History

In 1989 some state and federal officials observed Masoud Moazami doing direct hands-on type work with individuals who exhibited the most challenging issues.

Due to extraordinary success being achieved, the officials concluded that this approach should be used on broader scale. The philosophies, approaches, and techniques, etc. being used were a dramatic departure from those techniques commonly used at the time.

The philosophies, approaches, and techniques being used by Masoud emphasized the following:

Dr. Masoud Moazami                  Dr. William Riddle                         Lari Moazami

1. Valuing and respecting the individuals with disabilities as a human being and not a lesser being, etc.
2. Teaching/ learning with the individual, their staff, and others rather than continual use of chemical and physical restraint, aversive techniques and punishment, etc.
3. professionals involved work directly with the individual and their staff/others in natural setting to the extent possible, rather than a long range approach (i.e. sitting in the office and engaging in phone calls, meetings etc to the extent of loosing sight of getting to know the individual and their families, etc.
4. Using assessment that assists the individual with challenging issues rather than simply meeting requirements for making the assessment which resulted in additional labeling, etc. 
5. Writing a plan directed toward teaching/learning with the individual, staff, and others. A plan that requires changes by individual, by others, environment, system, etc rather than writing a plan that is punitive and expects the individual to make all the changes.
6. Billing only for the service that have been provided rather than billing for the service that were not provided or not provided adequately. (i.e. spending 5 minutes and billing for hours)

following encouragement for some state and federal officials, ETL Institute was established on August 1, 1993 in order to serve individuals with challenging issues who were moved into the community as a result of the Hissom Memorial Center, Homeward Bound Lawsuits. The ETL program has expanded in order to serve all individuals with disabilities. 

"If we have not learned a therapeutic lesson from the mistakes that have been made in the past, we will be doomed to repeat history."

"What has been gained can be lost much more rapidly than it was gained if we do not have therapeutic checks and balances, safety net, support, etc."

                                                                                                                                  Dr. Masoud Moazami

Our Mission

In ETL, our mission is to develop a system, environment and teaching/ learning opportunities, etc. which bring out the best in everyone regardless of race, culture, nationality, gender, religion, ability, etc.

Main Objectives

Our main objectives are to promote empowerment, self control, rights, responsibilities, accountability, quality in life, and self-reliance in meeting the therapeutic needs and wants of individuals and their family, staff, advocates, and teachers.

Contact Information

Telephone

918-749-8717

FAX

918-749-8797

Postal address

1717 E. Skelly Drive

        Tulsa, OK  74105

Electronic mail

General Information: INFO@ETL.ORG

Send mail to INFO@ETL.ORG with questions or comments about this web site.