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From Amazon to Autism Care: AI Powered Tools for ABA and Diagnostics: Frontera Series on AI with Grant Sickle

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

Release Date: 09/25/2025

Making ABA Research Matter: Practical Dissemination Strategies for Behavior Analytic Scholars, Inside JABA 25 show art Making ABA Research Matter: Practical Dissemination Strategies for Behavior Analytic Scholars, Inside JABA 25

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

Episode Overview In this special episode of the Behavioral Observations Podcast, I had the honor of celebrating the 25th installment of the . This one was particularly meaningful because it also marks the final appearance of Dr. John Borrero in his role as Editor-in-Chief of . I invited John to reflect on his three-year tenure—what he learned from reading an enormous volume of manuscripts, how his thinking evolved, and why adapting our language is essential if we want behavior analysis to reach broader audiences. From there, we transitioned into an...

info_outline Trauma-Informed Behavior Analysis, A Guide for BCBAs: Session 315 with Gabi Morgan and David Adams show art Trauma-Informed Behavior Analysis, A Guide for BCBAs: Session 315 with Gabi Morgan and David Adams

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

Thanks for joining me in Session 315 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast. In this episode, I spoke with Drs.  and  to dive deep into trauma-informed behavior analysis. Gabi brings her 30-year journey in the field—from undergrad roots to professorship at —while David shares his evolution from child and family therapy to clinical psychology, with a heavy focus on foster and adoptive parenting. Both guests are passionate about closing the divide between trauma therapy and behavioral strategies, and they credit mentors like  for lighting the way. We...

info_outline Supporting Schools in Hawaii with the Care Project: Session 314, Live from HABA 2025 show art Supporting Schools in Hawaii with the Care Project: Session 314, Live from HABA 2025

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

If you follow Behavioral Observations on , you might recall that I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to the 20th Annual  conference to give the closing Keynote Address. I could devote an entire podcast episode to talking about all the wonderful people I met, the fun experiences I had, and the amazing sights I was able to take in. One of the biggest highlights though, was the opportunity to sneak in the following conversation I had with a panel of employees from Hawaii's Department of Education. It turns out that the State of Hawaii is doing some innovative work in...

info_outline Client Assent in Behavior Analysis: Balancing Autonomy & Clinical Progress, Session 313 with Cody Morris show art Client Assent in Behavior Analysis: Balancing Autonomy & Clinical Progress, Session 313 with Cody Morris

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

In Session 313, Dr. Cody Morris from , and the newly re-launched podcast (please also see ), joins me to dive into a topic that has merited quite a bit of discussion in Applied Behavior Analysis. These days, you pretty much have to be living under a rock in ABA circles to not have noticed the increased focus on assent practices in treatment programming. Cody is one of the preeminent authorities on this topic, and in this episode, we talk about the definitions of assent, how assent has been conceptualized in other fields, and how it applies to the work we do as Behavior Analysts. In doing so,...

info_outline From Amazon to Autism Care: AI Powered Tools for ABA and Diagnostics: Frontera Series on AI with Grant Sickle show art From Amazon to Autism Care: AI Powered Tools for ABA and Diagnostics: Frontera Series on AI with Grant Sickle

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

In this episode of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I talk with , former Amazon product leader and current head of product at , a company building AI-powered platforms to improve autism care. Grant shares how his team is developing  and  tools to shorten waitlists, streamline reporting, and support clinicians in delivering more efficient ABA therapy. We also discuss how Frontera’s  app enables HIPAA-compliant behavior tracking, parent engagement, and asynchronous supervision — while addressing the issue of . This conversation highlights...

info_outline Culturally Sensitive Approaches to ABA Treatment: Session 311 show art Culturally Sensitive Approaches to ABA Treatment: Session 311

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

In Session 311, I sit down with Christina Nylander and Leah Hussain from  to talk about culturally sensitive approaches to Autism intervention. We dive into three case studies that show how flexible, individualized care can make a huge difference in building the rapport that's so important in our clinical work. Along the way, we share strategies for gaining parent buy-in, supporting bilingual language development, and using AAC devices to help children communicate more effectively with their families. Here’s what we cover: The parent...

info_outline Improving Health Routines for Adults with Disabilities Using Synchronous Reinforcement Strategies: Inside JABA 24 show art Improving Health Routines for Adults with Disabilities Using Synchronous Reinforcement Strategies: Inside JABA 24

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

In this episode of the Inside JABA Series podcast, we dive into a fascinating discussion on health-related routines for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Dr. Katie McHugh, Dr. Claudia Dozier, and Editor-in-Chief Dr. John Borrero share insights from their recent study, Synchronous Reinforcement Schedules Promote Tolerance of Health-Related Routines for Adults with Disabilities. The conversation explores how synchronous reinforcement schedules—where reinforcement occurs in real time alongside behavior—can improve tolerance for essential routines like...

info_outline Improving Autism and Law Enforcement Interactions through ABA: Session 309 with Lyndsy Coffield show art Improving Autism and Law Enforcement Interactions through ABA: Session 309 with Lyndsy Coffield

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

In Session 309, I welcome Dr. Lyndsy Coffield, Director of Client Success at , to share her unique journey in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and her groundbreaking work training law enforcement officers on autism awareness. Dr. Coffield’s path into ABA began with an undergraduate degree in speech pathology, later becoming an RBT and eventually a BCBA. Today, she oversees intake and marketing at a growing clinic network in Georgia while also dedicating her research to improving police interactions with individuals on the autism spectrum. This episode explores the...

info_outline Sleep, Autism, and Screen Time: Session 308 with Emily Varon show art Sleep, Autism, and Screen Time: Session 308 with Emily Varon

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

Episode Overview In this episode, sleep expert Emily Varon returns to the Behavioral Observations Podcast to share her deep expertise in sleep improvement—especially within the autism community. Drawing from 15 years of experience, Emily emphasizes personalized approaches, the role of wearable technology, and the importance of sensitivity when discussing sleep challenges with families. She also discusses new research on screen time and its true impact on sleep latency, offering insights that can reshape how behavior analysts approach sleep-related interventions. Key Topics Covered...

info_outline Dissociative Identity Disorder through a Behavior Analytic Lens: Session 307 with Brady Phelps show art Dissociative Identity Disorder through a Behavior Analytic Lens: Session 307 with Brady Phelps

The Behavioral Observations Podcast with Matt Cicoria

In this episode of the Behavioral Observations Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with , about a topic that has perplexed, and perhaps captivated both mainstream Psychology as well as pop culture: Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Our wide-ranging conversation explored the intersection of behavior analysis, mental health, and trauma, with a special focus on how we can understand DID through a scientific, behavioral lens. Brady’s Career Journey Brady shared how he discovered behavior analysis almost by accident as an undergrad at Utah State University,...

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In this episode of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, I talk with Grant Sickle, former Amazon product leader and current head of product at Frontera, a company building AI-powered platforms to improve autism care.

Grant shares how his team is developing assessment and diagnostic tools to shorten waitlists, streamline reporting, and support clinicians in delivering more efficient ABA therapy. We also discuss how Frontera’s digital phenotyping app enables HIPAA-compliant behavior tracking, parent engagement, and asynchronous supervision — while addressing the issue of fraud prevention.

This conversation highlights both the promise and the challenges of using AI in clinical settings, emphasizing the importance of clinician oversight, robust validation, and feedback loops. Grant also shares insights from Frontera’s home-based pilot program, which helps parents capture real-world behavior data to support better generalization and treatment planning.

Whether you’re a BCBA, RBT, parent, or researcher, this episode offers a fascinating look at the intersection of technology, autism care, and ethical ABA practice.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • How Frontera is building AI-driven assessment and diagnostic tools for autism care
  • Why clinician oversight remains critical in AI-powered healthcare solutions
  • Insights into fraud prevention in ABA therapy using videographic evidence and facial recognition
  • How home-based video tracking is supporting behavior generalization and parent engagement
  • The challenges of adoption among BCBAs versus RBTs and parents
  • Future directions for AI in ABA, including outcome measurement and identifying autism subpopulations
  • The technique Amazon's founder used to find and correct problems

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