McNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY
McNeese State University’s Autism Program (MAP) offers students an opportunity to become registered line technicians and assist with providing high-quality therapeutic services to children on the autism spectrum.
“Registered line technicians (RLT) work one-on-one with clients who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. They implement the therapeutic behavior interventions that have been deemed necessary by the board-certified behavior analyst supervising them. They utilize those therapeutic interventions to help clients with communication skills, social skills and other behavioral concerns,” explained Brandi Cart, operations director of MAP and the Kay Doré Counseling Clinic.
MAP is part of the McNeese Department of Psychology and Counseling’s nationally recognized training program in applied behavior analysis (ABA).
Recent McNeese graduates, Emma Trahan and Alicia Gill, worked as RLTs while earning their bachelor’s degrees in psychology.
Trahan, of Lake Charles, learned about the opportunity from Dr. Joanna Thompson, an associate professor in psychology, and Gill, of Boston, Massachusetts, knew about RLTs from her older sister’s experiences with applied behavior analysis and sought out the opportunity.
“I think seeing and hearing what my older sister as an RLT inspired me to work with children. Once I was trained and learned more about it, I fell in love with the job, and the kiddos helped me open up and be less introverted and reserved,” Gill said.
Gill says working with the children is the best part of the job.
“Each child is unique and is just a blast to be around! Even when we have our rough days or sessions, it’s still wonderful to see the kiddos bounce back and get back into a good mood whether within the day or the next,” she said. “It’s even more rewarding when you get to see them improve their skills and meet milestones and knowing that I am part of a child’s development is such a wonderful feeling.”
“Working with children gives you a new perspective on life, and they teach you to define joy and excitement all around you,” Trahan said. “But the best part of the job is the connections you make with the kids and being able to watch their progress.”
According to Cart, students with any major can become a RLT and take the skills they learn into their careers. In addition to psychology, other majors that might find the skills useful include nursing, teaching, business and kinesiology. Being a registered line technician at MAP is a flexible job for McNeese students that is on campus and provides valuable hands-on experience.
“Individuals hired to be RLTs are fully trained by the staff at the MAP, and they are paid while in training,” she said. “The only skills they need to bring with them are empathy, patience and a passion to make a difference in the lives of others.”
“This job will help me in my future career because it has taught me important real-life applications of psychology,” Trahan said.
“Whether or not I chose to continue to work with children, the experience and knowledge I have gained in this line of work can be used anywhere. ABA is a rapidly expanding field in terms of research and new ways to support clients. I can generalize what I’ve learned by working with children with special needs,” Gill said. “It is such a wonderful feeling, knowing you can take previous experience and knowledge and apply it to practically anywhere you go.”
For more information about MAP visit www.mcneese.edu/autism/, and McNeese students interested in becoming a RLT may contact Devin Byram, coordinator of clinics, at dbyram@mcneese.edu to request an application.
