Author: BACB NEWS

The Life Cycle of BCBA and BCaBA Applications

The Life Cycle of BCBA and BCaBA Applications

Have you ever wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes after you submit your BCBA or BCaBA application? Now you can! For your convenience, we’ve pulled together a quick overview of the BCBA and BCaBA application life cycle. In this detailed look at the beginning, middle, and end of the application process, you’ll learn more about what to expect once you apply for certification.

In the Beginning: It’s All About Documentation

Having complete and accurate documentation is one of the most important parts of the application process. However, due to the large amount of documentation that applicants are required to provide, it can be challenging to keep track of everything once it’s submitted—and that’s where we come in. Here’s an example of what the documentation stage might look like:

  1. First, we receive your documentation. This may happen in several ways. For example, your university might send us your transcript directly, or they might use a third-party transcript service to send it electronically. If your VCS Coordinator completes a VCS Coordinator Coursework Attestation form, they’ll send it to us directly as well. We may also receive documents, such as your Final Fieldwork Verification Form, via the Contact Us Form.
  2. Next, we retrieve the documents that come from third parties (e.g., third-party transcript service, your university) and upload them to your individual record on the date that they were received.
  3. At this point, we send you a confirmation email, and you can rest easy knowing that your documentation is in good hands. It’s important to note that if you submit documentation via the Contact Us Form, you’ll automatically receive a confirmation email, but if your university or a third-party transcript service submits documentation on your behalf, we’ll send you an additional confirmation email. Keep in mind that your university may send you a confirmation email, but this only indicates that your transcript has been sent—not received.
  4. Finally, we add your documentation to a queue to be reviewed.

Helpful Reminder: Take your time when preparing for your application, and try not to submit it before it’s completely ready. For example, you might consider requesting a copy of your transcript to confirm that your degree has been conferred and that all of your behavior-analytic coursework is listed and includes passing grades. If you have your ducks in a row from the very beginning, you can potentially avoid application processing delays.

Next Up: The Waiting Game

After submitting documentation for something important, we often start to ask ourselves questions: Was my information received? How long will it take to hear back? Should I submit again just to be sure? We’ve all been there, and we want you to know that when it comes to processing your application, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a quick glance at what the review process involves on our end:

  1. As we mentioned earlier, once we get your documents, we place them in a queue and review them in the order that they were received.
  2. When your application is up for review, we take a look at all of the documents that have been uploaded to your individual record and provide feedback if any documentation is missing or needs to be corrected. This is why it’s so important to have all of your application materials ready to go before you submit your documentation; if we need to provide feedback, you may encounter delays.
  3. As you wait to hear back from us, you can visit the Customer Service Updates web page. This page provides status updates on application processing times, and we update it daily. Please note that it may take up to 45 days from when we receive all of the documentation needed to complete our review.

Helpful Reminder: As tempting as it may be, please don’t submit your documentation multiple times, as this will cause application processing delays. If any additional information is needed, we’ll be sure to let you know.

Last but Not Least: The Determination

It feels great to get two thumbs-up for an approved application, and we love giving them! That said, there are a few different outcomes that can occur at this point in the process. Here’s some additional information about what the determination phase includes:

  • If we approve your application based on the documentation we received, we’ll send an examination authorization to Pearson VUE. Once your information is in their system, we’ll send you an examination authorization email with information about how to schedule and take the examination. You can learn more about scheduling an appointment by visiting our Examination Information web page.
  • If we don’t approve your application after the initial review, we’ll provide you with a determination via email. The determination will include a list of documents that are still needed as well as documents that have already been reviewed and approved. If you receive a determination indicating that you must provide additional documents, the documents will go through the same review cycle as before once they’ve been submitted. Bear in mind that you only have 90 days from the date you make an application payment to submit all of the required documentation before your application expires.
  • If you disagree with the application determination and believe that your application was denied in error, you may review our appeals policies and procedures to determine whether a second, independent review of your application should be initiated.
  • For assistance with any additional questions you might have about your application, please complete the Contact Us Form.

Helpful Reminder: If you’d like additional guidance along the way, check out our BCBA and BCaBA Applicants: 5 Tips for a Smoother Application Process blog.

Thanks for letting us share this bit of insight into how the application process works. We hope that you feel better acquainted with the life cycle of BCBA and BCaBA applications and can have peace of mind knowing that once you apply for certification, we’re here to help make the process as smooth as possible.

BACB Certification Application Tip:

Before submitting your application, be sure that it contains all of the necessary elements for approval, including complete, correct forms and more. Check out the relevant certificant handbook for a detailed list of application requirements.

Please click the image below that relates to your certification to learn more.




The 2022 Transition: What You Need to Know

The 2022 Transition Blog

Please note that the 2022 requirements are now in effect, so some of the information in this blog may be outdated.

On January 1, 2022, certain BACB standards and requirements will change in a big way. Here are the primary changes that you can expect to see:

The BCBA and BCaBA Task Lists (5th ed.) will go into effect, and all BCBA and BCaBA examinations will be based on them.

New requirements to qualify for BCBA and BCaBA certification will go into effect.

The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts will go into effect.

The RBT Ethics Code (2.0) will go into effect.

The new consulting supervisor requirement for first-year BCBAs who provide supervision to BCBA or BCaBA trainees accruing fieldwork will go into effect.

As a BCBA or BCaBA applicant, candidate, or certificant, these changes may affect you. So, we gathered all of our most helpful resources, tips, and tidbits in this one-stop shop for the 2022 transition. Read on for crucial details, a resource bank, and more.

Important Information

Don’t know where to start? First, you should determine whether you plan to apply before or after 2022. If you’re unsure, the following information may help guide your decision.

  • To apply for BCBA or BCaBA certification under the current 4th edition requirements, you must submit an approvable application before January 1, 2022; otherwise, you’ll have to apply under the 2022 requirements.

    But what’s an approvable application?

    An approvable application is one that contains all of the necessary elements for approval. For example, an approvable BCBA or BCaBA application submitted before 2022 would include the following:

    • payment in full
    • complete and accurate Final Experience Verification Form(s)
    • documentation showing that all coursework content requirements have been met
    • proof of an acceptable degree that meets all applicable requirements
    • official transcripts with conferral dates sent physically or electronically by the university

    It’s important that you also review the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook for a more detailed list of requirements, as forgotten or incorrect elements could cause delays. The BACB expects to see a large influx of application submissions toward the end of the year, so if you plan to submit your application under the 4th edition requirements, please do so as soon as possible.

  • Unless they meet the 2022 supervised fieldwork requirements, experience hours accrued under the current 4th edition requirements will not count toward an application submitted after 2022.

    This info is critical for those who have been planning to meet the experience requirements (i.e., those who have been planning to apply in 2021) but will not be able to apply until after 2022. Due to certain requirements changes (e.g., number of contacts), your experience hours might not count toward an application submitted in 2022—even if you accrue additional hours to meet the overall hour requirements. The rule of thumb is that if you’re meeting all of the requirements in place at the time off application, you’re likely on the right track.

    Please note that those applying in 2022 should use Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms. If you’re in this situation, and you haven’t been using Monthly Fieldwork Verification Forms, we encourage you to use them going forward and to maintain documentation showing that you met the supervised fieldwork requirements; this will help you in the event of an audit. Then, once you’ve completed your hours and met all of the relevant requirements, your supervisor should sign off on your completed Final Fieldwork Verification Form.

  • As of January 1, 2022, first-year BCBAs who provide supervision to BCBA or BCaBA trainees accruing fieldwork hours must meet with a consulting supervisor each month in which they provide supervision for the remainder of their first year.

    Heads up: This new requirement won’t apply to most BCBAs, including those who have been certified for more than one year, who are providing supervision in 2021, who are not providing supervision to trainees accruing fieldwork, and who are only providing supervision to RBTs or BCaBAs.

    That being said, this requirement is important to know, as it may affect trainees who plan to receive supervision from a newly certified BCBA next year. For a more thorough explanation of this new requirement, please review the Consulting Supervisor Requirements for New BCBAs Supervising Fieldwork document.

  • All BCBA and BCaBA examinations will be based on 5th edition content beginning January 1, 2022.

    But what if you applied under the current 4th edition requirements and have an open examination authorization going into 2022?

    Don’t fret! If you live in the United States, Canada, Australia, or the United Kingdom, your examination authorization period will be valid for its entire two-year duration, regardless of when you applied. For example, if your application was approved in July 2021, you’d be able to sit for your examination until July 2023—or until you ran out of attempts.

    The thing to note is that, beginning in 2022, every BCBA and BCaBA candidate will be tested on 5th edition examination content. So, to prepare for your examination, we suggest that you use the relevant 5th edition task list as a guide for your studies

Helpful Tips

  • Begin preparing as early as possible. As we’re sure you know, nothing ever seems to go 100% right. Mistakes, delays, and life events happen—so if you haven’t already, we suggest that you prepare for this transition now.
  • Reach out to your supervisor(s) and VCS Coordinator, if applicable, to ensure that you’re on track for a successful transition. Trying to submit an application or prepare for an examination at this time might be tricky, so it would be smart to enlist help from someone you trust. It never hurts to get a second opinion, especially from someone with experience.
  • Use Experience Verification Forms if applying in 2021 and Fieldwork Verification Forms if applying in 2022. Due to the similarity of these forms, it would be easy to accidentally submit the wrong one—but an incorrect form could result in a delayed or unapproved application. Our advice is to double check all of your submission materials with your supervisor(s). And for additional guidance, check out our Documenting Fieldwork Hours video and Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs blog.
  • If you plan to apply in 2022, don’t begin your application just yet. All applications that are not approvable will be removed from the BACB account database on January 1, 2022. To avoid losing your hard work, please hold on to your application materials and begin submissions after January 1, 2022.
  • Before you submit your application, review your materials closely. Did you pay your application fee? Does the BACB ID number listed on your document(s) match the number in your BACB account exactly? Every document, signature, and requirement met matters when it comes to your application, so be sure to dot the i’s and cross the t’s before you click submit.

Key Resources

For in-depth guidance, dive into the following resources that apply to you. It may be helpful to review these with a trusted mentor or supervisor.

  • Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts: This updated code lays out the ethics standards that BCBA and BCaBA applicants, trainees, supervisees, and certificants must abide by.
  • RBT Ethics Code (2.0): This updated code lays out the ethics standards that RBT applicants, trainees, supervisees, and certificants must abide by. Individuals who supervise RBTs should also become familiar with this code.

Thank you for taking the time to review this resource! We are so excited for all of the positive changes that will come from these updated requirements, and we hope that your transition is as seamless as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch via the Contact Us web page.

Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs

Documenting Fieldwork FAQs

Keeping up with documentation can be hard—but it doesn’t have to be! With a solid plan in place to track your fieldwork, you can rest assured knowing that your fieldwork hours are being accurately documented.

Check out these answers to your frequently asked questions about the fieldwork documentation system, Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms, and the former Fieldwork Tracker to ensure that you’re set up for success. For more helpful tips, be sure to review the Documenting Fieldwork Hours video.

Fieldwork Documentation System

Q: Who should develop and maintain my documentation system?

A: You and your supervisor can collaborate to develop a documentation system, or you can develop it on your own. However, please keep in mind that regardless of who develops and maintains the documentation system, both you and your supervisor are required to keep copies of all relevant documentation.

Q: Who is responsible for tracking my hours to make sure they meet the requirements?

A: Both you and your supervisor should be tracking your fieldwork hours. At a minimum, your supervisor should review all of your hours for each supervisory period before they sign the Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form. Don’t wait until the Final Fieldwork Verification Form must be signed for your supervisor to review all of your hours!

Q: What might it look like to document my fieldwork?

A: This is a great question—and there’s a lot to consider. Here are a few pointers to get you started, but be sure to check out the Documenting Fieldwork Hours video for an in-depth look at how to best document your fieldwork:

  1. First, we recommend that you complete the Fieldwork Checklist and Tip Sheet, as it includes helpful guidance on getting started.
  2. Once you’ve found a qualified supervisor, signed your supervision contract, and established your documentation system, you’ll likely begin accruing hours by performing both restricted and unrestricted activities. You should meet with your supervisor throughout the month to help ensure that you’re gaining the skills necessary to demonstrate competence in applied behavior analysis. You can find a more comprehensive description of acceptable activities in the relevant BCBA or BCaBA Handbook .
  3. By the end of the month, you’ll want to double check that you’ve documented the total number of individual and group supervision hours you accrued, the total number of supervision contacts that occurred, and the total number of observations-with-clients that took place that month. Don’t forget to document all other relevant information along the way (see the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook for additional information).
    • Remember to adjust your fieldwork hours if you did not meet all of the monthly requirements (e.g., contacts, % supervision). Review the Requirements for Supervision of Fieldwork Hours section of the BCBA and BCaBA handbooks for details on how to systematically reduce fieldwork hours in order to meet monthly requirements.
  4. At this point, you and your supervisor will review the documentation to confirm that all of the requirements for that month have been met. If your supervisor can agree to the listed attestations, they will sign your Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form for that supervisory period. This form must be signed by the last day of the calendar month following the month of supervision, and both you and your supervisor must retain copies.
  5. Once you’ve completed all of your fieldwork and met all of the requirements, your supervisor will sign your Final Fieldwork Verification Form. When you’re ready to apply, this is the form you’ll submit with your application.

Q: How do I document combined Supervised Fieldwork and Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork?

A: These should be documented on separate forms. Please note that Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork hours have approximately 1.33 times the temporal value of Supervised Fieldwork hours. In your documentation system, you may want to convert your Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork hours to Supervised Fieldwork hours to ensure that you’re on track to accrue all of the hours that you need to apply for certification. Review the Requirements for Supervision of Fieldwork Hours section of the BCBA and BCaBA handbooks for more guidance.

Q: Is the audit process something that I should plan for?

A: Yes! It’s highly recommended that you keep all of your fieldwork documents organized and up to date in anticipation of an audit. If you’re audited, we’ll provide you with an audit log and guidance on what information or time period is being audited. With your documentation system already organized, it’ll be easy to complete the audit log. Feel free to review the Fieldwork Audit Process visual in the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook for more information.

Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms

Q: I see that the Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms require a BACB ID. Where can I find mine?

A: Your BACB ID is located in your BACB account. If you don’t have a BACB account, you’ll need to create one. We strongly suggest creating only one account to prevent delays in processing your application. If you experience any issues accessing your account, use the Contact Us Form for assistance.

Q: What should I do if I need to modify a Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form?

A: This one is important! Here’s what you can do:

  • If it’s still within one calendar month of the supervisory period, you can create a new version and get all of the necessary signatures.
  • If it’s more than one calendar month after the supervisory period has ended, you and your supervisor can make the relevant changes and have everyone involved initial them. Just make sure that your documentation can support the corrected form!

Q: If I lose a Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form, can I still count those hours?

A: Technically, yes. You may submit those hours, but if your fieldwork is selected for an audit, you must have additional documentation that sufficiently verifies the hours that were captured on the lost form. If your documentation is insufficient, those hours may not be accepted, and you may need to complete additional fieldwork.

Q: Can I submit the Final Fieldwork Verification Forms electronically?

A: Absolutely. Please see the Acceptable Signatures Policy for more information on acceptable types of digital signatures. When you apply, you’ll receive guidance on where to submit your forms.

Q: How can I ensure that my Fieldwork Verification Form will be accepted by the BACB?

A: Although we can’t guarantee that a form will be approved, we strongly encourage you to save your Fieldwork Verification Form and then open the saved file to review it. If the file is saved incorrectly and data is missing, your submission cannot be accepted. By reviewing the saved file in advance, you can ensure that your form isn’t missing any information.

Q: If I’m completing a Multiple Supervisors at One Organization Fieldwork Verification Form, should I enter the name of everyone who supervised me at the organization?

A: It depends! Let’s break it down:

  • Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: No. The responsible supervisor is the only one who must be listed on and who must sign the form.
  • Final Fieldwork Verification Form: Yes. Anyone from the organization who provided supervision for you must be listed; however, the responsible supervisor should be the only one to sign the form.

Q: How should I determine who the responsible supervisor is?

A: If you’re receiving supervision from multiple supervisors at one organization, you’ll need a responsible supervisor—an individual who ensures that all of the supervisors’ activities are well organized and coordinated. The person who serves in this role must be identified on the supervision contract and must be able to agree to all of the relevant attestations on the Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms. For this reason, the responsible supervisor who signs the Final Fieldwork Verification Form must have been qualified to be a responsible supervisor for the entire duration of the supervision provided. Anyone who meets those requirements may act as your responsible supervisor.

Q: I’m completing a coordinated fieldwork experience with multiple supervisors, but they don’t all work at the same organization. Can I still use the Multiple Supervisors at One Organization Fieldwork Verification Form?

A: If your fieldwork meets the Multiple Supervisors/Settings requirements outlined in the Supervised Fieldwork Requirements section of the BCBA or BCaBA Handbook, you can use this form. The key is that your coordinated fieldwork experience is completed with a clearly defined Responsible Supervisor who ensures that the activity is well organized and meets all BACB fieldwork requirements.

Thank you for reviewing these Q&As. We hope that they helped you feel more confident in documenting your fieldwork—and we encourage you to continue familiarizing yourself with our documentation requirements. The more you know, the more prepared you’ll be to complete your application and take the next steps toward certification.

Documenting Fieldwork Hours

Documenting Fieldwork Hours

By the BACB

This video covers important information about how to best document your fieldwork hours. Check it out for helpful insight into the supervision contract, ongoing documentation system, Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms, and beyond.

You can find all of the BACB’s videos on our YouTube channel.

Introducing the RBT Ethics Code (2.0)

Inside the BACB: Episode 25

Introducing the RBT Ethics Code (2.0) – In this episode of Inside the BACB, join CEO Dr. Jim Carr and Director of Ethics Dr. Tyra Sellers as they discuss the RBT Ethics Code (2.0), a revised version of the ethics code for RBTs. Tune in now to learn about the revision process, changes to current ethics standards, and more.

You can find all of the BACB’s videos on our YouTube channel.

The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts: Responsibility in Research

Inside the BACB: Episode 24

The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts: Responsibility in Research – Please join Director of Ethics Dr. Tyra Sellers and Ethics Disciplinary Manager Dr. Holly Seniuk for our final episode of The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts podcast series. This episode covers the revised ethical requirements for conducting research, using client data, and much more.

Thank you for tuning in! We hope that this series has been of value, and we appreciate your continued dedication to staying informed of and practicing under BACB ethics standards.

You can find all of the BACB’s videos on our YouTube channel.

The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts: Responsibility in Public Statements

Inside the BACB: Episode 23

The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts: Responsibility in Public Statements – In this episode of The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts podcast series, the BACB’s Director of Ethics Dr. Tyra Sellers and Ethics Disciplinary Manager Dr. Holly Seniuk dive into Section 5 of the revised ethics code for BCBAs and BCaBAs: Responsibility in Public Statements.

You can find all of the BACB’s videos on our YouTube channel.