Tag: Fieldwork

Fieldwork: Getting It Right

What Is the Purpose of Fieldwork?

You may wonder, “Why is fieldwork even required?” or “Why does it have to be so complicated?” The truth is, supervised fieldwork is where academic learning meets the real world, making it a cornerstone of the certification process. It’s where you take what you’ve learned in your coursework and apply it in real-life settings, working directly with individuals receiving behavior-analytic services under the guidance of a qualified BCBA.

The term fieldwork was chosen intentionally; it’s all about gaining hands-on experience in real-world environments with actual clients, not simulated ones. During your fieldwork, you and your supervisor must have a formal relationship with these clients. This could occur in a few different ways. For example, you and your supervisor may work for the same organization that is providing behavior-analytic services, or you may both have a service contract with the same client or organization. The key is that the clients are real people receiving services, and your work with them is part of your supervised experience. It’s your chance to practice, collaborate, and grow while receiving meaningful feedback and support.

In this blog post, we’ll break down some common hot topics about fieldwork to help you feel more confident and informed. Let’s get started!

Unrestricted Hours

To become a BCaBA or a BCBA, you need to practice tasks that professionals in these roles perform every day. Because these are the activities you should be practicing the most during your supervised fieldwork, there is no maximum limit on how many hours you may accrue engaging in these activities; therefore, they are called unrestricted activities. Trainees pursuing BCBA certification must complete at least 60% of their supervised fieldwork hours as unrestricted activities, while those pursuing BCaBA certification must complete at least 40%. This ensures you are well-prepared for professional practice after certification.

You may be wondering which activities count toward this category of fieldwork hours. Instead of providing direct therapy to clients, unrestricted hours are the activities related to your clients’ care in which a BCBA or BCaBA would typically engage.

If we zoom in, this could include behavior-analytic activities such as:

  • conducting intake interviews with clients and stakeholders
  • designing or evaluating data collection systems for clients
  • writing behavior intervention plans (e.g., skill acquisition or behavior reduction plans)
  • conducting a risk-benefit analysis before implementing an intervention with a client
  • providing feedback to RBTs on their implementation of a behavior intervention plan
  • developing a discharge plan for fading services
  • many other behavior-analytic activities directly related to client services

Zooming back out to the big picture, remember that both unrestricted and restricted fieldwork activities must be behavior-analytic in nature and must be related to your clients’ services. Activities such as coding, billing, studying for the certification exam, or non-behavior-analytic trainings such as CPR would not count as fieldwork hours. Other activities that do not count as fieldwork hours include:

  • readings or research unrelated to current clients
  • attending conferences or ACE events
  • listening to podcasts
  • reviewing case studies or hypothetical scenarios
  • completing homework from a university training program
  • teaching at RBT Professional Development events

For more examples of appropriate activities in the unrestricted hours category, check out the Fieldwork Checklist and Tip Sheet, which includes a list of potential fieldwork activities and how they are classified. Once you feel confident that you understand which activities fall into the unrestricted hours category, take our Fieldwork Self-Assessment and see how you do!

Finding a Good Supervisor Match

When choosing a supervisor, it’s essential to find someone who is competent in the specific areas of practice where you need guidance. A strong supervisor should not only have expertise in your focus areas, but also be able and willing to give meaningful, timely feedback that supports your learning and professional growth. Additionally, high-quality supervision depends on a supervisor who is organized, experienced, and intentional about how they structure your training.

It’s equally important that your supervisor communicates expectations clearly from the start and provides a thorough, well-designed supervision contract. This helps ensure that both parties understand their roles, responsibilities, and goals, and it sets the foundation for a productive and supportive supervision experience.

Remote Supervision

If you live somewhere with few supervision options, you might ask, “Do I have to move to earn supervised fieldwork hours?” The answer is: not always. In some cases, remote supervision can help you meet requirements without having to move or drive long distances. However, these cases are limited and certain restrictions apply. Here are the key requirements to keep in mind:

  • Client Connection. All fieldwork hours and supervision must involve real clients. Remote supervision is allowed only if the BCBA supervisor already knows and oversees the clients you work with. Observations and meetings can happen online, but clients must know about and agree to any remote observation or other virtual activity during treatment.
  • State Licensing. Some states require your supervisor to hold a license in the same state where you are providing services—even if the supervision happens remotely. For example, if you live in State A, you may not legally be able to receive supervision from a BCBA who is only licensed in State B.

For these reasons, trainees and supervisors should exercise caution when considering remote supervision of fieldwork hours.

Fieldwork Documentation Software

Before you start your supervised fieldwork hours, it is very important that you create a system to document your fieldwork hours. Your supervisor may help you or provide suggestions on how to most effectively track your hours. There are also many software trackers available to document your fieldwork hours.

Ultimately, you are responsible for meeting the supervised fieldwork requirements and creating and maintaining documentation that demonstrates that you met those requirements. If you purchase software to help with this task, double-check to make sure the calculations are correct because the BACB does not work with or endorse any of these products. If you create your own system, read through the documentation requirements carefully to ensure that your system tracks all required activities. Regardless of which system you use, be sure to review it with your supervisor and update it frequently.

Supervised Fieldwork and the Test Content Outline (TCO)

The Test Content Outline (formerly known as the Task List) describes the content covered on the certification examination. Although some of the content on the BCBA or BCaBA TCOs may be appropriate for fieldwork activities, they are not supervised fieldwork curricula. Although some tasks in the TCOs are appropriate for fieldwork, some are not, and there are many applied skills that should be taught during fieldwork that are not included on the TCOs. For more information about what the TCO is and is not, please check out the “Reconsidering the Task List” section of February 2022 BACB Newsletter.

Beyond what is stated in the fieldwork requirements, the BACB does not specify which tasks or skills need to be covered during fieldwork hours because the BCBA/BCaBA certification is in applied behavior analysis, and it is not population specific. Some trainees plan to work with individuals with disabilities, some in health and fitness, some with organizations, etc. This is why it is important to have a discussion with your supervisor at the beginning of the supervision relationship about opportunities available within the setting where you are accruing fieldwork hours and about your professional goals once you are certified. Your supervisor can then develop a competency-based plan to help you develop the skills you will need to achieve your professional goals. For example, if you want to focus on skills acquisition for young children with autism, you and your supervisor should create a list of skills that you need to develop and practice, such as specific skill assessments, etc.

Supervised Fieldwork Curricula

Speaking of fieldwork curricula, there are supervision curriculum products available to support supervised fieldwork. Like the fieldwork documentation software, be cautious of any curriculum that guarantees fieldwork hours will count or be accepted by the BACB, and only use curricula that meet the BACB requirements for fieldwork.

For example, a supervision curriculum should be structured so the supervisor can easily access content to help them guide you on topics related to your clients’ current needs and use it as a supplemental resource to help systematically evaluate your competencies. If something in the curriculum seems questionable—such as completing simulated client activities not related to your actual clients for fieldwork hours—always double-check the BCaBA or BCBA Handbooks to ensure the supervision is meeting the fieldwork requirements.

Keep in Mind

The purpose of fieldwork hours (and all the certification requirements) is to make sure you are prepared to practice as a BCBA or BCaBA. As a reminder, the requirements were developed by subject matter experts who have experience implementing them. They know what is feasible and which activities trainees should practice throughout the experience—they developed these requirements with the goal of helping you have a successful and meaningful experience. So, focus on making the most of the experience, and before you know it, you’ll be applying for the exam!

Understanding Supervised Fieldwork: New Inside the BACB Podcast Episode and BACB Blog Post

Want to learn more about fieldwork requirements? Two new BACB resources are now available to support supervisors and trainees: Making Sense of Fieldwork, a new Inside the BACB podcast episode, and Fieldwork: Getting It Right, the latest BACB Blog post.

Together, these resources clarify supervised fieldwork requirements, including unrestricted hours, supervision, and why fieldwork is so important. If you’re looking for clear, practical guidance to help you move forward with confidence, this podcast and blog pairing is a great place to start.

Making Sense of Fieldwork

In this episode of Inside the BACB, Micah Hope, Certification Resources Manager, is joined by Rachel Ulrich, Director of Certification Services, to walk listeners through supervised fieldwork for BCBA and BCaBA applicants. Using a journey-based framework, they discuss the purpose of fieldwork, what counts as unrestricted hours, supervision and remote supervision considerations, documentation tips, and how the Test Content Outline relates to fieldwork.

You can find all of the BACB’s videos on our YouTube channel.

Now Available: Fieldwork Self-Assessment

The Fieldwork Self-Assessment is now available to support trainees who are preparing for or currently completing supervised fieldwork. This interactive resource is designed to support understanding of the fieldwork requirements and identify areas for further review.

You can take the assessment multiple times, and the questions may change with each attempt, making it a useful resource throughout your fieldwork experience. Whether you are getting ready to start supervised fieldwork or already in the process, the Fieldwork Self-Assessment is a helpful place to begin.

Commonly Asked Questions About BACB Supervised Fieldwork Requirements


UPDATED: December 30, 2024

When our subject matter experts designed the BCBA and BCaBA supervised fieldwork requirements, they had one person in mind:

You.

The requirements had to accommodate the countless circumstances in which you deliver—or help deliver—behavior-analytic services. They also needed to set minimum expectations that could help guide you and your supervisor as you create the most valuable practical experience for you, your professional path, and the clients you serve. When trying to check all of these boxes, the subject matter experts realized that flexibility is key.

However, we understand that with flexibility comes uncertainty. It can be frustrating when you ask us whether something counts toward a requirement, and we respond with, “It depends.” That’s why we rely on supervisors to understand our requirements and make judgment calls based on the context of your unique situation. By working closely with your supervisor, you can develop fieldwork that meets our requirements and your career goals so that you can become a well-rounded, certified behavior analyst who serves clients to the best of their ability.

To help ensure that you’re headed in the right direction, we answered some of your most frequently asked questions about fieldwork. Please review these Q&As, the Considerations When Identifying Practical Fieldwork Opportunities section of the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook, and our Documenting Fieldwork blog and video for details.

Q: How do I know whether an activity counts toward my fieldwork hours?

A: First, review the list of Acceptable Activities in the Supervised Fieldwork Requirements section of the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook. Then, ask your supervisor. They are ultimately responsible for determining whether an activity meets our fieldwork requirements, lines up with your professional goals, and helps you develop the skills you need to demonstrate competence in behavior analysis.

Q: What’s the difference between restricted and unrestricted activities?

A: Let’s break it down:

Type of Activity Definition Details
Restricted An activity that involves the delivery of therapeutic and instructional procedures directly to clients. These activities are optional and must not make up more than a certain percentage of your fieldwork hours. See the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook for details.
Unrestricted An activity that best exemplifies the work of a behavior analyst who oversees and develops programs and systems for others to implement. These activities are required and must make up a certain percentage (or more) of your fieldwork hours. See the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook for details.

Whether an activity is restricted or unrestricted depends on context. For example, data collection could be a restricted activity if you’re solely collecting as part of a client’s treatment program. It could also be an unrestricted activity if you’re collecting as part of a functional assessment to identify a client’s future programming needs. Per usual, your supervisor can help you determine which category your activity falls into.

Q: How should I structure my restricted and unrestricted activities?

A: It’s up to you and your supervisor. Trainees are not required to accrue restricted hours, but they are required to accrue unrestricted hours so that they’re fully prepared to do everything a certified behavior analyst does. This leaves room for many different approaches. Some trainees begin their fieldwork with primarily restricted activities, and others jump right into both, especially if both types are relevant to a client’s programming.

Q: Do I have to see people in a clinical setting for them to be considered clients?

A: A client is anyone (i.e., a person or a group of people) who receives behavior-analytic services in any setting. For example, a client might be an older adult in an assisted living facility or a group of employees in a corporate office. If you’re ever unsure, ask your supervisor. They can determine who is considered a client and who isn’t.

Q: Can the observation with a client and supervisor-trainee contact requirements be met at the same time?

A: It’s up to you and your supervisor. (Do we sound like a broken record yet?) But there’s a catch. For the benefit of you and your clients, supervisor-trainee contacts must happen in real time. For example, if your supervisor watches an hour-long video of you delivering services but does not provide immediate, real-time feedback, that hour could count toward the observation with a client requirement but not the supervisor-trainee contact or total supervised hours requirement. If you and your supervisor watch the video together, pausing to discuss feedback and behavior-analytic principles, the hour could count toward all requirements at once.

Q: Can the BACB tell me whether a certain activity will count toward the requirements?

A: No. You’ll need to work with your supervisor to identify the activities you’ll complete and how you’ll categorize them. To help you and your supervisor, check out the table in the appendix of the Fieldwork Checklist and Tipsheet, which includes how to categorize a sample of fieldwork scenarios.

Q: Can I count an observation from a BCBA who isn’t in my supervision contract?

A: No. For your hours to count toward the observation with a client requirement, you and your supervisor must have a supervision contract in place. You may be in contact with other BCBAs not listed in your supervision contract, but those interactions will not count toward your fieldwork hours. That being said, those interactions are not for naught! They might count toward your independent hours.

Note: If you’re accruing fieldwork at an organization with multiple supervisors, please make sure that all of your supervisors are included in your supervision contract and that you’re using the correct Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms. See our Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs blog for more information about your documentation system.

Q: I’m working as an RBT or BCaBA as I accrue my fieldwork hours. Can I count the hours I’m working under supervision as supervised fieldwork hours, or is that double dipping?

A: If the hours you work meet all of the fieldwork and RBT or BCaBA supervision requirements, you may double dip. For example, if you have an hour-long meeting with your RBT Supervisor, you may count it toward your supervised fieldwork hours (only if you have an applicable supervision contract in place, your supervisor meets all necessary qualifications, and the meeting’s activities are appropriate for and meet both sets of requirements).

Before you consider double dipping, please keep in mind that there are a number of important differences between BACB requirements. For one, someone who is qualified to be an RBT Supervisor may not be qualified to be a fieldwork supervisor. In addition, there’s a limit on the number of restricted hours that may be counted toward fieldwork hours, and unrestricted activities are likely outside of the scope of an RBT’s responsibilities. Check out 7 FAQs for RBTs Pursuing BCBA or BCaBA Certification for more support for this scenario.

Q: Can I take breaks while accruing my supervised fieldwork hours?

A: Absolutely. Your fieldwork must be accrued within 5 consecutive years, but in that time period, you are more than welcome to take breaks and even change settings and/or supervisors.

Q: I’m going to take a semester off. Can I accrue supervised fieldwork hours during that time?

A: Yes, under one condition: You must have been enrolled in a qualifying behavior-analytic course (that you completed or will complete with a passing grade) before you began accruing fieldwork hours. If this is true, you can accrue hours during a break from school or even after you’ve completed your program and are no longer enrolled.

Q: Can I have one supervisor who provides all of my group supervision and another who provides all of my individual supervision?

A: It depends! (Now we’ve really come full circle.)

If you’re receiving supervision at an organization with multiple supervisors, yes. It’s possible in this situation because one supervisor coordinates all activities, ensuring that the topics and clients covered in individual and group supervision meetings correlate.

If you’re receiving supervision from one supervisor or a few independent supervisors, no. In this case, the same supervisor must provide your group and individual supervision and meet all of the fieldwork requirements independently.

That’s a wrap! (It seems like we’ve finally fixed that pesky broken record.) Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to get familiar with our supervised fieldwork requirements. Before you go, we’d like to share a few important resources to help you get the most out of this blog.

Because BACB requirements are flexible and occasionally change, please visit the BACB website, the Recent and Upcoming Changes to BACB Requirements web page, and the BACB Newsletter frequently. For more information and helpful fieldwork resources, including a full glossary of terms and a fieldwork tip sheet, check out the Supervised Fieldwork section of the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook. Before you apply for BCBA certification, check out the BCBA Application Self-Assessment Tool to help you identify next steps in your journey.

Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs

Documenting Fieldwork FAQs

Updated April 2026, this blog is based on the 2027 requirements.

Documenting fieldwork is a critical but sometimes tedious task. It requires strong organizational skills and attention to detail to stay on top of your documentation. In this blog, we answer some frequently asked questions and review scenarios to ensure you understand how best to document your fieldwork experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The following are answers to common questions about documenting supervised fieldwork. These FAQs address common points of confusion and provide practical tips to help you document your experiences accurately and confidently.

Fieldwork Documentation System

A: You and your supervisor can collaborate to develop a documentation system, or you can develop it on your own. However, regardless of who develops and maintains the documentation system, both you and your supervisor are required to keep copies of all relevant documentation.

A: Both you and your supervisor should be tracking your fieldwork hours. At a minimum, your supervisor should review all of your hours for each supervisory period before signing the Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form (M-FVF). Don’t wait until the Final Fieldwork Verification Form (F-FVF) is due to be signed for your supervisor to review all of your hours!

A: This is a great question—and there’s a lot to consider. Here are a few pointers to get you started, but be sure to check out the Documenting Fieldwork Hours video for an in-depth look at how to best document your fieldwork:

  1. First, we recommend that you complete the Fieldwork Checklist and Tip Sheet, as it includes helpful guidance on getting started.
  2. Once you’ve begun your coursework, found a qualified supervisor, signed your supervision contract, and established your documentation system, you’ll likely begin accruing hours by performing both restricted and unrestricted activities. You should meet with your supervisor throughout the month to help ensure that you’re gaining the skills necessary to demonstrate competence in applied behavior analysis. You can find a more comprehensive description of acceptable activities in the relevant BCBA or BCaBA Handbook.
  3. By the end of the month, you’ll want to double-check that you’ve documented the total number of individual and group supervision hours you accrued and the total duration of observations with clients that took place that month. Don’t forget to document all other relevant information along the way (see the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook for additional information).
    • Remember to adjust your supervised fieldwork hours if you did not meet all of the monthly requirements (e.g., percentage of supervision, individual versus group supervision). Review the Requirements for Supervision of Fieldwork Hours section of the BCBA and BCaBA Handbooks for details on how to systematically reduce fieldwork hours in order to meet monthly requirements.
    • Note: Concentrated supervised fieldwork cannot be prorated or adjusted.
  4. At this point, you and your supervisor will review the documentation to confirm that all of the requirements for that month have been met. If your supervisor agrees with the listed attestations, they will sign your M-FVF for that supervisory period. This form must be signed by the last day of the calendar month following the month of supervision, and both you and your supervisor must retain copies for at least 7 years.
  5. Once your supervision relationship ends—whether because you’ve completed all fieldwork requirements or the supervision contract has concluded—your supervisor will sign your F-FVF. Unlike the M-FVF, the F-FVF can be signed at any time. When you’re ready to apply, you’ll submit this form with your application.

A: You will use the standard M-FVFs and F-FVFs to document both supervised fieldwork and concentrated supervised fieldwork. On the M-FVF, the percentage of hours supervised and the duration of observations with clients determine whether the fieldwork for that month qualifies as supervised fieldwork or concentrated supervised fieldwork. If the higher requirements for concentrated supervised fieldwork are met for the month, the hours may be counted as concentrated supervised fieldwork. On the F-FVF, supervised fieldwork and concentrated supervised fieldwork are documented in separate sections.

Please note that concentrated supervised fieldwork hours have approximately 1.33 times the temporal value of supervised fieldwork hours for those working toward BCBA certification and approximately 1.3 times the temporal value of supervised fieldwork hours for those working toward BCaBA certification. In your personal documentation system, you may want to convert your concentrated supervised fieldwork hours to supervised fieldwork hours to ensure that you’re on track to accrue all required hours for certification. Review the Requirements for Supervision of Fieldwork Hours section of the BCBA or BCaBA Handbooks for more guidance.

A: Yes! You should keep all of your fieldwork documents organized and up to date in anticipation of an audit. If you’re audited, we’ll provide you with an audit log and the time period being audited. With your documentation system already organized, it’ll be easy to complete the audit log. Review the Fieldwork Audit Process visual in the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook for more information.

Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms

A: Your BACB ID is located in your BACB portal account. If you don’t have a portal account, you’ll need to create one. We strongly recommend creating only one account to prevent delays in processing your application. If you experience any issues accessing your account, use the Contact Us Form for assistance.

A: This one is important! Here’s what you can do:

  • If it’s still within one calendar month of the supervisory period, you can create a new version and get all of the necessary signatures.
  • If it’s more than one calendar month after the supervisory period has ended, you and your supervisor can make the relevant changes and have everyone involved initial them. Just make sure that your documentation can support the corrected form!

A: No. You should not count those hours, as you do not have written documentation of the supervision. If your fieldwork is selected for an audit and you do not have those forms, those hours will not be accepted, and you may need to complete additional fieldwork.

A: Absolutely. Please see the Acceptable Signatures Policy for more information on acceptable types of digital signatures. When you apply, you’ll receive guidance on where to submit your forms.

A: Although we can’t guarantee that a form will be approved, we strongly encourage you to save your Final Fieldwork Verification Form and then open the saved file to review it. If the file is saved incorrectly and data is missing, your submission will not be accepted. By reviewing the saved file in advance, you can ensure that your form is not missing any information.

A: It depends! Let’s break it down:

  • Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: No. The responsible supervisor is the only one who must be listed on and who must sign the form.
  • Final Fieldwork Verification Form: Yes. Anyone from the organization who provided supervision for you must be listed; however, the responsible supervisor should be the only one to sign the form.

A: If you’re receiving supervision from multiple supervisors at one organization, you’ll need a responsible supervisor—an individual who ensures that all of the supervisors’ activities are well organized and coordinated. The person who serves in this role must be identified on the supervision contract and must be able to agree to all of the relevant attestations on the Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms. For this reason, the responsible supervisor who signs the Final Fieldwork Verification Form must have been qualified to be a responsible supervisor for the entire duration of the supervision provided. Anyone who meets those requirements may act as your responsible supervisor.

A: It depends. If your fieldwork meets the Multiple Supervisors/Settings requirements outlined in the Supervised Fieldwork Requirements section of the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook, you can use this form. For example, a university may coordinate all on- and off-campus activities under one system, or a service organization may have multiple supervisors at different locations providing supervision. The key is that your coordinated fieldwork experience is completed with a clearly defined responsible supervisor who ensures that the activity is well organized and meets all BACB fieldwork requirements.

Common Fieldwork Documentation Scenarios

Here are some common scenarios related to documenting fieldwork. Keep reading to learn how to prevent mistakes and accurately document your fieldwork experiences.

Scenario: Gemma is getting her supervised fieldwork at two locations. One is an ABA clinic where she works part-time for 10 hours a week (40 hours per month). She has two supervisors at that location. The other location is a clinic affiliated with the university she attends, and her supervisor is one of her professors. At this location, she has only one supervisor and is receiving concentrated supervised fieldwork. She also works 10 hours a week at this location (40 hours per month). What does Gemma need to pay close attention to as she completes her M-FVFs for these experiences?

Solution: Gemma should complete an M-FVF for each location and ensure she is meeting all of the fieldwork requirements at each setting. At the ABA clinic, where she has two supervisors, she should complete the 2027 Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: Multiple Supervisors at One Organization and have the responsible supervisor sign it. At the university clinic, she should complete the 2027 Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: Individual Supervisor and have her supervisor sign it. Even though she is receiving concentrated supervised fieldwork at this location, she should record the actual fieldwork hours she accrued on the form (as opposed to using the multiplier). However, in her personal ongoing fieldwork documentation, she should document that she is receiving concentrated supervised fieldwork. In her personal documentation system, she may want to consider converting her concentrated supervised fieldwork (by multiplying it by 1.33 if working toward BCBA certification or 1.3 if working toward BCaBA certification) to ensure she is on track to accrue all required hours.

Scenario: Ahmed has been collecting fieldwork hours for two years. He thinks he is close to meeting the requirement of 2,000 hours for BCBA fieldwork. Ahmed has accrued both supervised fieldwork hours and concentrated supervised fieldwork hours. He is currently accruing only supervised fieldwork hours at one location for 20 hours a week. What should he do to determine how close he is to meeting the requirements?

Solution: Ahmed should total up the number of concentrated supervised fieldwork hours he has accrued using the F-FVF(s) he has for those experiences. Then, he should multiply the sum of the concentrated supervised fieldwork hours by 1.33. After that, he should total up the number of supervised fieldwork hours he has using those M-FVFs and F-FVFs. Summing those two totals will give him the total number of hours he has accrued so far.

Ahmed should ensure that the 1.33 multiplier is only used on concentrated supervised fieldwork hours to help him determine if he has met the 2,000-hour requirement. When he documents his hours on M-FVF or F-FVF forms, he should always record the actual hours accrued, not the adjusted total calculated using the multiplier. Finally, he should ensure that his documentation indicates which hours were concentrated supervised fieldwork hours. In the event of an audit, he will have to indicate which hours were adjusted to meet the requirements.

Note: The multiplier for concentrated supervised fieldwork for those working toward BCaBA certification is 1.3.

Scenario: Liam works at a large organization that provides ABA services to children with autism. He has four different supervisors at this organization. They all signed his original supervision contract, but he is confused about who should sign his M-FVF forms and who will sign his F-FVF when the time comes.

Solution: On a monthly basis, Liam only needs to have his responsible supervisor sign the M-FVFs. The responsible supervisor is an individual who ensures that all the supervisors’ activities are well organized and coordinated. On the F-FVF, all of his supervisors must be listed, but only the responsible supervisor is required to sign.

Scenario: Sunita’s supervisor, Alex, typically observes her during a client session about once a week. Every week, Alex observes Sunita working with a different client than the previous week. Alex usually takes notes during the observation and then provides feedback to Sunita during their supervision meetings. Sometimes, if Alex wants Sunita to change something during the observation session, Alex will give feedback to Sunita during the session and then follow up in their supervision meeting. Sunita is worried that Alex sometimes gives feedback during the observation and sometimes later. Can she still count both of those observation sessions toward her fieldwork requirements?

Solution: Yes, observations with a client can include feedback or they can simply be observations, and feedback can be provided later. The difference between the two is how Sunita records the observation. If Alex only observes Sunita with a client and does not provide feedback during the session, Sunita should count that time as independent fieldwork and observation with a client. If Alex provides feedback to Sunita during the observation and they discuss the feedback, then Sunita can count that time as supervisor-trainee contact and observation with a client.

Wrapping Up

Documenting fieldwork is vital to show that you are meeting the BACB’s requirements. We hope these FAQs and scenarios about fieldwork documentation helped answer your questions about accurately documenting your fieldwork experiences.

Documenting Fieldwork Hours

Documenting Fieldwork Hours

By the BACB

This video covers important information about how to best document your fieldwork hours. Check it out for helpful insight into the supervision contract, ongoing documentation system, Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms, and beyond.

You can find all of the BACB’s videos on our YouTube channel.