Get to Know You-BACB Edition
Within this article, individuals will learn more about the history of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, and the certifications they offer to individuals. Additionally, individuals will be introduced to Applied Behavior Analysis.
If you are in currently employed within the field of Special Education, and/or have a loved one in the field of Special Education, chances are, you have heard about Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). According to the BACB (2021), “The practice of ABA focuses on assessing the environmental influences on behavior, assessment-based intervention, and data-based decision making. ABA is best known as being the leading evidence-based treatment approach for autism and other developmental disabilities”. Within the field of ABA, there are certified practitioners. Some such include Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT’s), Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBA’s) and Behavior Analysts (BCBA’s). The BACB stands for Behavior Analyst Certification Board. According to the BACB (2011), the organization was established in 1998 as a non-profit corporation and was the first national organization to certify practitioners of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). The primary responsibility of the organization is “establishes practice standards, administers examinations, and provides ethics requirements and a disciplinary system for each of its certification programs” (BACB, 2021). I encourage you to review the video found from the BACB website to learn more about the BACB in a video overview:
Each of the requirements for the practitioners the BACB offers differ. Seek the BACB guidelines if you are interested in learning more about the requirements. Always refer to the guidelines set forth on the website and reach out to members of the BACB via email. They are willing to help and answer questions.
Registered Behavior Technician RBT | Education Requirements: High School Diploma Receives Supervision Under: BCBA and BCaBA Eligibility Requirements: · 18 years old · High school diploma · Pass background check · Complete 40-hour training · Complete initial competency assessment Link to Handout from BACB: · https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RBTHandbook_210915-3.pdf |
Assistant Behavior Analyst BCaBA | Education Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree Receives Supervision Under: BCBA Eligibility Requirements: · Degree · Behavior Analytic Coursework · Supervised Experience Link to Handout from BACB: · https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BCaBAHandbook_210915-2.pdf |
Behavior Analyst BCBA | Education Requirements: Master’s degree Eligibility Requirements: · Option 1: Behavior Analytic Coursework · Option 2: Faculty Teaching and Research · Option 3: Postdoctoral Experience Link to Handout from BACB: · https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BCBAHandbook_210915-2.pdf |
Additionally, RBT’s and BCaBA’s are continually supervised by BCBA’s and BCBA-D professionals. If you are a Special Education teacher, taking the 40-hour training course may be a helpful tool in helping with behavior management in your classroom. The BACB has a variety of resources and tools for information to help support all individuals. I encourage everyone to explore the website and learn more about ABA.
-Your BCBA, Jenna
Reference:
BACB. (2021) About the BACB. https://www.bacb.com/