The Behavioral Analyst Certification Board (BACB) is a nonprofit organization that was established in the late 1990’s to create professional credentials for behavior analysts, their clients and regulatory bodies. The mission of the BACB is to develop, advocate and establish a global certification program for behavior analysts. The BACB provides standardized credential criteria and practices that meet legal, best practice and national standards.
Who Certifies the BACB?
The BACB credentialing program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), which is the accreditation body of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA). This organization maintains and enforces the highest standards in organizational certification. The mission of the NCCA is to ensure public safety and well-being through the accreditation of certification programs that evaluate professional competency. The NCCA uses a peer-based review process to establish accreditation standards, assess compliance and recognize programs that maintain and fail to maintain conformance. They act as an independent resource for quality certification, operations optimization, performance review and accreditation standards for professional certification programs.
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Fast Facts about BACB
The BACB certifies thousands of thousands of professionals around the world every year. The numbers continue to grow despite the increasingly difficult experience and coursework requirements. The passing score mark is also being gradually adjusted higher. Over 150 colleges and universities offer around 200 BACB approved courses. The most dramatic growth in universities with approved BACB courses outside the U.S. is in Europe. There are over 120 BACB approved providers of continuing education credits. The international mission of the BACB is to protect clients of behavior analysis by methodically establishing, promoting and enforcing professional standards. The vision of the BACB is to increase the availability of competent behavior analysts around the world to solve various psychological problems.
BACB Certification
The BACB offers four credentials: the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA), the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and the Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D). The Board Certified Behavior Analyst is the most commonly sought after credential. Candidates must complete a master’s degree in behavior analysis or a related field like psychology, education, medicine, science and human services. The program must be accredited through the U.S. Department of Education, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or a higher learning institution that maintains equivalent education standards per the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.
Board Certified Behavior Analyst Qualifications
In order to qualify for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam, candidates must complete a total of 225 classroom hours of graduate level instruction in ethical considerations, experimental interventions, behavioral assessments, interpretation of behavioral data, and behavior change procedures. They must complete at least 1500 hours of both supervised and independent fieldwork related to behavior analysis. Alternatively, candidates must successfully finish a graduate practicum of 1000 hours within a university program that is approved by the BACB. As a third option, candidates can complete an intensive or accelerated full-time practicum of 750 hours in a university program that is approved by the BACB.
The Behavioral Analyst Certification Board is the premier organization that provides credentialing standards for professional behavioral analysts.
