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The BACB
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board®, Inc. (BACB®) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation established in 1998 to meet professional credentialing needs identified by behavior analysts, governments, and consumers of behavior analysis services. The BACB adheres to the national standards for boards that grant professional credentials. The BACB certification procedures and content undergo regular psychometric review and validation, pursuant to a job analysis survey of the profession and standards established by content experts in the field.
The BACB program is based on the successful Behavior Analysis Certification Program developed by the State of Florida. Similar programs were established in California, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Oklahoma. All of these programs transferred their certificants and credentialing responsibilities to the BACB and closed.
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board contracts with Pearson VUE for examination administration, and contracts with Professional Testing Incorporated for psychometrics and examination development. The BACB administers the examinations three times per year in over 200 sites within the United States and over 150 sites outside the US. The BACB has approved course sequences in over 170 universities.
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board's BCBA and BCaBA credentialing programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies in Washington, DC. NCCA is the accreditation body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.
Nondiscrimination As provided in the BACB’s bylaws, in conducting its activities, the BACB shall comply with all applicable laws that prohibit discrimination in employment or service provision because of a person’s race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, national origin, or because of any other protected characteristic.
The BACB's Mission
The BACB’s mission is to develop, promote, and implement an international certification program for behavior analyst practitioners. The BACB has established uniform content, standards, and criteria for the credentialing process that are designed to meet
- The legal standards established through state, federal and case law;
- The accepted standards for national certification programs; and
- The "best practice" and ethical standards of the behavior analysis profession.
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board credentials practitioners at three levels. Individuals who wish to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBA®) must possess at least a Masters Degree, have 225 classroom hours of specific Graduate-level coursework, meet experience requirements, and pass the Behavior Analyst Certification Examination. Persons wishing to be Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts® (BCaBA®) must have at least a Bachelors Degree, have 135 classroom hours of specific coursework, meet experience requirements, and pass the Assistant Behavior Analyst Certification Examination. Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral must be BCBAs with doctorate degrees and meet other criteria. BACB certificants must accumulate continuing education credit to maintain their credentials.
The BACB has developed:
- Eligibility Standards to take the BACB Certification Examinations
- Renewal and Recertification Standards to maintain certification
- Guidelines for Responsible Conduct for Behavior Analysts
- Professional Disciplinary Standards with appeal procedures
- A Certificant Registry
- A process to approve university course sequences and practica
- Procedures to approve continuing education providers
- Professionally developed and maintained certification examinations.
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Board of Directors Shahla Ala'i-Rosales, PhD, BCBA-D Barbara Byers Iser DeLeon, PhD, BCBA-D Debora Harris-Thivierge, BCaBA Jane Howard, PhD, BCBA-D Eric Larsson, PhD, BCBA-D Suzanne Letso, MA, BCBA Neil Martin, PhD, BCBA-D Stephanie Peterson, PhD, BCBA-D Henry Roane, PhD, BCBA-D |
Senior BACB Personnel 
James E. Carr, PhD, BCBA-D 
Ira Ehrlich, MSW, BCBA 
Christine L. Ratcliff, MS, BCBA 
Margaret "Misty" Bloom, JD |
