ABA therapy typically involves a team. Understanding who is on that team and what each person's role is will help you advocate for your child and understand the level of care they're receiving.
What is a BCBA?
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a graduate-level clinician who has completed a master's degree (or higher) in behavior analysis or a related field, completed a supervised fieldwork requirement of 2,000 hours, and passed a national certification exam. BCBAs are licensed to design, direct, and oversee ABA therapy programs.
In ABA, the BCBA is responsible for conducting assessments, writing treatment plans, making clinical decisions, and supervising the team that delivers the therapy.
What is an RBT?
A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) is a paraprofessional who delivers ABA therapy under the supervision of a BCBA. RBTs complete a 40-hour training program, pass a competency assessment, and pass a certification exam. They are not independently licensed to design treatment plans or make clinical decisions.
In most ABA programs, the RBT is the person who works directly with your child in day-to-day sessions implementing the plan the BCBA has created.
Why both roles matter
The structure exists for a reason. BCBAs bring deep clinical knowledge and are accountable for the treatment plan. RBTs bring consistent, direct support and are the ones building the moment-to-moment relationship with your child. When both roles work together well under real supervision the results are significantly better.
What to look for in a quality ABA program
The key question is: how involved is the BCBA? In some programs, a BCBA writes a plan once and checks in only occasionally. In a high-quality program, the BCBA is actively supervising every RBT, reviewing session data regularly, attending sessions, and updating the plan based on what they're seeing.
At The Clinic of Hope, BCBA oversight is built into every service not added as an afterthought. That's what BCBA led actually means.