Tag: Examination

Nearly half of all recently certified BCBAs and BCaBAs were RBTs when they applied. What does that tell us? For many, becoming an RBT is the first step on a journey toward BCBA or BCaBA certification. Knowing this, we’d like to answer some frequently asked questions about accruing supervised fieldwork for BCBA or BCaBA certification as an RBT.

Before we get started, let’s define supervised fieldwork.

It’s almost (but not quite) self-explanatory. Supervised fieldwork is our term for the time you spend providing applied behavior analysis (ABA) services under a qualified supervisor toward BCBA or BCaBA certification. It’s one of our most important eligibility requirements because it helps trainees develop the skills they need to demonstrate competence in ABA and work effectively with clients, their support systems, and others. Now, we can jump right in.

1. Can I accrue supervised fieldwork while I’m an RBT?

A. Yes, but only if you meet the maintenance requirements for your RBT certification, including ongoing supervision, as well as the supervised fieldwork requirements for BCBA or BCaBA certification (see the Supervised Fieldwork Requirements section of the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook).

2. Are the requirements for ongoing RBT supervision and supervised fieldwork the same?

A. No. The minimum requirements per supervisory period differ as shown in the following table:

3. Can I count the hours I spend delivering behavior-analytic services as an RBT toward supervised fieldwork?

A. In the right circumstances, yes. The thing to remember is that most of the time, RBTs take part in restricted activities. Here’s a refresher on the supervised fieldwork activities:

• Restricted activities are those involved in the delivery of behavior-analytic services to a client. They should make up no more than 40% of your fieldwork hours for BCBA certification and no more than 60% of your fieldwork hours for BCaBA certification. Examples include implementing therapeutic and instructional procedures directly with a client.
• Unrestricted activities are those that support and inform the delivery of behavior-analytic services. These activities are commonly completed by BCBAs and BCaBAs. Examples include conducting behavior assessments, writing and revising behavior programs, analyzing data, and training caregivers and staff.

To get the most out of supervised fieldwork and properly balance restricted and unrestricted activities, talk to your supervisor about your professional goals. This opens the door for you to discuss the experiences and hours you’ll need, why those experiences are important, and how you’ll manage your responsibilities as an RBT and a BCBA or BCaBA trainee.

An important thing to consider is that some of the hours you accrue as an RBT will not count toward supervised fieldwork, and that’s okay! Fieldwork isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about making strides in your professional development. Your activities as an RBT are designed to help your clients progress toward their goals, and fieldwork is designed to teach you the skills necessary to work as a behavior analyst or assistant behavior analyst in the future.

4. Can I count the hours I spend receiving supervision as an RBT toward supervised fieldwork?

A. Yes, but probably not all of them. Why? The activities and topics that come up during a supervision meeting about your fieldwork are likely different and more advanced than those that come up during your ongoing supervision as an RBT. This is another great time to collaborate with your supervisor. Together, you can choose activities and topics that will also meet the supervised fieldwork requirements (see also Question 3).

If you take anything away from this answer, let it be that you and your supervisor are a team—and you should make the most of that. When you’re a BCBA or BCaBA, you’ll have more responsibilities and work more independently. So, while you still have a professional safety net, take the time to experience new things and develop your skills. That way, you’ll be fully prepared for whatever lies ahead.

5. Can I document supervised fieldwork in the same way that I document ongoing supervision as an RBT?

A. No. Although your documents and documentation systems might be similar, they can’t be the same because the requirements differ. For example, you need to keep a summary of each supervision activity for supervised fieldwork, but you don’t need to keep one for ongoing RBT supervision.

Once you’re ready to accrue supervised fieldwork, talk to your supervisor about proper documentation. Then, before each supervision session, identify the topics and activities they’ll cover so that you know which set of documentation requirements to meet.

For details, review the Ongoing Supervision section of the RBT Handbook and the Supervised Fieldwork Requirements section of the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook. The Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs blog post may also be a valuable tool.

6. Can my RBT Supervisor also provide supervised fieldwork?

A. Yes, but only if your supervisor meets both sets of requirements. To ensure that all trainees get the instruction and support they need, supervisors must meet specialized requirements as shown in the Additional Requirements by Role table in the BCBA Handbook.

The easiest way to get an answer is to ask your supervisor if they meet the requirements to supervise fieldwork. You can also verify their eligibility by searching their name in the BACB Certificant Registry, but remember—especially as an aspiring BCBA or BCaBA, you want a supervisor who can give you the best information and learning opportunities possible. So, even if they’re qualified on paper, make sure they’re the right fit for your professional-development goals.

Lastly, don’t forget: For supervised fieldwork, you must have a supervision contract in place with each supervisor. The good news is that they’ll help you develop a contract once you agree to work with them. Before then, check out this Sample Supervision Contract for reference.

7. Which ethics code do I follow?

A. As you already know, RBTs must be familiar with and adhere to the RBT Ethics Code (2.0). You’ll also become familiar with the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts during your coursework, and you must comply with it during supervised fieldwork. Again, we suggest working with your supervisor to best understand what’s expected of you. They’ll help you navigate which code is applicable to the role you’re in at any given time.

Do you feel more prepared to take this next step in your career? We hope so! We can’t overstate how important supervised fieldwork is for gaining the necessary skills you’ll need as a BCBA or BCaBA, so make the most of it. Enjoy this time of guided practice and close supervision before your role changes from behavior technician to behavior analyst or assistant behavior analyst.

If you don’t know where to go from here, check out these resources to get started:

On January 1, 2023, a number of changes to our international focus that we first announced in December of 2019 went into effect (see Recent Changes to the BACB’s International Focus). To help you navigate these changes, we’ve answered several of your key questions. Let’s address the most important one before we get started:

Who might be affected by these changes to the BACB’s international focus?

These changes primarily impact new BACB applicants and current BACB certificants, supervisors, trainers, and faculty members who work and/or reside outside of the following authorized countries: the United States (US), Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom (UK).* If this describes you, read on to find out how you might be affected.

Applying for BACB Certification

Q: I understand that as of January 1, 2023, new BACB certifications are only available to residents of authorized countries. Who’s considered a resident?

A: To be considered a resident of an authorized country, you must physically reside in the US, Canada, Australia, or the UK. The BACB will confirm that you’ve met this requirement by checking the address listed in your BACB account. The BACB may also verify your residency by requesting additional documentation, such as your government-issued identification, work records, driver’s license, or utility bills from the time of application. Please note that using a false or temporary address to wrongfully meet this requirement may lead to the invalidation of your eligibility or certification.

Q: I earned my degree outside of an authorized country and then moved to an authorized country. Will I meet the degree requirements when I apply for certification?

A: It depends. The fact that you earned a degree outside of an authorized country doesn’t necessarily disqualify you from becoming certified if you now reside in an authorized country. If your degree meets the degree requirements in effect at the time of application, it likely qualifies. Visit the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook to explore our current degree requirements.

Q: I completed my coursework and/or fieldwork outside of an authorized country and then moved to an authorized country. Will I meet the coursework and/or fieldwork requirements when I apply for certification?

A: It depends. So long as your coursework and/or fieldwork meets all of the requirements in effect at the time of application (regardless of where it was completed), it should qualify. Please review the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook for a full breakdown of current coursework and fieldwork requirements.

Note for those completing VCS coursework outside of an accredited educational institution: Coursework from a Verified Course Sequence approved under an Alternative Pathway in which courses are taught outside of an accredited educational institution must have been completed before January 1, 2023.*** As of July 1, 2023, the BACB will no longer accept non-university coursework. Any individual who wishes to pursue BCBA or BCaBA certification with coursework from such a VCS must submit a fully approvable application** by June 30, 2023.

Residing or Practicing Outside of Authorized Countries

Q: I’m already certified, but I don’t reside in an authorized country. Is my certification still valid?

A: Currently, yes. However, please keep in mind that as countries develop their own professional programs and/or as laws change, certificants in authorized and unauthorized countries may be impacted.

Q: I’m already certified, but I don’t reside in an authorized country. How should I refer to my certification after this date?

A: Since you are already certified, you may continue using and referring to your certification as you have previously.

Q: My certification has lapsed, and I don’t reside in an authorized country. Can I still qualify for certification via the past certification option?

A: No. If your certification has lapsed, you must be a resident of an authorized country to apply for a new BACB certification.

Q: I don’t reside in an authorized country. Can I apply for the doctoral designation?

A: Currently, you may apply for the doctoral designation if you hold an active BCBA certification. Subject to local laws and regulations and where feasible, the BACB will continue to accept doctoral designation applications from any active BCBA regardless of whether they are in an authorized country. Should laws or feasibility change, affecting our ability to offer the doctoral designation to unauthorized countries, the BACB will give the profession a year’s advance notice. Shorter notice may be necessary in regions subject to US business/trade sanctions.

Q: I’m an active BCBA or BCaBA consulting in another country. Can I continue consulting?

A: Yes, you may continue consulting.

Serving as a Supervisor or ACE Provider

Q: I’m an RBT or BCaBA and a resident of a country in which new BACB certifications are no longer available. Can I receive supervision remotely from a certificant in another country, regardless of whether that country is authorized?

A: Yes, as long as the supervision meets all of the applicable supervision requirements in effect at that time.

Q: I’m a certificant and a resident of a country in which new BACB certifications are no longer available. Can I provide RBT or BCaBA supervision remotely to someone in another country, regardless of whether that country is authorized?

A: Yes. However, you must adhere to the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts to ensure that your supervision is effective. You must also make sure that you and your supervisees comply with all BACB supervision requirements and any other relevant laws and regulations where supervision occurs (e.g., where the supervisor, supervisee, and client are located).

Q: I’m one of the only BCBAs in the country in which I reside. Is there a limit to how many RBT or BCaBA certificants I can supervise?

A: While there is no definitive answer to this question, we encourage you to consider Section 4.03 of the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, which requires behavior analysts to only take on a number of supervisees and trainees that allows them to provide effective supervision and training. This means that your supervisory volume must not impact your effectiveness or your ability to meet the RBT or BCaBA ongoing supervision requirements detailed in the Ongoing Supervision sections of the RBT and BCaBA Handbooks. For example, you need enough client knowledge to inform the RBT or BCaBA’s work, provide direction, and contract with any client to whom the RBT is providing services.

Q: I do not reside in an authorized country. Can I apply for or maintain ACE Provider status?

A: Yes, so long as you meet and comply with all of the requirements detailed in the ACE Provider Handbook.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about these recent and upcoming international changes. We hope that you find this information helpful. For further guidance, visit our International Development & Support web page. If you have any questions, please reach out through the Contact Us Form.

*Individuals who reside in the UK may continue to apply for BACB certification through 2025. This date may be moved earlier if the UK Society for Behaviour Analysis achieves national recognition for UK behavior analysts, develops its own credentialing system, and transitions current BACB certificants into the new UK system.
**An approvable application is one that contains all of the necessary elements for approval. For example, an approvable BCBA or BCaBA application would include the following:

• payment in full
• complete and accurate documentation showing that all fieldwork and coursework requirements have been met
• proof of an acceptable degree that meets all applicable requirements, including official transcript(s) with conferral dates
• a degree equivalency evaluation if applicable

***When coursework is no longer acceptable, it may not be used to mark the onset of fieldwork.