Professional Development

Tracking

• Maintain a personal CEU log with: provider, event title, date, number of CEUs, category (learning, ethics, supervision), and certificate/documentation.
• Retain certificates for a minimum of 7 years—the BACB may audit at any time.

Planning a Professional Development Portfolio

Annual Development Plan

1. Self-assess: Identify areas of strength and areas needing growth. Use the Task List, client feedback, and supervision evaluations.
2. Set goals: Choose 2–3 specific competency areas to develop this year.
3. Select activities: Map goals to specific learning activities (courses, readings, supervision, mentorship).
4. Track progress: Review quarterly. Adjust as needed.
5. Reflect: End-of-year review—what did you learn? How did it change your practice?

Example Goals

• "Complete a 16-hour training in pediatric feeding disorders by June."
• "Read 12 JABA articles on functional communication training and present a case study to my team."
• "Obtain supervision for 3 OBM cases by December."

Specialization Areas in ABA

Key Journals

Primary Behavior Analytic Journals

• Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA): The flagship applied research journal.
• Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB): Basic research in behavior analysis.
• Behavior Analysis in Practice (BAP): Practitioner-focused, shorter format.
• Journal of Behavioral Education (JBE): ABA applications in educational settings.
• Behavioral Interventions: International applied research.

Related Journals

• Journal of Organizational Behavior Management (JOBM): OBM research.
• Research in Developmental Disabilities: Broad developmental disability research.
• Behavior Modification: Applied behavior change across populations.
• The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (TAVB): Verbal behavior research.

Reading Strategy

• Set a goal: one article per week from a primary journal.
• Use journal club format with colleagues to discuss.
• Focus on articles relevant to your current caseload or development goals.
• Track articles read in your development portfolio.

Conferences and Professional Organizations

Major Conferences

• ABAI Annual Convention: Largest behavior analysis conference. Presentations, workshops, poster sessions. Held annually in late spring.
• ABAI Autism Conference: Focused on autism and developmental disabilities.
• CalABA, TXABA, FABA, etc.: State-level behavior analysis conferences—excellent for networking and regional issues.

Professional Organizations

• Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI): Primary international organization.
• State ABA chapters: Local networking, legislative advocacy, CEU events.
• Council for Autism Service Providers (CASP): Practice standards for ABA providers.

Scope of Competence

Knowing When to Seek Training

• You encounter a clinical situation you have not been trained in (e.g., feeding, OBM, trauma).
• A new evidence base emerges for a technique you use.
• You receive feedback suggesting a competency gap.

Knowing When to Consult

• Case complexity exceeds your individual expertise.
• Ethical dilemmas require external perspective.
• A client's comorbid condition (medical, psychiatric) affects treatment.

Knowing When to Refer

• The client's needs are clearly outside your scope and training is not feasible in the timeline required.
• Another provider has specialized expertise better suited to the client.
• You have a conflict of interest that cannot be managed.

Mentorship

Finding a Mentor

• Look for experienced BCBAs whose clinical work or research you admire.
• Approach with a specific request: "Would you be willing to meet monthly to discuss complex cases?"
• Mentorship can be formal (structured meetings, goals) or informal (periodic consultations).
• Seek mentors both within and outside your specialization for breadth.

Being a Mentor

• Share your experience generously while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
• Ask questions rather than only giving answers—develop the mentee's clinical reasoning.
• Be honest about your own areas of growth—modeling humility is powerful.

Contributing to the Field

Presentations

• Present at local, state, or national conferences.
• Start with poster presentations or panel discussions before solo presentations.
• Present case studies, treatment innovations, or data-based practice improvements.

Publications

• Single-subject research studies in JABA, BAP, or specialty journals.
• Practice briefs and case studies in BAP.
• Collaborate with university-based researchers if you are in clinical practice.

Supervision

• Supervising the next generation of behavior analysts is a direct contribution to the field.
• Quality supervision produces ethical, competent practitioners.

Key References

• Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2022). BCBA/BCaBA Recertification Requirements.
• Association for Behavior Analysis International. (n.d.). ABAI Membership and Events. https://www.abainternational.org
• LeBlanc, L. A., Heinicke, M. R., & Baker, J. C. (2012). Expanding the consumer base for behavior-analytic services: Meeting the needs of consumers in the 21st century. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 5, 4–14.