How to Become a BCaBA in NY

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Becoming a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) in New York can be a rewarding career, especially for those who have a passion for improving the lives of others. BCaBAs are crucial members in the field of behavior analysts. They work under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to implement and manage behavior analysis programs. Becoming a BCaBA opens doors to advance professionally in your career. The process of becoming a BCaBA in NY involves several steps, including earning educational requirements, supervised experience, and certification exams. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to become a BCaBA in NY.

How to Become a BCaBA in NY

How to Become a BCaBA in NY

Understand the Role

Before embarking on this rewarding career as a BCaBA, it’s crucial to understand the role. BCaBAs work under the supervision of a BCBA and assist in implementing behavior analysis interventions, developing behavior plans, and monitoring patient’s progress. They often work in various settings such as schools, clinics, and private practices.

Education Requirements

In order to take the BCaBA exam and earn your certification, you must meet the BACB requirements. To be eligible for the exam you must have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program. The bachelors degree should be in any field related to behavior analysis, psychology, or education. However, if your degree isn’t in one of those fields, you can still be eligible if you complete the necessary coursework in behavior analysis.

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) requires specific coursework to ensure that you’re prepared for the responsibilities of a BCaBA. The necessary completed coursework content required to be eligible includes:

  • BACB Ethics Code and Code-Enforcement System; Professionalism (30 hours)
  • Philosophical Underpinnings; Concepts & Principles (45 hours)
  • Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation; Experimental Design (30 hours)
  • Behavior Assessment (45 hours)
  • Behavior-Change Procedures; Selecting and Implementing Interventions (60 hours)
  • Personnel Supervision and Management (15 hours)

Gain Experience

Besides meeting educational requirements, you must meet the supervised fieldwork requirements. There are two ways to accrue fieldwork hours under one or more fieldwork types: Supervised Fieldwork or Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork. For Supervised Fieldwork, you must complete 1,300 hours with 5% of those hours being supervision hours per supervisory period. For the Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork, you must complete 1,000 hours with 10% of those hours being supervision hours per supervisory period.

Apply for the BCaBA Exam

After you have completed and met the above requirements, the next step is to apply for the BCaBA certification exam. In order to apply for the exam, you will need to provide supplemental documents including official transcripts and BCaBC VCS Coordinator Coursework Attestation (if relevant). There will also be an associated fee to apply for the exam that must be paid in order to send in your application. Once your application has been sent, you will have approximately 90 days to submit your documents.

Prepare and Pass the BCaBA Exam

As with any big exam, it’s important to prepare for the certification exam in order to pass on the first try. Gather materials from your training, study the BCaBA Task List provided by the BACB, and the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts. The BCaBA exam consists of multiple-choice questions split into two sections: applications and foundations. Research practice exams online, find a study group, or re-read textbooks that focus on behavior analysis to help. It’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the exam format and topics in order to set yourself up for success.

Receive and Maintain Certification

Once you have passed the certification exam and earned your BCaBA credential, it’s important to maintain it as it does not stay valid forever. In order to maintain your certification, you must obtain ongoing continuing education unit requirements (CEU), adhere to the BACB’s ethics and self-reporting requirements, meet ongoing supervision requirements, and submit a completed recertification application every two years. It is required to obtain 20 CEU’s, including 4 CEUs in ethics and 3 CEUs in supervision, within each 2-year recertification cycle.

Conclusion

Becoming a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst in New York involves a structured process of education, supervised experience, and examination. By meeting these requirements, you can join a profession dedicated to improving lives through behavior analysis. Stay committed to your professional development and ethical practice to succeed in this rewarding field. Once you have earned your certification, you’ll have plenty of BCaBA job opportunities in NY! Apply online with us today to start your BCaBA career.