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General Frequently Asked Questions
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Is there a difference between certification and licensure?
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In some ways, yes. Professional certification usually is a voluntary non-governmental process of regulation of a profession or occupation that is based on select eligibility requirements and an professional examination. Licensure is a process by which a government agency authorizes an individual to use a professional title and/or to engage in a profession or occupation in that particular state. Often licensure is mandatory and it is usually state-based. Licensure programs for some professions require certification as a prerequisite to licensure. However professional certification and licensure share before-test eligibility criteria requirements (usually degree, coursework, and supervised experience) and both require applicants to pass a professionally developed credentialing examination constructed to accepted psychometric standards. The BACB's programs are nationally accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies and maintains program standards equivalent to those found in state licensing programs.
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Q.
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How should insurance companies and employers verify certification status?
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The BACB offers an online registry of certificants. The Registry is the first place to check. For a number of reasons, such as, certificant opting out of the Registry, typo or update errors, an individual may not be listed on the Registry, but may still be certified. If an individual is not identified in the Registry, then please call our offices at 850-765-0905. to confirm that the individual is not certified.
Some certificants also miss completing their annual renewals. The BACB requires annual renewal to ensure up to date reporting of disciplinary matters, address changes, etc... If a certificant has missed a renewal or two during their certification cycle (the three year certification period), the certificant may be identified as expired or no longer certified. By paying the annual renewal fee and completing the application, the individual may bring their certification into good standing and such good standing is retroactive for the entire certification period. Thus insurance billing and trademark misrepresentation issues would not be implicated so long as the individual corrects the problem during their certification cycle.
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What if I let my certification lapse and fail to fix the problem during my certification period.
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You may not retroactively claim BCBA or BCaBA status during the certification cycle that expired, as of the date of expiration.
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Are there any provisions for “grandfathering” practitioners?
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No. Individuals meet the eligibility requirements and pass the examination.
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Does Board Certification guarantee that the certificant is an expert practitioner in all aspects of applying behavior analysis with all kinds of clients?
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Board Certification indicates that the person has met the eligibility standards and passed the certification examination thus demonstrating that they have at least minimal competence in behavior analysis. As with any other credentialed profession, there is variability between individuals in competence and areas of expertise. Consumers should use the same selection procedures as they would for other credentialed professionals in selecting a BCBA.
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Once I have BACB Board Certification, is there anything I need to do to keep it? Must I re-take the examination periodically?
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All certificants must renew their certification on an annual basis and must recertify every three-years. Certificants must obtain a specified number of Continuing Education Units (depending on their certification type) within a three-year Renewal/Recertification cycle to recertify at the end of the three-year cycle. Currently, certificants do not have to re-take the examination periodically to maintain BACB Certification, although they may choose to do so in lieu of accumulating CEUs over the three-year cycle. All certificants must pay an annual renewal fee and adhere to Conduct and other standards established by the BACB. See the Maintaining Certification pages on this site for additional information.
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Copyright © 1998-2010 the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc., ®
(BACB®), ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Unauthorized reproduction, copying or transmission in any medium is strictly
prohibited.
The trademarks "Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.,"
"BACB®," "Board Certified Behavior Analyst®,"
"BCBA®," "Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst™," and
"BCaBA®" are owned by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®. Unauthorized use or misrepresentation
is strictly prohibited.
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