Why do behavior technicians need a supervisor if they already know how to manage behavior?
To make it short, here is why:
Training + education requirements to become & practice as a Registered Behavior Technician(RBT)
Have completed high school-level education
Obtain 40 hours of qualified training (overseen by a BCaBA or BCBA)
Pass the RBT exam and RBT competency assessment (overseen by a BCBA)
Maintain an ongoing documented BCaBA or BCBA supervisor
Training + education requirements to become & practice as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst(BCBA)
Have completed Masters or Doctoral level education
Obtain 1500-2000 hours of work experience (overseen by a BCBA)
Pass the BCBA exam
To make it long, here is why:
Yes, many RBTs have received great training and coaching to teach skills and reduce challenging behavior for the people they work with. For the vast majority of them though: this knowledge has come from what they have learned well beyond the intial required 40 hours of training. It means that deeper levels of knowledge to address more complex behavior, and teach a variety of skills come from extensive time spent in training, spent with a variety of clients, and most importantly: spent with a supervisor who also has adequate experience in these areas.
Before the RBT certification existed (2014) the only requirements for delivering ABA services were that a BCBA needed to oversee the work of whoever was delivering these services. At that time, anyone could deliver ABA services as long as they were supervised by a BCBA. Now, we have the RBT credential which gives us a way to confirm the specific training that someone has taken- this is great news. It just doesn’t stop here. 40 hours is not enough training to provide behavior analytic services independently. So, the solution for this is: BCBA supervision. It is the key to RBTs reaching their full potential, gaining more ABA knowledge and developing their problem-solving skills to address behavior.
This is very important for parents and families to understand. For example, if you are new to ABA services or have been told that your child would benefit from them by another professional, you may not be aware of how this process should work. Don’t be afraid to ask about the experience of those who will be working with your child, and to ensure that a BCBA is part of the team… if they are receiving ABA services specifically. There are so many motivated, and highly knowledgeable RBTs out there, and many that may do a wonderful job teaching your child useful skills. They just need to spend regular time with a BCBA who is overseeing their work. It’s sort of like if someone has just graduated from medical school…they don’t just begin working on their own right away, they need several years of going to a residency program and oversight by another doctor before they begin to fully practice alone (in the USA this is how it works at least). So, the process can be thought of like that.
This is also really important for ABA business owners (who are not behavior analysts) to understand. They must understand that RBTs require supervision in order to practice as an RBT and also in order to maintain their RBT credential. Without having a listed supervisor on the BACB registry (https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=100155) they could lose their RBT altogether. This information can also be found in the RBT Handbook here: https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RBTHandbook_220112.pdf . This could also reflect really poorly on the organization if proper supervision is not in place for the RBTs working there. It will only lead to poor quality services, unsatisfied consumers, untrained staff, and clients that are not making adequate progress. BCBA supervision is an investment and not just a financial one. It will really pay off when you see the difference it makes in progress and also in the RBT’s overall knowledge and skills.