeguards that enable providers to meet the behavioral needs of challenging children, thus ensuring that all children, regardless of their level of disability, can access EIDBI.
6. Monitor Medicaid and Health Plan audit programs and ensure appropriate safeguards.
7. Ensure that Health Plan requirements do not violate MHPAEA protections for consumers.
8. Monitor and respond to public acceptance of ABA treatment in light of neurodiversity issues.

The goals above will require organized effort as well as a unified voice from autism providers. We recognize that ATAM will require significant funding in order to advance these efforts through advocacy. We invite you to join ATAM and become a supporting member to have your voice and needs heard. ATAM will communicate regularly with DHS and the Department of Commerce and maintain a professional representation to address the needs of our members and any potential threats to autism treatment in Minnesota. ATAM members will also have opportunities to collaborate on best practices and share resources with one another. ATAM hosts a semi-weekly online meeting to network regarding issues of concern, and share the results of member participation in numerous professional activities throughout Minnesota.

History of Accomplishments.

In the Minnesota legislative session of 2024, ATAM completed its years-long effort to establish a license for behavior analysts, and continued to monitor and support the implementation of the workforce incentive grants. ATAM provided input into a new EIDBI facility licensing study, which is anticipated to result in substantial regulation in the coming years. 

In the Minnesota legislative session of 2023, ATAM worked to obtain emergency relief for providers who were struggling under the weight of significant financial losses brought about by the great workforce resignation following the pandemic. Senator John Hoffman and Representative Mohamud Noor, the Chairs of the Human Services committees, worked diligently with Senator Jim Abeler and parents and provider advocates to successfully pass two relief bills into law: A permanent EIDBI rate increase of 14.99 percent, and an EIDBI provider workforce incentive grant program, both of which are effective January 1, 2024, at the earliest. 

ATAM also monitored and indirectly supported a number of additional achievements. The parent advocates succeeded, after 15 years of advocacy, in finally eliminating the 2003 parental fee for participation in MA TEFRA and HCBS, effective as of July 1, 2023. The DHS will initiate an EIDBI provider licensure study in 2024. The DHS will offer HCBS capacity grants for rural and underserved communities in 2024. PCAs will now be reimbursed for driving clients. And there will be an increase in the number of paid hours for parents providing PCA services. 

Prior to 2023, ATAM members had been working toward our goals by working with parent advocates to advocate for the first Minnesota Autism Task Force in 1995. ATAM members then succeeded in establishing extensive Medicaid coverage in 1999, and then extensive Health Plan coverage in 2001 through a settlement between Attorney General Mike Hatch and the major insurance companies. When that settlement sunsetted in 2007, and the Medicaid CTSS funding had become more and more regimented, the providers incorporated ATAM as a not-for-profit trade organization in 2011. ATAM then succeeded in establishing Governor Dayton’s Early Intensive Developmental Behavioral Intervention benefit (EIDBI) and an insurance mandate in 2013. ATAM then worked to ensure ready access to these benefits for underserved populations and worked to define measures that ensure accountability and progress, which culminated in an accessible EIDBI program in 2018. ATAM also worked to prevent gaps in coverage during transition periods under the Affordable Care Act, and worked to address critical workforce shortages through training partnerships and regulatory reform. These accomplishments were achieved by working closely with large numbers of parent advocates and numerous colleagues in the advocacy community, as well as by partnering with legislative and DHS teams.

There is great strength in numbers, and providers shouldn’t wait for a crisis to strongly organize and collaborate for the advancement and protection of our profession: return the following form and join with us today!