What’s the point of supervision?
Whether you are just investigating this whole ABA track, or just beginning your supervision journey, this information will help you understand the nature of supervision. Before I started supervision, I was overwhelmed by the number of options and didn’t know where to start. I created this quick start guide to help pave the way for an easy understanding of the purpose of supervision for BCBA/BCaBA certification.
The purpose of BCBA/BCaBA supervision is to gain personalized experience with a BCBA and apply behavior-analytic concepts include in the BACB task list, and other applied behavior analysis principles in order to prepare to enter the workforce as a BCBA.
How much supervision do I need according to the BACB?
For the 4th Edition task list, individualized supervision for BCBA requires 1500 total experience hours, 5% of which are supervised by a BCBA. This equates to approximately 75 hours by the end of your supervision. If you are planning to apply for the exam under the 4th edition, you need to submit your application prior to December 31st, 2021.
For the 5th edition task list, the BACB is updating the requirements for supervision starting in 2022 requiring 2000 hours of supervision with 5% of those being supervised. There is also a concentrated fieldwork option that requires candidates to obtain 10% supervised hours. Click here for more information.
Individualized supervision for BCaBA requires 1000 total hours, 5% are supervised which equates to approximately 50 hours of supervision.
For the 5th edition task list, the BACB is updating the requirements for BCaBA supervision starting in 2022 requiring 1300 hours of supervision for BCaBA’s with 5% of those being supervised. Click here for more information.
How long does BCBA/BCaBA supervision take in total?
Supervision for your BCBA takes on average 1.5 – 2 years if you stay on track, a little less for your BCaBA. Students seeking certification can accrue up to 130 experience hours each month, and 6.5 hours of supervision, or time with a supervisor (5%).
When can I start accruing hours?
According to the BACB, you can start supervision as soon as you start your ABA coursework through your accredited program and sign a contract with your supervisor.
What are acceptable activities for supervision according to the BACB experience standards?
Unrestricted:
At least 50% of total experience hours must be composed of the following unrestricted activities. There is no limit to unrestricted activities.
- Conducting assessments related to ABA (preference, FA)
- Design, implement, systematically monitor skill-acquisition and behavior reduction programs
- Writing behavior treatment plans, progress summaries, clinical notes, transition summaries
- Oversee the implementation of behavior-analytic programs by others
- Training others on task list items and ABA principles
- Communicating with caregivers and other professionals
- Attending planning meetings, researching literature that is relevant to current client’s programs
Restricted:
No more than 50% of total experience hours can be restricted.
- Direct therapy/working directly with clients
What does meeting with my BCBA look like?
Supervision meetings can be in person, or remote. Online supervision can be live video or recorded videos combined with live video meetings.
These meetings will consist of a combination of observation review, and behavior analytic discussion of problem behaviors, skill acquisition related to specific clients, task analysis review, literature and research review, as well as and current ABA interventions specific to clients.
Your BCBA supervisor will:
- Monitor skills of the supervisee
- Give feedback on performance
- Observe supervisee performance with clients
- Problem solve, guide development of behavioral case conceptualization
- Review supervisee written materials (data sheets, BIP, reports)
- Oversee behavior-analytic service delivery
- Review task list items
- Evaluate the effects of supervision throughout
Now that you have a basic understanding of what supervision is like, you can search for a local supervisor in your area by looking at the board website. You can also ask your current job if there is a BCBA on staff willing to supervise you. If you do not work in a setting where ABA is an option, look into remote supervision.
As always, reach out via email if you have any questions!
katherine@readysetaba.com
cammie@readysetaba.com
-Katherine & Cammie
Where specifically can one have the supervision, can a group home be an accepted setting to have some of the supervised hours.
Hello Anthony,
If there is a BCBA on-site, they can supervise you working with clients and writing BIP’s, conducting assessments, training staff etc. If you do not have a BCBA on-site, you can find a remote supervisor. In this case, you’d need permission from your facility and the client’s caregiver to film and work with them on behavior analytic principles. From there, your supervisor will guide you through appropriate projects that are applicable to ABA and your client.
Hope this helps,
Katherine
I’m an RBT on the BCBA path, My Estimated Grad Date: SEP 2021, My BCBA asked for this information, but I don’t completely understand how to translate this using the information listed on the BACB website?
Current number of Restricted hours:
Current Number of Unrestricted hours:
Number of Restricted still needed:
Number of Unrestricted still needed:
Hello Reginald!
Restricted hours are those hours you work directly with clients, unrestricted are those working on BIP, assessments, research etc. Out of 1500, 50% or more need to be unrestricted.
Watch this video for tracking that explains how you can track these hours.
See this blog post for more clarification on the difference between restricted and unrestricted hours.
Katherine
hi. I am going to have BCBA examination in 2022.
How many total experience hours we need to have? 1500 hours or 2000 hours?
How can I earn the total experience hours if I do not work in a centre or school.
(For the 5% of supervision hours, I can join the remote supervision program.)
Thank you so much.
Hi Jason,
For the new 2022 requirements, you will need 2000 hours of supervision 5% of those being supervised (click here for BACB requirements). For the 5% supervised, you can find a remote supervisor. We are currently accepting two more students. If you are interested, please email and I can provide more information on the nature of our supervision.
In order to gain experience without working in a clinic or school, you will need to find someone you know with developmental disabilities (friend, neighbor, coworker’s child etc.) who’d be willing to sign video consent.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Katherine
Hi Kathleen! I am looking for a supervisor for my program for graduate school to become a BCBA online at UWF. I am currently teaching in a public school in a direct instruction math course in middle school and currently work with ESE students VE and EBD/Behavioral Disabilities. I am open in the next 2 summers to gain experience working in a center to diversify my experience. Are you still looking for students?
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for reaching out. I will email you! Yes, we do have two openings right now.
If I am currently pursuing my BCBA certification, do I have to work as an RBT as a means to earn hours?
Hello!
You do not have to work as an RBT to earn hours; however, some RBT positions offer supervision built into the job position. In this case, it can be more convenient for you to obtain hours. See prior post for options in gaining supervision without pursuing your RBT.
Katherine
Hello, I am looking for clear direction of ways to gain supervision hours without pursuing RBT?
Hi Blaire,
Thanks for your question. There are ways to complete remote supervision if you can find your own client. Feel free to email me and we can set up a time to talk! katherine@readysetaba.com
Hi! I was wondering, once you reach your required restricted hours can I stop tracking it and just continue to track my unrestricted hours?
Yes, you can stop counting restricted hours and focus on unrestricted. You will still need two client observations per month to count. Although currently, the board has waived this requirement due to COVID-19. See https://www.bacb.com/category/bacb-covid19/ for more information.
I need some quick clarification on acceptable and unacceptable. If I attend a CEU type course specific to learning about a technique to use with a client, can this count. I see that conferences and things are not acceptable but would it be under this circumstance?
Hi Kimberly,
You will have to clarify with your supervisor but according to the board, CEU type courses do not count as unrestricted hours. Double-check though because I would hate for you to miss out on hours!
Katherine
Considering that more that 50% of all hours can be unrestricted, is there a minimum number of restricted hours?
Hi Krista,
Right now, there is not a minimum number of restricted hours.
Katherine
Hi, I am currently a BCaBA, who completed my masters course sequence for my BCBA. I have acquired 2 years of supervision and am searching the BACB website to confirm that I only need 500 supervision hours to apply for my BCBA. Can someone direct me to where this is listed on the BACB website so I am filling out my application correctly?
Hi! I’ve been approved to take the bcaba examination but I have a question about the next step… once I am a BCaBA, how many hours do I need for BCBA? Do I need to start over or do some hours carry over?
Hi Shannon,
You have to start over for BCBA according to the board. Here is the information: https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BACB_Newsletter_101317-2.pdf
I hope this helps!
Katherine
I just wanted to say thank you for this! I’ve been confused about the supervision portion. I am starting my Masters program soon and this really cleared a lot up for me.
I am so happy to hear! This stuff can be tricky. Best of luck!
Hi! I just currently started working as a RBT and I start my Master’s program pretty soon and my goal is to become a BCBA. As soon as my master’s program starts can I start counting my RBT hours towards the bcba supervision hours?
Hi Alex!
As soon as you start your VCS or ABA courses, you can begin supervision. You can start counting your hours once your ABA coursework begins! Your supervisor should be able to confirm this as well. Best of luck!
Katherine
Besides the contract, what else do I need my supervisor to sign? Thank you!
That is all in the beginning! Your supervisor will sign monthly forms and the final experience verification at the end.
Hello. I am starting a bcba masters program in a few weeks and I’m very new to the field. I just wanted to say your responses to questions have answered some questions I’ve had myself and struggled to find. Thank you for being so willing to share!
Hi Jazmine,
I am so happy to hear!! Best of luck.
Katherine
Hello,
I have found this post very helpful, I was wondering how do most people track their hours? I work as an RBT and barely began my supervision hours but I am confused on how i go about using the monthly forms
Hello Delmy,
The board has a supervision tracker here that you can use to track your hours. It is helpful to watch the video on this as well. The monthly forms are used in case of an audit in the future between the supervisor and supervise. I hope this helps!
Hello,
I just finished my Masters program (4th Ed Task List) but have not started my supervision hours yet. I found a company that can do supervision but not until my 6th month with the company so I’m not able to finish all my hours before Jan 1 2022. My question is do I have to take additional courses to satisfy the 5th edition task list? Or do I just do 2000 supervision hours to sit for the exam after 2022. Thank you for all your advice on this page!
Hello Joy,
You will need to take additional courses to satisfy the 5th edition requirements and the 2000 hours.
Katherine
Hello! This is such great information! I do have a question. I am currently a high school inclusion teacher. I am looking for a remote BCBA since we do not have one in our school district. How would I go about looking for one?
Hello Carlie,
It sounds like you have a good placement for supervision if you are already working with individuals with autism and related disorders. We do offer remote supervision. You can visit this page for more information. Please email me (katherine@readysetaba.com) if you’d like to schedule a time to talk about how the supervision is structured.
Katherine
I just started my program online with ASU toward becoming a BCBA. I’m looking ahead to my supervised hours. I was just wondering if you can wait until after graduation to begin those hours. Is it more beneficial do do everything at once, and be able to take the exam right after graduation, or close to that? Or is it ok to wait? Am I doing myself a disservice not starting these hours before graduation? I’ve been scouring the internet trying to find BCBA’s sharing their experiences and their paths to BCBA, but am not finding much.
Hi Lora,
You can wait to do your hours after graduation if you choose. Some people choose to obtain hours while they are in school to save time. Also, some students find it beneficial to gain applied experience while learning the course material. I would be happy to schedule a call if you’d like to discuss it further.
Best,
Katherine
Hello Katherine,
I have recently reached the maximum amount of restricted hours I can use towards my hours and now I am going to focus on the unrestricted hours. My question is- do I still have to do a minimum of 20 hours a month in order for them to count?
Ps. Thank you for all this great info!
Hi Crystal,
Yes, you need to obtain at least 20 hours per month to count supervision. You can focus on unrestricted hours without needing direct, aside from the observation requirements. I hope this helps!
Katherine
Hi! I currently work at facility and I am supervised by a BCBA about once a week for two to four hours. How would I go about logging those hours? Are those hours logable? Or do I have to be in a specific program to qualify to log them?
Hi Tearra,
Thank you for your question. You will need to be sure you are enrolled in a VCS (verified course sequence) before you can begin supervision. This will be a part of an ABA certificate program through a graduate program. You cannot log supervision hours until you begin coursework.
Katherine
Hi! I just recently started supervision and am using the experience tracker , my question is Do we track our daily activities in the tracker or so we only put only the monthly data? I’ve been putting my hours there daily but I have seen others put just the total monthly supervision. Thank you so much!
Hello Joy,
Yes, you track your supervision daily.
Thanks!
Hello,
Thank you for this blog, it’s all very useful information. I have a question in regards to documentation of supervisor-supervisee contacts. Do these forms need to be completed by the supervisor or can the supervisee complete the content of the form and just have the supervisor sign off?
Hi Mel,
The monthly experience forms need to be filled out by the supervisee and signed by both parties. The fieldwork tracker is also filled out by the supervised and the supervisor should check it every month if possible.
Best,
Katherine
Hi there.
I’m so glad I found out about this resource!
I started my BCBA coursework 1/2017, completed it 12/2018 and then began my 1500 hours. When do I need to have my hours completed by and when do I need to apply to sit for the exam to still quality under the 4th edition task list?
Tysm.
Hi Sara,
I am glad you found this blog helpful! You will need to apply before December 31st, 2021 to be eligible for the 4th edition test. Your application is good for two years. I hope this helps!
Katherine
Thanks for the clarification, Katherine.
Sorry to sound uninformed, but in order to apply to test you need to have completed all of your supervision hours, correct?
And, the 2-yr application window is to test and retest if necessary? So basically the Board gives you 2 yrs to pass?
That is correct!
Hi, I found this blog very useful.
My question is I planned to start the VCS program in Aug 2021, and aim at finishing it before Aug 2023. Does it mean that I have to take the 5th edition test?
And is that 2,000 hours of supervision is required?
Hi Judy,
You will be taking the 5th edition test and 2000 hours are required. Here is more information!
https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BCBA-RequirementsTransitionResource_200826.pdfKatherine
If a supervisee starts supervision mid-month, and the hours are prorated into the next calendar month, can those hours count toward the 20 hour minimum for that month?
Hi Krista,
That is up to your supervisor and what your contract says but that is generally fine as long as you track it appropriately.
Katherine
Thank you Katherine.
As I am not reside in US, Canada or UK, may I know if it is true that I cannot get the certification after 1 Jan, 2023?
That is correct.
International Changes 2023
Hi there, I am at the portion of the final verification form for multiple supervisors and I am so confused on the numbers that need to go under experience hours . A,. independent hours ( supervisor not present ) and B. Supervised hours ( supervisor present). Wouldn’t everyones number be 1425 and 75 for a total of 1500 hours ? I am confused because I am following the requirements for option 1 which is coursework and independent field work hours and I have accrued way more than 1500 hours . do I write those down as well? I read somewhere that the board may reject the application if the hours surpass 1500 . help please I am stuck and don’t want the application rejected over an error.
Hi Sarin,
Great question. I would go ahead and count the surplus of hours over 1500. As long as your supervised independent fieldwork is 5% or more, you should be fine.
Katherine
Hi There,
First, Thank you so much for your knowledge on this subject!!
I live in Indiana, a state that has no legislation/licensing requirements regarding BCBA/BCABA. I graduate with my BS in ABA this September. While I plan to work in ABA while I work through my masters, my end game is Clinical Psychology, not ABA.
With that being said, Should I still meet the supervision requirements for/sit for the BCABA exam? What are the benefits of this route? Or would becoming an RBT be sufficient?
I am especially concerned with making this decision due to the additional requirements of the 5th edition.
Thank you so much! Being an online student doesn’t leave many opportunities for mentorship or guidance.
Holly
Hi Holly,
Thanks for your question. This seems like a tough decision! Getting your BCBA/BCaBA certification is quite a process if you aren’t planning on ending up practicing in ABA. The choice is yours. As an RBT you can still work in the field under the supervision of a BCaBA or BCBA. It sounds like you are already gaining knowledge in ABA in your current program.
I hope this helps!
Katherine
Hello,
I became a BCBA last month. A potential supervisee has approached me to provide supervision hours for her. She is acquiring her hours based on the 5th edition as she is planning to write her exam in 2022. My question is whether I am allowed to provide supervision for her right now even though I am a recent BCBA? By the time the 5th edition comes into effect, my license will be a year old. Thank You.
Hi Mariam,
Thanks for commenting. The guidelines say “suggested” that you are a supervisor for at least a year but this is not required. It mentions this vaguely in the fieldwork supervision document. I was wondering the same thing and my colleagues and I came together and discussed. I hope this helps. Congrats on passing!
Follow us on Instagram @readysetaba and youtube for video explanations and visuals!
Katherine
Hi there,
I am currently earning my RBT certificate. I hope to be starting my BCBA certificate program in May. However, I am having trouble finding someplace/someone to supervise me. I am in the Miami, FL area and according to the BACB website there were ” no matches found ” for agencies in my area. Any advice on how to complete my hours?
Hi Dayana,
Thanks for commenting! We offer remote supervision for students all over the US. Here is information on our supervision. I will also reach out to you personally to set up a call to discuss.
Follow us on Instagram @readysetaba and youtube for term videos and visuals in the meantime.
Best,
Katherine
Hello Katherine,
I work in a state run psychiatric hospital and am interested in obtaining BCBA supervision. My challenge is the limitation on video taping patients for various reasons due to privacy issues and sharing a videotaped session with a supervisor. Are there exceptions for supervisees in certain circumstances?
This is a wonderful resource. Thank you!
Hi Peg!
That is totally up to your workplace and the caregivers of your clients. If your workplace does not allow video recording, then you have to find another setting or family to work with.
Katherine
Hello,
I am tracking my hours for the first time this month. I am currently working with clients. My question is are those hours part of restricted hours each month? Can I use every session with clients towards restricted hours for the 2000 required hours?
Thank you!!
Hi Robie,
Great question. You can use these hours as restricted. Ultimately, it is up to your supervisor.
Katherine
Hello,
How long do you have to sit for the exam once you have completed your supervision hours before those hours are void and supervision hours must be obtained again?
Hi Megan,
You have two years.
Katherine
Hello Katherine,
My name is Bobby, i work as behavior consultant. I finished RBT course 3 years before and is working as RBT as well for past 3 years. I graduated Masters in Psychology in Applied Behavior Analysis. My goal is to get my BCBA. i am trying so hard to get my supervision hours for past 3 years. I joined even 3 employers to get it. But so far i dint get any.
Currently my role in Behavior consultant are below
Restricted hours
– i work directly with children with disabilities and behavior problems.
– skill acquisition and behavior reduction programs
Unrestricted hours
– conduct assessments
– write treatment plans
– implement treatment plan
– monitor progress
– do functional analysis
– conduct preference assessment
– data collection, graphing and analysis
– research on client related literature
– train behavior health technician, teachers and parents
I am also working as RBT for few hours with different employer, but i don’t get enough hours to track it and also my RBT cases are not consistent hence i am not able to track my supervision.
Based on my role as behavior consultant, could i get supervision from you in order to get my supervision hours to sit for BCBA exam. Please let me know. I work close to at least 20 hours/week as behavior consultant.
I have 2 children 19years, 8 years on my own, both are autistic. That is also one of the reason i wanted to become as a BCBA. Any help/advice on this would be a huge relief for me.
Thanks,
Bobby.
Hi Bobby,
You are not allowed to count past hours without having signed a supervision contract. Any hours that you count need to be regularly supervised by a BCBA. That seems to be the issue. Going forward, it sounds like you have an excellent role to count these hours. Best of luck!
Katherine
Hi Bobby,
Thanks for sharing! It sounds like you have a position that would work well with supervision. I will email you to provide details!
Katherine
Hi
I’m a recreational therapist with a master’s degree looking to go back to school and get my BCBA. My question is, I unfortunately don’t work for a place that does ABA therapy… How do I get those hours? Do I need to find a place to “intern” at?
Just a little confused
Hi Sophie,
If you find a remote supervisor, you may be able to work it out with specific clients to implement ABA strategies. This will be between you and your supervisor! I have worked with an SLPA that had individuals with autism who displayed negative behaviors that she was able to acquire hours with.
Katherine
Hi Lo Pui,
I will reach out!
Katherine
Hello!
This is an amazingly helpful site. Thanks for answering these questions so clearly! My question is, if waiting until after completing the required coursework, how long does one have to complete their supervision hours? I’m having a hard time finding a specific timeframe. Thanks!
Hi Matthew,
I am glad you find this information helpful!! This is a great question, from my understanding, there is no course expiration as long as the courses meet the needs of the current education requirements. The fifth is just starting in January so as long as you meet those requirements you are good until the 6th comes out. Even then, it may just be needing one additional course.
Best,
Katherine
I am so happy to hear! Thank you, Matthew. It usually takes about 1.5-2 years.
I am struggling to find out if for the new requirements does an individual supervision session count towards the 20 hours a month requirement?
yes, and it is “minimum 20 hours per month”
For the concentrated fieldwork hours what is the breakdown and what does it mean?
Restricted hours 40% total
Of those 40%, 10% are supervised hours where the BCBA is present during sessions and giving feedback.
And that also counts as the 1 observation per month?
What is the 6 contacts? Can I count when the BCBA is supervising me with clients and we answer questions and ask questions?
Or are those 6 contacts completely different?
Unrestricted – how many hours of Unrestricted work is possible a month?
Does it count as the 20-130 limit?
Example: 30 hours of restricted and 100 hours of Unrestricted?
I have no idea what I’m supposed to do and I just want an example a breakdown. Please Help!
Hi Chris,
The concentrated fieldwork hours are the overall total hours. Restricted hours (working with clients) can be no more than 40%. Unrestricted, can be 60% or more. Supervised hours should be 5% or more of your total hours per month. Typically, people will shoot for 130 which means 6.5 hours need to be meeting with your supervisor/ observation. I will email you so you can respond with questions you may have!
Katherine
Hi
I had a question about supervision hours can they be more than 5% ?
I’m working towards getting my BCABA requirements and not sure if supervised hours have to be exactly 5% or they can be slightly higher?
Thank you for your help.
Hi Sasha,
Great question, it can be slightly higher!
Katherine
Hi There,
I have a great relationship with my mentor but unfortunately, we no longer work for the same organization, would it still be possible for her to sign off on my hours? And does she need to see me with my client twice a month, the organization I just transferred to suggested I terminate my contract and start over. What would be the best route to take?
Hi Marian,
Thank you for your question. She can still sign off on your hours as long as she is willing to do so.
Yes! As long as they are willing.
Are things like “reviewing documentation” that the trainee has completed allowable as the 5% of supervision hours? I’m confused on what is supervision when considering the activities that may be real-time or may be following. What can/can’t be counted?
Hi,
Definitely check with your supervisor. Typically, anytime that you are spending time with your BCBA and discussing specific client programs or terminology, that will be a part of the 5% of supervised hours.
Hi,
I will start my supervision hours, I wonder know if it is possible complete all my unrestricted hours (900 hours) and then complete my restricted hours ( 600)
Or do I need to do both restricted and unrestricted hours during my supervision period?
Hi Marcos,
Yes, this is possible to heavily weigh the unrestricted; however, you will still need to do some restricted hours to meet the observation requirement. Once per month is required.
The board says that you can do 100% unrestricted hours- for your observation, you supervisor would observe you doing assessment, data collection, overseeing other implement programs and you check fidelity/accuracy and provide feedback, as well as training others to implement programs, etc. Make sure you are looking at the Handbook for info- not just Blogs- even though we do give great info!! It is what the Board says that counts- pg 14 talks about who clients are and acceptable activities in general. Information on different categories of unrestricted hours starts on page 16. https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/BCBAHandbook_230321-a.pdf
Hi, if i first acquire a BCaBA certificate, those supervised hours will count for my BCBA requirement?
Hi Katteryn,
No, unfortunately it is not recommended to get your BCaBA first as you cannot count those supervised hours towards the BCBA certification. You’ll need to redo your supervision while you are enrolled in a master’s level ABA course. I hope this helps!