U.S.A. vs. Netherlands – A Global Conversation on Autism Care: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

A webinar hosted by Behavioral Health Business that aired live on June 26, 2025, exploring the contrasting approaches to autism support in the United States and Europe – particularly the Netherlands – focusing on the shift from high-hour Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to parent-mediated and self-directed care models.

Chief Clinical Officer, Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., one of the largest behavioral health networks in the United States, is joined by Yvette Roke, Ph.D., a psychiatrist at GGz Centraal, one of the largest mental health care facilities in the Netherlands, and developer of the SAM (Stress Autism Mate) app, along with Alvin van Asselt, an autistic Ph.D. student researching rejection sensitivity dysphoria in adults with autism.

The three talk about progressive autism support, the need for evolution, elevating autistic voices in the creation of models and how the U.S. systems can look to Europe for solutions that increase access to care while decreasing patient stress and cost.

Key takeaways include:
An overview of the Netherlands’ move away from high-hour ABA programs and the adoption of alternative care models
Progressive care that pinpoints the right measure and yields the most worthwhile outcomes
How the United States can incorporate European methods for more effective care and cost
Insights into parent-mediated care practices and their impact on patient and family wellbeing
The importance of incorporating autistic voices in treatment development and decision-making
Discussion on the ethical considerations of aiming to reduce autistic traits versus supporting individual autonomy

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