BCBA Job Description

Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Job Description

Position Title

Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)

Position Summary

The Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is responsible for the assessment, development, implementation, supervision, monitoring, and evaluation of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services provided to recipients served by the Company. Services are delivered primarily in home and community-based settings in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, Florida Medicaid requirements, the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, payer requirements, and organizational policies and procedures.

The BCBA is responsible for ensuring that services are individualized, clinically appropriate, medically necessary, data driven, and implemented in accordance with evidence-based practices. The BCBA provides clinical supervision to Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBAs), trainees, and other staff as applicable.

The BCBA shall maintain professional and ethical conduct while promoting recipient safety, caregiver collaboration, continuity of care, and quality clinical outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

The individual serving in this position must:

• Hold a master’s or doctoral degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, Psychology, Education, Special Education, or another qualifying related field.
• Maintain active certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).
• Maintain active licensure, registration, or legal authorization to practice behavior analysis within the State of Florida, as applicable under Florida law.
• Successfully complete and maintain eligibility under Level II background screening requirements pursuant to Florida law and Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) requirements.
• Maintain current CPR certification and other certifications as required by organizational policy or payer requirements.
• Possess reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license, and active automobile insurance as required for travel to service locations.
• Demonstrate competency in Applied Behavior Analysis principles, assessment procedures, behavior reduction strategies, skill acquisition programming, caregiver training, and supervision practices.
• Demonstrate effective verbal, written, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrate the ability to work independently while maintaining professional collaboration with caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals, and organizational leadership.
• Demonstrate proficiency in electronic documentation systems, ABA practice management systems, and data collection software.

Bilingual proficiency may be preferred based on recipient population needs.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities

Clinical Assessment Responsibilities

The BCBA shall:

• Conduct behavior analytic assessments consistent with BACB standards, Florida Medicaid requirements, payer requirements, and evidence-based practices.
• Review Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluations (CDEs), medical documentation, referrals, records, and other clinically relevant information.
• Conduct functional behavior assessments (FBAs), skills assessments, interviews, observations, and data analysis.
• Identify clinically significant behavioral excesses and deficits.
• Assess environmental variables, safety concerns, adaptive functioning, communication deficits, and barriers to treatment progress.
• Develop individualized treatment recommendations based on assessment findings and medical necessity.
• Ensure assessments support the development of measurable, functional, and socially significant goals.

Treatment Planning Responsibilities

The BCBA shall:

• Develop individualized treatment plans and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) based on assessment findings and medical necessity.
• Ensure treatment goals are objective, measurable, data-driven, and clinically appropriate.
• Develop protocols for behavior reduction, skill acquisition, caregiver participation, and generalization.
• Ensure treatment recommendations reflect evidence-based ABA practices.
• Update treatment plans and protocols based on recipient progress, data trends, reassessment findings, and clinical judgment.
• Ensure treatment plans comply with Florida Medicaid requirements, payer requirements, BACB standards, and organizational policies.

Clinical Supervision Responsibilities

The BCBA shall:

• Provide clinical supervision and oversight to RBTs, BCaBAs, trainees, and other assigned personnel consistent with BACB supervision requirements and payer standards.
• Ensure supervisees implement treatment protocols correctly and ethically.
• Observe direct implementation of ABA services.
• Provide performance feedback, competency training, and corrective guidance as necessary.
• Maintain supervision documentation consistent with BACB, payer, and organizational requirements.
• Ensure supervision activities occur within required timelines and frequencies.
• Ensure staff operate within their credentialing and scope-of-practice limitations.
• Report concerns regarding clinical competence, ethics, documentation integrity, or recipient safety to leadership as appropriate.

Caregiver Training and Collaboration

The BCBA shall:

• Provide caregiver training and education consistent with treatment goals and medical necessity.
• Train caregivers on behavior support strategies, reinforcement procedures, communication supports, safety procedures, and generalization strategies.
• Collaborate with caregivers regarding recipient progress, barriers, and continuity-of-care needs.
• Promote caregiver participation in treatment implementation when clinically appropriate.
• Maintain professional and culturally responsive communication with recipients and caregivers.

Documentation Responsibilities

The BCBA shall:

• Complete all clinical documentation accurately, timely, and in accordance with organizational policies, payer requirements, BACB standards, and Florida Medicaid requirements.
• Submit assessments, treatment plans, progress reports, supervision documentation, caregiver training notes, and protocol modification documentation within required timelines.
• Ensure documentation reflects:
  • medical necessity,
  • individualized treatment,
  • recipient response to treatment,
  • clinically relevant data,
  • protocol modifications when applicable,
  • caregiver participation,
  • coordination of care efforts, and
  • continuity-of-care activities.
• Maintain accurate service records and supporting clinical documentation.
• Utilize approved electronic health record and documentation systems.
• Correct documentation deficiencies in a timely manner when identified.

Medical Necessity and Compliance Responsibilities

The BCBA shall:

• Ensure services are medically necessary and clinically appropriate.
• Ensure services are individualized and not based on generic programming.
• Monitor treatment effectiveness through ongoing data analysis.
• Modify treatment protocols based on recipient progress and clinical needs.
• Comply with:
  • Florida Medicaid regulations,
  • AHCA requirements,
  • BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts,
  • HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules,
  • payer requirements,
  • organizational compliance policies, and
  • all applicable federal and state laws.
• Participate in audits, quality assurance reviews, utilization reviews, and corrective action activities as requested.
• Cooperate with payer inquiries and requests for clinical clarification.
• Report suspected fraud, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or compliance concerns consistent with legal and organizational requirements.

Coordination of Care Responsibilities

The BCBA shall:

• Collaborate with interdisciplinary providers, educators, physicians, caregivers, and other authorized stakeholders when clinically appropriate.
• Participate in treatment planning meetings, care coordination activities, and continuity-of-care discussions.
• Document clinically relevant communication and coordination efforts.
• Support transitions, discharge planning, and continuity-of-care procedures.

Safety Responsibilities

The BCBA shall:

• Follow organizational safety procedures during home, school, clinic, and community-based visits.
• Maintain awareness of environmental and behavioral safety concerns.
• Report incidents, injuries, safety hazards, and concerns according to organizational procedures.
• Follow emergency preparedness procedures and continuity-of-operations policies.
• Avoid entering unsafe environments or situations that place recipients or staff at risk.

Confidentiality Responsibilities

The BCBA shall:

• Maintain confidentiality of protected health information and recipient records.
• Utilize secure systems and approved communication methods.
• Comply with HIPAA Privacy and Security requirements.
• Protect organizational confidential information and recipient records from unauthorized disclosure.

Professional Conduct and Ethics

The BCBA shall:

• Maintain professional and ethical conduct at all times.
• Practice within the scope of competence established by education, training, supervised experience, and professional credentials.
• Adhere to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.
• Maintain active certification and required continuing education.
• Refrain from conflicts of interest and prohibited dual relationships.
• Maintain professional boundaries with recipients, caregivers, and staff.
• Demonstrate professionalism, reliability, accountability, and respectful communication.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Services are primarily provided in:

• recipient homes,
• schools,
• community settings, and
• other authorized service environments.

The position may require:

• local travel,
• prolonged sitting or standing,
• floor sitting,
• use of computers and electronic devices,
• implementation of crisis or safety procedures, and
• management of physically active environments.

Reasonable accommodations may be made consistent with applicable law.

Work Schedule

Work schedules may vary based on:

• recipient needs,
• staff availability,
• operational needs, and
• payer authorizations.

Evening or weekend availability may occasionally be required.

Performance Expectations

The BCBA is expected to:

• maintain timely and accurate documentation,
• maintain compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements,
• demonstrate professionalism and ethical conduct,
• support quality clinical outcomes,
• maintain effective supervision practices,
• support caregiver engagement, and
• participate in quality improvement initiatives.

Performance evaluations may consider:

• documentation compliance,
• timeliness,
• professionalism,
• supervision quality,
• communication,
• ethical conduct,
• quality assurance findings, and
• adherence to clinical standards.

Disclaimer

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, or working conditions associated with the position. Duties and responsibilities may be modified by the organization based on operational, clinical, regulatory, or organizational needs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Company is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination consistent with applicable federal and state laws.