Association for Behavior Analysis International

The presentation of this symposium pertain to some of the issues addressed recently by the Association for Behavior Analysis International Licensing Committee. The Licensing Committee consults with chapter leaders, upon request, regarding issues pertaining to behavior analyst licensure and credentialing as well as provides resources related to those issues. Issues to be addressed include: features of a profession, status of behavior analysis as a profession, types of behavior analyst certification organizations, comparison of certifications currently available, influence of insurance requirements on provision of behavior analytic services, and opposition to behavior analyst certification with suggestions related to addressing them.

1. Mastery of basic behavior analysis principles and procedures 2. Basic knowledge of behavior analyst credentialing procedures 3. Basic knowledge of common procedures for establishment of behavior analyst licensure (or comparable) 4. Basic knowledge of public policy advocacy practices

An ongoing topic of discussion among some people and recognized professions is whether behavior analysis is a profession, particular one independent of other existing professions (e.g., psychology, counseling, education). The answer to that discussion is relevant to decisions regarding establishment of licensure of behavior analysts. The essential features commonly identified with existence of a profession will be reviewed. An overview of historical tends in development of professions will be provided. Those trends include professions evolving and splitting from the from the profession in which it originated or existed very early (such as surgery in England initially being done by barbers, psychology growing out of philosophy which has ancient routes in theology and religion). Another trend has been for some professions to emerge from schisms within their memberships that drifted based upon the practitioner/scientist designations. Whether behavior analysis currently exhibits all or a critical mass of the identified features of a profession will be explored. That exploration will consider whether all components of behavior analysis (i.e., conceptual/theoretical, experimental, applied components) or just the applied component. Implications for regulation and licensing of behavior of the exploration of whether behavior analysis- or at least the applied component- should be considered a profession in its own right analysts will be discussed.

As third party (insurance) payments have become more common in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, behavior analysts have had to learn a new language and paradigm for writing goals. Some insurance companies specify that they will cover only the "core deficits" of Autism Spectrum Disorders, for example. This leads to common goals, such as Activities of Daily Living, seeming to be outside the realm of coverage. This talk will address some of these issues and discuss means of making sure that all goals required by the individual being taught are addressed.