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Getting Burned Out in ABA: How to Reduce Burnout in Your Career

by ravenhealth | Sep 25, 2023 | ABA Industry, Blogs

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Board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) play a vital role in creating and implementing applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy programs, supporting the growth and development of their learners. However, BCBAs and other ABA professionals are known to experience high levels of burnout. Burnout encompasses the physical, emotional, and psychological exhaustion resulting from ongoing workplace stress. This phenomenon has significant implications for the ABA field.

Burnout is a pervasive issue that affects individuals across various domains of life, from the workplace to academia and personal life. Finding effective strategies to rejuvenate and restore balance becomes crucial when faced with burnout. This article explores the intersection of burnout and ABA.

What are the symptoms of burnout in ABA providers?

With the unprecedented cultural phenomenon of COVID-19 and the added stresses that came along with this, the rate of burnout in the ABA industry has reached an all-time high.

In a recent study of 800 ABA practitioners, over 70% reported medium or high levels of burnout.

Unfortunately, this is not surprising, given the nature of the work. Social work, healthcare, and other “helping fields” have been known to have a higher-than-average burnout rate.

Before we can consider strategies for beating and avoiding burnout, we must first be able to identify the symptoms of it in ourselves and our supervisees. Burnout can manifest in different ways for everyone. However, there are many common signs. So, what does burnout in ABA look like?

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You may be experiencing burnout if you identify with more than a few of the following:

● Consistently calling in or arriving late

● Constantly feeling overwhelmed at work

● Reduced motivation and enthusiasm for work

● Having a difficult time focusing or getting work done without procrastinating

● Feeling like your job does not matter or you are not effective (i.e., imposter syndrome)

● Frequently getting frustrated with coworkers, clients, or organizational processes

● Feeling emotionally and physically drained

● Increased irritability or other unpleasant emotions, such as sadness or hopelessness

● Physical symptoms, such as headaches or chronic stomachaches

● Insomnia or sleeping more than usual

What are the Factors that Contribute to BCBA Burnout?

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Burnout is a complicated and multifaceted experience. While additional stressors that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated feelings of burnout in ABA professionals, burnout is not new to this field. BCBAs tend to experience burnout due to a combination of factors related to their work responsibilities and personal lives.

burnout due to a combination of factors related to their work responsibilities and personal lives.

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Some of the primary factors that contribute to burnout in the ABA industry include:

A heavy workload–BCBAs tend to wear multiple hats, balancing heavy caseloads and endless administrative duties. Long working hours and a constant balancing of expectations can create burnout. As the demand for behavior analysts continues to rise, some ABA organizations take on more clients than they can handle. This can result in assigning large caseloads or requiring staff to work with clients whose needs are beyond their scope of competence.
A lack of resources and support–When a heavy workload is a factor of burnout, it is often paired with a lack of resources and support. Poor training or insufficient or inadequate ongoing guidance is one contributing factor. In addition to a lack of support, a lack of resources, such as streamlined data technology, scheduling, and billing resources, can make a BCBA’s job significantly more challenging, enhancing feelings of burnout.
Unrealistic work demands–Going hand-in-hand with a heavy workload, unrealistic work demands can make a behavior analyst feel ineffective, resulting in imposter syndrome. Most BCBAs go into this line of work to help others. Feeling ineffective due to unrealistic demands and heavy caseloads can be incredibly defeating.
Emotionally taxing work–Those working in helping professions tend to experience higher rates of burnout due to the emotionally taxing work that they do. Supporting individuals with intense behavioral needs and working through complex family dynamics can create emotional exhaustion in BCBAs.
Workplace conflict–ABA therapy settings with high levels of conflict can increase the likelihood of burnout. Conflict may arise with clients and caregivers as a BCBA navigates sensitive situations. Conflict may also arise with coworkers, supervisees, or supervisors. Research has found that conflict in the workplace is less likely to result in burnout when one has access to supportive co-workers or supervisors (Leiter & Maslach, 1998).

What Can Be Done to Beat BCBA Burnout?

Beating BCBA burnout requires a combination of organizational support and individual self-care strategies. The following list outlines several antecedent strategies organizations can employ that may reduce the likelihood of burnout in ABA practitioners.

Implement streamlined data collection practices:

Paper and pen data systems can create unnecessary busy work for behavior analysts, making their jobs more complex and taking vital time away from client care. As such, organizations can support their staff by utilizing electronic data collection that allows for seamless data collection, analysis of data, and report writing integration.

Enhance Training Procedures:

Improving your training and onboarding procedures is another strategy for reducing burnout. Organizations should regularly seek the feedback of their employees regarding training practices and enhance training protocols to meet the evolving needs of their teams. The onboarding process is essential for ensuring new staff adapt to the organization’s procedures and are well-prepared for their new role. However, training does not end after onboarding. Ongoing training and professional development should be a key focus for maintaining high-quality work and reducing the likelihood of BCBA burnout. Think outside the box. Consider pieces of training and resources for stress management, self-care, and burnout prevention, in addition to clinical training.

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Supervision and Support: Ensure your BCBAs have access to regular supervision and support. Providing case support and organizational tools can help your BCBAs avoid overextending themselves, resulting in a lower likelihood of burnout. Find a healthy balance in supporting your team without micromanaging them.

Invest in technology and tools that make it easier for your BCBAs to do their job well–From practice management and data collection technologies to assessments and stimuli. Again, seek feedback from your team on what resources are the most essential for them.

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Offer recognition and appreciation:

Don’t forget to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of your employees. As any ABA professional knows, positive reinforcement can make a significant impact on morale and work-related behaviors.

Raven Health offers ABA organizations a comprehensive solution to many of the factors that impact BCBA burnout. With a mobile platform, streamlined scheduling, and secure data collection, we aim to make the job of ABA professionals more enjoyable and less likely to evoke burnout. Allow your team to focus on enhanced client care by providing them with software that streamlines multiple aspects of their role.

To learn more about our platform and how we can support your team’s needs, book a demo today.

BCBA Work-Life Balance Tips

Working as a behavior analyst can be both tremendously rewarding and emotionally draining.

Compassion fatigue, the experience of physical, emotional, and psychological exhaustion that results from helping others, is quite common in ABA clinicians. This can be a cause of and further exacerbate feelings of burnout.

Establishing a healthy work-life balance is crucial to reduce the impact of compassion fatigue and minimize the likelihood of burnout. Consider the following recommendations for maintaining a work-life balance and avoiding burnout.

Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries regarding your work and personal life.

For example, set specified working hours and avoid taking on tasks outside of work hours, including phone calls and emails.

Communicate these boundaries with your employer, staff, and clients at the start of a new role, and continue to communicate new boundaries as they arise.

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Advocate for support: When feeling overwhelmed, communicate a need for support before you reach the point of burnout.

Pay attention to precursor signs that may indicate you’re reaching your limit.

Advocate for assistance with workload management, additional supervision, organizational tools, or whatever else would make your job easier and more manageable.

Take breaks:

Constantly working can quickly bring on physical and emotional exhaustion, resulting in burnout.

Take time off to refresh and rejuvenate, whether a week-long vacation or a long weekend lazying around the home. Even short breaks during your workday can help you recharge.

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Make self-care a priority: Prioritize self-care to reduce the impact that job-related stressors have on you. Incorporate relaxation techniques, exercise, mindfulness, and hobbies into your routines. Be sure to allocate time in your daily schedule for activities that bring you joy and reduce stress.

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Reflect and adjust: Achieving and maintaining a work-life balance is an ongoing process. It’s easy to get into a rut as you go about your weekly routines, and before you know it, you’ve lost sight of your priorities.

Periodically evaluate your work-life balance and make modifications as necessary. Be flexible, as life can be unpredictable. However, be sure you are continuing to prioritize your personal needs and advocating for yourself.

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Raven Health’s Mission to Equip the ABA Industry

At Raven Health, we are passionate about improving outcomes for both clients and ABA professionals.

To achieve the best possible outcomes for clients, the well-being of BCBAs and other ABA clinicians must be a top priority. We take this need seriously, tailoring our solutions to match the current and evolving needs of the ABA industry.

Raven Health is equipping the ABA industry with technology that actually makes client sessions easier. Improve your team’s job satisfaction and reduce BCBA burnout with our seamless and intuitive ABA data collection platform.

Request a demo today or start a free 30-day trial to see our platform in action and learn more about how we’re transforming care through technology.

If you find this information helpful, please share it with another BCBA.

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References

Maslach, C., & Goldberg, J. (1998). Prevention of burnout: New perspectives. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 7(1), 63–74.

Morse, G., Salyers, M. P., Rollins, A. L., Monroe-DeVita, M., & Pfahler, C. (2012). Burnout in mental health services: a review of the problem and its remediation. Administration and policy in mental health, 39(5), 341–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-011-0352-1

Novack, M. & Dixon, D. (2019). Predictors of burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover in behavior technicians working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 6, 413–421. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-019-00171-0

Plantiveau, C., Dounavi, K., & Virués-Ortega, J. (2018) High levels of burnout among early-career board-certified behavior analysts with low collegial support in the work environment. European Journal of Behavior Analysis, 19:2, 195-207, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15021149.2018.1438339

Schaufeli, W., & Enzmann, D. (1998). The burnout companion to study and practice: A critical analysis. CRC press.

Slowiak, J. M., & DeLongchamp, A. C. (2022). Self-care strategies and job-crafting practices among behavior analysts: Do they predict perceptions of work–life balance, work engagement, and burnout? Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15(2), 414–432. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00570-y

WebMD. (n.d.). Compassion fatigue: Symptoms to look for. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/signs-compassion-fatigue

Five Reasons ABA Clinic Directors Love Raven Health

by ravenhealth | Apr 24, 2023 | Blogs, Uncategorized

As an ABA clinic director, managing your clinic can be a challenging task. From scheduling appointments to tracking client progress, there’s a lot to keep track of. Fortunately, Raven Health offers a mobile-first platform that is designed to make your life easier.

Five reasons why ABA clinic directors love Raven Health

Mobile-first platform

Raven Health’s software is designed for use on mobile devices, making it easy to manage your clinic from anywhere. Whether you’re working from home or on-the-go, you can access all of your clinic’s data and manage your schedule with ease. This flexibility is essential for clinic directors who are always on the move.

Scheduling made easy

With Raven Health, scheduling appointments is a breeze. You can easily view your team’s availability, schedule new appointments, and send reminders to clients and staff. This makes it easy to stay organized and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Intuitive interface

Raven Health’s interface is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive. You can quickly find the information you need, customize your dashboard, and easily navigate the software. This makes it easy for new users to get started and for experienced users to quickly find what they need.

Security and compliance

Raven Health takes security and compliance seriously. Their software is HIPAA-compliant, and they use advanced security measures to protect your clinic’s data. This ensures that your clients’ information is protected and that your clinic is in compliance with all relevant regulations.

Reliable data collection

Raven Health’s data collection tools are reliable and easy to use. You can easily record and track client progress, generate reports, and share data with your team. This makes it easy to stay on top of your clients’ progress and to make informed decisions about their treatment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Raven Health provides ABA clinic directors with a comprehensive solution that offers a mobile-first platform, easy scheduling, intuitive interface, and secure data collection. By choosing Raven Health, you can simplify your workflow, manage your clinic more efficiently, and provide top-quality autism behavior therapy for your clients. With its user-friendly interface, reliable data collection tools, and advanced security measures, Raven Health is an excellent choice for any ABA clinic director who wants to streamline their clinic’s operations and improve their bottom line. Give Raven Health a try today and experience the benefits for yourself.

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Transforming value-based care in behavioral health

by ravenhealth | Mar 21, 2023 | Behavioral Health, Blogs

Raven Health, a behavioral health platform, is well on its way to transform the way healthcare providers and payers collaborate. Our vision is to be the data platform that supports provider-payer value-based care partnerships in behavioral health to improve client outcomes.

Value-based care in behavioral health

Value-based care (VBC) is an approach to healthcare delivery that focuses on achieving better patient outcomes while controlling costs. VBC is an emerging trend in behavioral health. It has the potential to improve access to care, increase patient satisfaction, and reduce overall costs of care.

However, there are several challenges that exist with value-based care in behavioral health, which can limit its effectiveness:

Data standardization and interoperability: The lack of standardized data in behavioral health makes it difficult to assess outcomes and measure quality of care. Behavioral health providers often use different assessment tools, making it difficult to compare outcomes across providers. In addition, interoperability challenges exist as many systems used by behavioral health providers do not integrate with each other.
Limited access to care: Many people with behavioral health conditions, particularly those in underserved populations, do not have access to care. This can result in delayed intervention, which can lead to worse patient outcomes and higher costs.
Provider reimbursement: Historically, behavioral health providers have been reimbursed on a fee-for-service basis, which can incentivize providers to provide more services, rather than focusing on outcomes. VBC models can be complex to implement and require significant investment in infrastructure, which can be a challenge for smaller providers.
Lack of provider collaboration: Behavioral health is often provided by a variety of professionals, including social workers, counselors, behavioral analysts (BCBAs), and psychiatrists. These providers may work in different settings and may not collaborate effectively, leading to fragmentation of care.
Stigma: Stigma surrounding behavioral health can lead to reluctance to seek care and can make it difficult to engage patients in their care. This can result in missed opportunities for early intervention and can lead to higher costs in the long run.
Measurement challenges: It can be difficult to measure outcomes in behavioral health. Behavioral health conditions often have subjective symptoms that can be difficult to quantify, making it difficult to measure progress.

Raven Health supports provider-payer VBC partnerships in behavioral health

Raven Health is a fast-growing, behavioral health platform that supports data collection for modern clinicians. Our mobile-first technology simplifies client sessions by providing reliable and intuitive behavior tracking and reporting.

The platform captures behavioral clinical data at the point of care through an interoperability platform. In real-time, the clinical data is standardized and combined with any other clinical or administrative data. Providers and payers using the Raven Health platform take a more holistic, data-driven approach to care.

Raven Health’s CEO, Richard Wagner states, “We have a big vision: to be the platform to support provider-payer VBC partnerships in behavioral health. We’re already well on our way. Today our platform can serve recommendations to clinicians at the point of programming, enable providers to use payer-specific session note templates, power admin dashboards for payers to support population management, and we’re just getting started. “

Clinicians using the Raven Health platform are able to spend more time with clients and less time burdened with administrative duties.

Intuitive, mobile-first technology: Clinicians are up-and-running with our modern data platform in less than 15 minutes. The sleek user interface is easy to navigate and designed for modern clinicians.

Robust template library: Clinicians gain access to standard treatment plans. They can modify these plans based on the needs of each individual client.

Offline mode: Clinicians working in environments with an unstable internet connection feel secure. They know that their activities will sync when the internet connection is restored.

Reporting and graphing: Clinicians are able to measure client outcomes over time to better understand if their care plans are effective. These reports are securely shared with members of the clients care team.

Raven Health’s platform is game-changer. Providers and payers alike will benefit. We are well on our way of achieving our vision of transforming value-based care in behavioral health.

Want to learn more about Raven Health? Schedule a demo today!

How Managed Billing With Raven+ Can Transform Your Practice

by ravenhealth | Nov 7, 2022 | Blogs, Uncategorized

Find Your Billing Solution

Billing shouldn’t be complicated, but with so many options out there it can be. Managing billing needs to be straightforward and streamlined, which is why we created Raven+ and Raven Enterprise. Our comprehensive solution is designed to help you maximize efficiency and increase your profitability without all of the hassle. With a streamlined process, independent auditing services, and accurate reporting, you can rest easy knowing that your billing needs are being met.

Launching Your ABA Startup

As a BCBA working in the ABA community, your day-in and day-out goal is to provide the highest quality and ethically sound care you can. The years spent training and studying have prepared you to do just that.

For some, the desire to have a greater impact on the community they work with leads them to make the brave decision to go out on their own, hang up a shingle, and open their own ABA company.

For most, it is not an easy decision to arrive at. It can be a scary road to take, as there are many things to consider beyond just the delivery of high-quality clinical care.

Avoiding Audits, Claim Denials, and Other ABA Hurdles

The transition into being a new business owner after working as a BCBA, Clinical Director, or even in a senior clinical leadership role, can feel overwhelming.

There are so many areas of running a successful business that you may not have been exposed to in your previous role. Just to get your business started, there are myriad legal steps to complete, specific types of insurance to acquire, and financial relationships to develop.

Once you have taken the initial steps to establish your business, you must contract and credential with the funding sources you plan to work with. This can be a complicated and timely process that, if not done correctly, can lead to delays in starting treatment with clients, delays in claims payment, and even claims denials.

It is imperative that this process is done correctly, to ensure timely access for clients and ease of payment for you.

Maximizing the Right Tools: Raven’s Managed Billing Solution

When it comes to the claims process, you have a few options: you can attempt to do it yourself, hire someone to come in and do it for you, or you can outsource this process to experts that will work on your behalf to ensure you get the payments you are entitled to, as well as keep you safe from audits. With Raven’s managed billing solution, our network of specialists can take care of the details and eliminate the hassle, so you can focus on what really matters.

Raven+ and Raven Enterprise offer solutions to fit your needs. Let the Raven team handle to the complicated process of contracting, credentialing, authorization submission and management, benefits verification, claims scrubbing, and claim submission.

Raven allows you to focus on what you do best as a clinical team, and we handle the rest.

Tim Crilly, BCBA

Why We Prioritize User Feedback

by ravenhealth | Oct 25, 2022 | Blogs, Uncategorized

At Raven, one of our guiding principles is active listening. Our company culture is built around the idea that everyone has a voice that deserves to be heard, and we all have something of value to contribute. Serving the autism community has taught us that voices from diverse backgrounds add insight and nuance to our collective knowledge.

Without actively listening to new perspectives, we close ourselves off from creativity and positive change. That is why we extend our core value of listening to our user base. Our product was built for behavior technicians, and we recognize that we have so much to learn from the people in a position to use Raven every day.

Incorporating feedback, requests, and insights from the people we aim to serve ensures that we stay on track and deliver a best-in-class product that is tailor-made to meet our users’ needs.

The Raven Health User Feedback Portal

Our app was designed to save time and add convenience for autism behavior analysts as they track the behaviors and skill development of their clients. In addition to the features you know and love, we are proud to operate and maintain a user feedback portal that is integral to the process of learning, using, and updating the Raven Health app.

On the feedback portal, Raven users can request new features, and enhancements to existing features, as well as upvote other users’ requests. Every two weeks, the topmost upvoted requests are directly analyzed by our product team for inclusion into our roadmap for new developments and updates to the platform. All you need is Raven Health log-in credentials to begin contributing to the conversation and helping us further develop the app.

In addition to the Roadmap View and the ability to give feedback, the user feedback portal also has a changelog where you can read about all of the updates we have made to the product thus far. Our goal is to keep our users in the know about the changes they can expect to see from Raven and keep ourselves accountable to our goal of continuously improving the platform.

Why User Feedback Matters

Prioritizing user feedback ensures that Raven stays true to the needs of our user base and incorporates the latest trends and advancements in the ABA therapy field. We can identify commonalities in user needs across a variety of settings and push those features to the forefront of our development. Raven incorporates feedback from users based in a wide array of settings including clinic-based ABA therapy providers, school-based BCBAs, and adult residential programs, ensuring that user experience always drives our product development.

As we navigate the landscape of an underserved client base, Raven prioritizes listening to our users to continuously improve our product. Doing so helps us make sure that ABA providers are benefiting from using the best technology out there. These benefits are wide-reaching, as every part of the behavior therapy business depends on diligent and seamless ABA data collection for billing insurance, measuring progress, and planning future care.

Our product development has always been informed and guided by BCBAs. Whether you deliver clinic-based care, school-based care, or operate a private practice, we want to hear from you as you use Raven to fulfill your ABA data collection needs. Our commitment to listening and incorporating user feedback is central to our vision of success: delivering an ABA technology solution that makes life easier for our users.

Is ABA data collection stuck in the past?

by ravenhealth | Sep 22, 2022 | Blogs, Uncategorized

A History of Innovation

Insurance coverage for autism care has been available throughout the United States for close to a decade, and in some states, far longer. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board began certifying BCBAs in the late 90s, creating a general standard for how autism care is approached.

These turning points have resulted in countless families receiving help that would not have been available to them otherwise. For that, we as an ABA community should be forever grateful for the work and personal sacrifice that went into making this a reality.

Having been in this field for nearly twenty years, I have witnessed some extraordinary innovations that have moved our industry forward. But lately, I have found myself asking: are we still somehow stuck in the past?

Caregiver pointing to ipad graph from Raven Health while working with child

Clinical RecommendationsWhile no two clients — or analysts — are the same, developing consistency in diagnosis and maintenance of care can only stand to benefit the ABA community. Since the industry lacks tools to develop agreement and consistency, are there any two BCBAs that can honestly agree on the most appropriate recommendations for a client receiving care?

Report Development for ABA Data Collection

Due to the complex and regulated nature of ABA data collection, many BCBAs are mired in reporting for hours on end, and not necessarily getting paid for the extra work. When will the ABA community move to ease the process of report writing, and make it easier to accomplish within billable hours? How is it that progress reports can be over 75 pages long and yet contain only a few relevant things?

Training Future BCBAs

Behavior analyst training varies widely from state to state. When will there be a unified system in place to create well-trained BCBAs? When will we build consensus around standards of care, to create a consistent clinical product at the national level?

Roughly half of all BCBAs have had their credentials for less than three years. Does this speak to a critical lack of support for experienced analysts? Since data collection is such a crucial part of the job, more attention should be given to streamlining the process, making it simpler and more impactful for behavior analysts.

“Jack of all Trades” Model for BCBAs

A BCBA can work in conjunction with schools, learning development centers, hospitals, and independent practices. Why are training models not covering all types of service?

Why are there so many missed opportunities to provide caregivers guidance on treatment and clinical outcomes?

Improving ABA Therapy Assessments

It takes time for a client and a BCBA to form a connection and acclimate to a new system of care. This process is compounded by the outdated, ineffective, and inaccurate assessments that follow a diagnosis. Why are there so many poor assessments and inaccurate programming at the onset of care?

Transforming Care through Technology

It is time we begin to look toward the next transformative innovation in our field, as a way to provide more consistent, ethical, and individually appropriate care.

While consistent care remains the top priority, innovation will also usher in a new era of reduced training time and costs. Equipping new BCBAs with a simplified reporting process and streamlined program builder will empower teams to trust their recommendations.

Mobile-First Solutions for ABA Data Collection

At Raven Health we want to be part of the process of innovating a care with best-in-class tools that are easy to use, intuitively designed, and simple to train with.

BCBA with hand on laptop next to mobile phone displaying Raven Health data collection app

The Raven Health app is an intuitive ABA data collection software system that is designed to help BCBAs boost productivity and streamline their workflow.

Our mobile-first platform puts the focus on user experience and thoughtful design. Built to work online and offline, in the field and at the office, Raven represents the future of coordinated care in ABA therapy. No more downtime from legacy systems designed before the app age.

At Raven, we aim to fortify autism care with accurate, real-time data collection and analytics that introduce consistency into the field and reinforce the BCBA’s expertise. Request a demo to learn more and see Raven’s platform in action. We’d love to partner with you.

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