A message from APBA CEO, Molly Dubuque
As behavior analysts, many of us have watched the recent media coverage with a mix of frustration, disappointment, and concern. For those who are committed to providing ethical, high-quality services, it can be tempting to conclude that these stories describe someone else's practice. Yet moments like this call on all of us to pause and reflect. Delivering behavior-analytic services requires navigating the expectations of our science, our Ethics Code, state licensure laws, and payer requirements. These numerous responsibilities demand ongoing learning, self-assessment, and professional accountability.
I encourage us all to thoughtfully examine our own practices, support one another in meeting the highest standards of our profession, and continue strengthening the public's trust in behavior analysis. If there are resources or trainings that APBA can develop to better support you in this work, we want to hear from you. Only when we work together can we elevate our profession and the quality of care we provide. With that shared commitment in mind, we published a statement and resources in May that we encourage you to explore:
Recent media coverage has raised concerns regarding the quality, intensity, oversight, and delivery of some ABA services. APBA believes these concerns warrant thoughtful discussion and ongoing attention.
APBA supports high-quality, ethical, evidence-based services that are individualized to each client's needs, preferences, and goals. Practitioners, caregivers, funders, and policymakers have a shared responsibility to ensure that services are effective, accountable, and responsive.
APBA also recognizes that excellence in practice is not achieved through standards and expectations alone. Practitioners are best positioned to deliver effective, high-quality services when they have access to ongoing education, opportunities for professional reflection, practical implementation resources, and a professional community that fosters accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Strong professional communities play a critical role in establishing, disseminating, and upholding professional standards by creating opportunities for practitioners to address complex challenges, strengthen their clinical decision-making, and learn from their peers. Accordingly, APBA continues to invest in educational resources, professional development, and community-building initiatives that elevate professional competence and service delivery across settings.
Examples of resources currently available include:
Assessment, Treatment Planning, and Accountability
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ASD Assessment Guidelines for Behavior Analysts detail comprehensive assessment and individualized treatment recommendations.
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Tips for Meeting General Health Insurance Funder Requirements for ASD Assessment and Treatment Planning provides guidance on medical necessity, meaningful outcomes, individualized service recommendations, transition planning, and discharge planning.
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Audit Preparedness Considerations for ABA Practitioners provides guidance related to documentation, compliance, and service integrity.
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OIG Audits and ABA: What Practitioners Need to Know explains recent audits, impact of findings on practice, and reiterates the need for services that are medically necessary, appropriately documented, and accurately billed.
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Funder Relationship Resources provides guidance for providers to build transparent, collaborative, and effective relationships with payors.
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Considerations for Evaluating Credentials in the Practice of Applied Behavior Analysis provides guidance to practitioners, regulators, and other stakeholders in evaluating credentials and credentialing bodies.
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Considerations for Licensure of the Practice of Applied Behavior Analysis, a companion to APBA’s Model Behavior Analyst Licensure Act, outlines key regulatory, legal, and operational factors states must address to safely and effectively regulate the practice of behavior analysis
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Model Behavior Analyst Licensure Act, provides a model that states can use when developing their licensure laws
Ongoing Professional Development
APBA’s professional development is organized around monthly themes that integrate science, ethics, supervision, and clinical application. Author-led journal clubs, interactive ethics discussions, and implementation-focused practice guides support the translation of research into effective service delivery. Recent topics have included verbal behavior, autism services, treatment programming, and employee performance.
APBA publishes subject matter expert-developed Ethics Skill Builders to support practitioners in navigating complex ethical issues in practice. Topics include multiple relationships, continuity of services, supervision and training, consent and assent, culturally responsive practice, and documentation.
APBA regularly invites speakers with diverse perspectives and areas of expertise to present at their annual conferences and webinars, including viewpoints that challenge prevailing assumptions or address emerging concerns within the field. Topics include medical necessity, treatment planning, billing and documentation, public policy, and regulatory oversight.
APBA remains committed to supporting practitioners. Through past efforts, ongoing projects, and future developments, APBA will continue advancing professional standards and promoting ethical, individualized, accountable services grounded in the best available evidence.