rethink An Endeavor of Technology for Humanity

As per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) projection, approximately 17% of newborn children will be diagnosed with a developmental disability such as Autism, making them more prevalent than Pediatric Cancer, Diabetes and AIDS combined. Prestigious health institutions such as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend ‘Applied Behavior Analysis’ (ABA) as the primary treatment for such conditions.

The potential of this highly effective treatment is limited by the fact that only about 30,000 certified behavior therapists are available worldwide against the needs of millions of patients. Daniel Etra, CEO of RethinkFirst, co-founded the Company with a mission to bridge the gap between trained ABA professionals and the growing number of patients suffering from developmental disabilities.

The unique Rethink program

It is an individualized comprehensive treatment program containing over 1500 video-based demonstrations. Developed by experts recognized internationally with the purpose of training parents, caregivers, professionals, and paraprofessionals, this unique program addresses managing behavioral issues and teaches critical skills related to developmental disability.

Some features of the programs are as below:

• Automated data-based reports tracking progress in real-time
• Coordination between team members
• Allowing robust data analytics on the outcomes The Company also offers tech-enabled remote services such as program development initiatives supported by in-house clinicians.

Moreover, the practice management offered by RethinkFirst enables tracking of service authorizations and cost of treatment as it relates to clinical outcomes.

Helping millions of people

Rethink addresses the issues of caregivers who are compelled to work fewer hours due to their children’s needs. The unique program of RethinkFirst inculcates a culture of wellness amongst the workforce and helps improce the productivity of employees. Rethink is currently available to companies employing over 3.5 millions employees, covering over 7 million total lives,’ added Etra. There is a unique special needs management platform for public school districts – the Rethinkt Ed solution. It is used in all 50 states including large urban districts like New York City down to small rural districts. Rethink Ed enables schools to meet federal IDEA and state-specific legislative mandate requirements for the education of special-needs students. Moreover, Rethink Ed’s program helps in the training of district staff while accurately measuring a student’s progress. Clients have reported superior outcomes and significant cost-saving as it eliminates the need for out-of-district placements for private programs. The cost of such private programs can range up to $100,000 per year per student.

Costco’s happy employees

The positive effects that Rethink brings are apparent in Costco Wholesale’s case. The American MNC offered Rethink’s program to its the employees, andsoon after, the president of the company received many letters of appreciation. The director of Employee Benefits at Costco, Donna Sexton, remarked that “no other employee benefit received this level of attention before, with employees thanking the company for offering it and noting what a difference it made in their lives.”

Daniel Etra, CEO of RethinkFirst

Daniel Etra and his teamhave leveraged many aspects of technology to fulfill their mission. They identified video modeling as a research-based way to educate people who care for such patients as this method has proven benefits in the field of medicine and the military. ‘While combining this instructional method with the medically proven ABA treatment methodology, we created an online training and support system for caregivers,’ said Etra.
Rethink employs a unique method combining large datasets with information about the outcomes of possible treatments available for developmental disabilities. This can be used to develop a full treatment protocol in the coming future. The motive is to accurately predict the outcome of various interventions, something that is not available at present but required desperately.

Built day-by-day

Rethink, today, is a an award winning program used by professionals and non-professionals alike. However, it has been a journey in the making. “Building a successful company does not happen overnight, and the expression ’10-year overnight success’ certainly holds true,” says Etra. The determined CEO of Rethink is now looking forward to the Company’s new developments.
The roadmap ahead
Rethink is expanding its core product offering beyond providing support for developmental disabilities to include support for people with neurodiverse conditions in the workplace. The current COVID-19 pandemic has added additional mental strain to the patients and caregivers, making the Rethink program even more significant to employers.
By following a unique approach, Rethink has devised a perfect union of traditional ABA therapy with modern technology. Mr. Etra endeavors to develop productive solutions for individuals with developmental disabilities and neurodiverse conditions. Rethink will continue to inspire everyone with its goal of entrepreneurship and humanitarianism.