Association for Behavior Analysis International

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a field that has yet to extend globally. Diversity in cultural and socio-economic contexts create barriers to straightforward replication of ABA systems from more industrialized countries. Extensive supervision and collaboration between local and international providers are vital to foster growth, uphold standards, and ensure effectiveness in developing nations. Government agencies play a vital role in establishing new disciplines within its country. In the Philippines, a considerable portion of the population live in poverty with limited access to essential services. A lack of public and private funding and only 7 Board Certified Behavior Analysts serving the 13th most populated country in the world exacerbate the struggle for accessible behavioral healthcare. In response to the challenges, the city of Paranaque was the first to enact an ordinance including ABA in its provision of free services to the community. The local government unit and international behavior analysts collaborated to provide on-going training for families with special needs in a pilot program aimed at establishing an infrastructure of sustainable behavioral support in the tenth largest city in the Philippines. Initial outcomes and barriers will be presented alongside recommendations for further action and replication in other developing cities and countries.

BACB and QABA certified clinicians