Autism and other neurodivergent conditions affect us all in some way. “It’s estimated that 1 in 36 people, or 3 percent of the U.S. population, are on the Autism spectrum, with 9 percent of the population having ADHD. In total, approximately 36 percent of the population has some form of intellectual or developmental disability. This diagnosis group is a rapidly growing one with Autism diagnosis increasing 6.5 percent year- over-year,” said Ralston.  However, what isn’t so constant is how these conditions are treated. Treatment decision-making is far from standardized and can vary greatly from practitioner to practitioner, considering the 500 percent increase in Autism service providers over the last ten years.

“We all either have someone with Autism in our family, or know someone who does,” said Mandy Ralston, founder and CEO of NonBinary Solutions, who has 25 years of experience as a practitioner in the space of Autism service providers.

“I wanted to find a way of digital mentorship and training on a larger scale to help young, inexperienced clinicians with their decision making and treatment planning processes.” — Amanda Ralston

“I realized everybody has a completely different approach to how they go about treatment decisions, onboard clients, and what criteria, if any, they use to determine what treatment pathways to use for all these different people who are on the autism spectrum or have Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), et cetera,” Ralston said. “I found this to be a glaring problem when I was able to zoom out and look at the entire industry.” 

This realization inspired Ralston to take action. She created NonBinary Solutions as a means of standardizing the process of decision-making. NonBinary Solutions’ software, Knowetic®, will not standardize decisions themselves; rather, it standardizes the way clinicians go about making different treatment decisions for individuals on the neurodivergent spectrum. Not only does the Knowetic® software simplify the job of the provider, but it also improves the care of patients. The standardization of the process allows all Autism patients to receive equitable treatment, while making decisions easier for their providers. The software is currently designed to be used by providers. Users are typically people with clinical backgrounds and are the decision-makers within their organizations. 

Ralston is nothing short of an expert in the field of Autism. During her many years as an Autism service provider, Mandy has built two different clinics, the last of which she was able to sell to one of the top five largest providers in the United States. Mandy’s plethora of experience is supported by an impressive educational background, as she holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Master of Education in Education and Applied Behavior Analysis, and a certificate in Data Processing. 

If Ralston’s education and experience don’t speak for themselves, take it from her wins. Mandy was the recipient of this year’s Autism Innovator Award, has been titled an “International Thought Leader” and holds close personal friendships with the Chief Clinical Officers and Chief Operating Officers of the groups her company aims to serve all across the country. With her impressive education, experience, connections and recognition, Ralston was well-equipped to develop a solution to a problem she had grown all too familiar with.

Read the full Article: https://www.launchblue.org/tech-showcase/nonbinary-solutions