Assistant Applied Behavior Analyst Application and Licensure

(1) Application. (a) Application for licensure shall be made in the manner prescribed by the Board and/or on forms approved by the Board. (b) No application shall be reviewed by the Board unless said application is made on forms which are approved by the Board, and unless said application is completely and properly filled out in the manner prescribed by the Board, signed under the penalties of perjury, and accompanied by the prescribed application fee and such other information that the Board may require. (2) Licensure as an assistant applied behavior analyst. Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 112, § 165, in order to be licensed as an assistant applied behavior analyst, an applicant for original license must demonstrate that he or she: (a) is of good moral character; (b) has not engaged or is not engaging in any practice or conduct which would be grounds for refusing to issue a license under M.G.L. 112, § 169; (c) has successfully completed a bachelor's degree program which meets the requirements under 262 CMR 10.04(3); (d) has successfully completed a Practicum or Supervised Experience in the practice of behavior analysis; and (e) has successfully completed the Board-approved examination(s). (3) Acceptability of Bachelor's Degree Program. (a) The Board will accept the following Bachelor's Degree Programs: 1. a Bachelor's Degree Program as defined under 262 CMR 10.02 which includes a minimum of nine credit hours in the following content areas and for the number of credit hours specified: a. one half of a credit hour of ethical considerations; b. two credit hours of definition and characteristics and principles, processes, and concepts; c. one credit hour of behavioral assessment and selecting intervention outcomes and strategies; d. one credit hour of experimental evaluation of interventions, and measurement of behavior and displaying and interpreting behavioral data; e. two credit hours of behavioral change procedures and systems support; and f. two credit hours discretionary coursework related to the study of behavior analysis. 2. a Bachelor's Degree Program as defined under 262 CMR 10.02 which includes a minimum of 12 credit hours of instruction in the following content areas and for the number of credit hours specified: a. one credit hour in ethical and professional conduct; b. three credit hours in concepts and principles of behavior analysis; c. one credit hour in research methods in behavior analysis; d. seven credit hours in applied behavior analysis which includes: i. three credit hours in fundamental elements of behavior change and specific behavior change procedures; ii. two credit hours in identification of the problem and assessment; iii. one credit hour consisting of intervention & behavior change considerations, behavior change systems, and implementation, management and supervision; and (4) Acceptability of Practicum and Supervised Experience. (a) The Board will accept as satisfying the requirements of 262 CMR 10.04(2)(d), the successful completion of one or a combination of one or more of the following experience categories when completed following enrollment and commencement of coursework in a bachelor's degree program: 1. Independent Fieldwork; Supervisees must: a. complete 1000 hours of independent fieldwork in behavior analysis, at least 50 hours of which must be supervised; b. accrue no fewer than ten hours but no more than 30 hours per week of independent fieldwork experience; and c. be supervised at least once during two week periods for no less than 5% of the total hours spent in independent fieldwork experience during each two week period. 2. Practicum; Supervisees must: a. complete, with a passing grade, 670 hours of Practicum experience in behavior analysis within a Recognized Educational Institution Practicum program taken for graduate academic credit, at least 50 hours of which must be supervised; b. accrue no fewer than ten hours but no more than 30 hours per week of Practicum experience; and c. be supervised at least once during each week for no less than 7.5% of the total hours spent in Practicum for each week. 3. Intensive Practicum; Supervisees must: a. complete, with a passing grade, 500 hours of intensive Practicum experience in behavior analysis within a Recognized Educational Institution Practicum program taken for graduate academic credit, at least 50 hours of which must be supervised; b. accrue no fewer than ten hours but no more than 30 hours per week of intensive Practicum experience; and c. be supervised at least once during each week for no less than 10% of the total hours spent in intensive Practicum for each week. (b) Combined Experience. Supervisees may elect to combine any of the three experience categories listed under 262 CMR 10.04(4)(a). (c) Supervisees may accrue experience in only one of three experience categories at a time. (d) Supervisees may not begin accumulating Supervised Independent Fieldwork, Practicum, or intensive Practicum hours until they have started attending courses required to meet the assistant applied behavior analysis licensure coursework requirements. (e) Supervision Received in Massachusetts. 1. prior to January 1, 2015 must be provided by a licensed applied behavior analyst or BCBA; 2. after January 1, 2015 but prior to January 1, 2018 must be provided by a licensed applied behavior analyst or a BCBA qualified to supervise by the BACB; and 3. after January 1, 2018 must be provided only by a licensed applied behavior analyst who is qualified to supervise by the BACB. (f) Supervision Received Outside of Massachusetts. 1. prior to January 1, 2015 must be provided by an applied behavior analyst licensed in the state where the supervision occurs or, if the state does not provide licensure for applied behavior analysts, a BCBA; and 2. after January 1, 2015 must be provided by an applied behavior analyst licensed in the state where the supervision occurs or, if the state does not provide licensure for applied behavior analysts, a BCBA who is qualified to supervise by the BACB. (g) The supervisor may not be related to, subordinate to, or employed by the supervisee during the Supervised Experience period. Provided however that this provision shall not prohibit compensation paid to the supervisor from the supervisee for supervision services. (5) Notwithstanding 262 CMR 10.04(2), applicants for licensure as an assistant applied behavior analyst whose applications are received prior to June 5, 2017 as provided for by St. 2012, c. 429 may qualify for licensure if the applicant is of good moral character and a BCaBA. (6) Licensure by Reciprocal Recognition. The Board, upon receipt of the required fee and a completed application on a form provided by the Board, may issue a license without examination and by reciprocal recognition to any person who holds a license, certification or registration as an assistant applied behavior analyst, or the equivalent thereof as determined by the Board, issued by another state or jurisdiction, provided that the applicant is of good moral character and: (a) the requirements and standards for that license, certificate or registration are substantially equivalent to or exceed the standards of the Commonwealth as determined by the Board; and (b) the applicant holds a current license in good standing with the licensing authority from the other state or jurisdiction.