March 2025 BACB Newsletter Updates
If you've been following me on LinkedIn for a while, you know I always share summaries of BACB newsletters. After reading last Monday’s newsletter, I anticipated a wave of emotional reactions and discussions across the field. Rather than adding to the initial flood of posts, I chose to take a step back and reflect. The timing of the newsletter also coincided with the APBA conference, where I knew the topic would spark many conversations and insights. I decided to wait a bit longer before responding, especially after having the opportunity to discuss it over lunch with Dr. Jim Carr and several regulators from across the country.
Changes to 2027 BCBA and BCaBA Coursework and CEU Requirements
In 2022, the BACB announced revisions to BCBA and BCaBA certification requirements, including the integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content into multiple coursework areas. These changes were recommended by subject matter experts (SMEs) to ensure clinicians are equipped to provide culturally responsive care.
Since then, anti-DEI initiatives at the state and federal levels have influenced policies across various industries, including ABA. In response, the BACB convened a committee of 12 SMEs representing diverse stakeholders—faculty, practitioners, consumer representatives, and organizations across different demographics and regions—to review these requirements.
Following their review, the committee unanimously voted to remove DEI as a specific requirement from the 2027 coursework requirements and CEU standards. Instead, the Ethics CEU category has been expanded to explicitly include cultural and contextual responsiveness, even when ethics is not the primary focus of the CEU content. These updates reflect ongoing discussions about the role of cultural competence in our field.
As our profession continues to evolve, staying informed about regulatory shifts is essential—not just for compliance, but for shaping the future of our field. These changes highlight the importance of being actively engaged in local, state, and federal policies that impact our work. While the language and requirements may shift, our mission remains the same: to provide high-quality, ethical, and effective services that support meaningful outcomes. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to align our actions with our values, adapt thoughtfully, and ensure that our practices continue to serve the diverse needs of the individuals and communities we support.
Clarification on RBT Background Check Requirements
Since its introduction in 2013, RBT certification has required applicants to clear a criminal background check and abuse registry check, similar to standards for home health aides, childcare professionals, and teachers. These checks remain essential for consumer protection, as reaffirmed by BACB subject matter experts over the past decade.
With the January 1, 2025, update to the RBT Certification Application structure, the background check attestations were moved to a new attestation form, which now separates the criminal background and abuse registry checks while including fields for attestation dates. These were formatting changes only—the background check requirements themselves remain unchanged. To address common questions, the BACB has released additional clarifications and FAQs on these standards.
Multiple Certifications Policy Update
The BACB’s multiple certifications policy, which took effect on January 1, 2025, limits individuals to holding only one BACB certification at a time. When a certificant earns a higher-level certification, their lower-level certification was originally set to expire after 90 days or on its natural expiration date, whichever came first.
This policy was implemented because:
Higher-level certifications encompass the skills of lower-level ones
Maintaining multiple certifications with different supervision requirements is logistically challenging
Few individuals previously held multiple certifications at once
However, in response to feedback from certificants needing more time for funders and regulators to recognize their new certification, the BACB updated the policy:
Lower-level certifications will now expire after 180 days instead of 90
If the lower-level certification expires within this period and the certificant needs to maintain it while waiting for recognition of the higher-level certification, they may submit a renewal or recertification application
This change provides greater flexibility for certificants navigating funding and regulatory transitions.
For more details on the March 2025 BACB updates, visit https://www.bacb.com
