Behavior Support Qualifying Process in South Carolina

The interview was intense, in parts, but I thought it could have been more ABA specific. I would of included tougher situational questions, similar to a verbal test of sorts. The questions should perhaps be reviewed by an impartial review board composed of Behavior Analysts. I’ve been doing behavior support for years, taught a class in graduate school on ABA and trained others so I felt pretty confident that I did a good job. I think Dr. Rotholz, etc. is doing a good job in getting behavior support headed in the right direction.

Florida’s process is composed of fifteen-hundred hours of supervised experience, two semesters course work, an internship, additional testing and a Masters Degree. Behavior Analysis started more than 20 years ago in Florida, I was fortunate enough to study/ research with one of the first people to have a full-time behavior analysis practice Dr. Jose Martinez-Diaz at the Florida Institute of Technology. Behavior Analysis is a practice paying attention to details almost obsessively. In Applied Behavior Analysis, we will ultimately get out of it what we put into it.

ABA is based on data, it’s the practice of reducing behaviors to numbers which allows us to manage and manipulate these behaviors. If staff are not taking good, accurate data then behavior analysis will fail every time. The data tells the behavior analyst where to go, like a road map of sorts. There is always going to be a learning curve associated with ABA. When staff become more consistent with applying ABA techniques and the individual served gets resistance (response blocking) displaying the problem behavior in getting what it is that he/she wants (function of the behavior) and is redirected to display a socially appropriate behavior to get what he/she wants in a more timely manner (extremely important) than the individual gets with the problem behavior – you see improvement. I can tell, without a doubt, if the staff are applying techniques consistently. In terms of the interview they want to see the data sheets to make certain that you didn’t contrive the service experience up for review.

Selling the idea and teaching the value of ABA is really the first step in the process of training staff in ABA. I like to say that emotion equals opportunity, staff need to be excited about the process, the ability to make their job easier, so they will go along with the process more easily. Once the staff see that the people in charge see value in ABA they start to apply the techniques more consistently, once we get over the learning curve they see that it will make their job easier and their sold. Staff motivation goes way up and they are left with a sense of empowerment through achievement. I over hear staff talking when they get to this point, and you hear a lot of, “I (ownership) taught x-y individual this or that new way (new behavior) to get (function) attention or food item, etc (reinforcer).” This is a time that I will begin reinforcing the staff in front of the house manager, residential director, QMRP’s, etc. as doing a great job (owning the results) and modified x-y individuals behavior. I’d like to see the direct care staff get more training so the boards can bill medicaid for a higher wage for services. Once these direct care positions are easier to fill, staff turn will be reduced, and a more stable environment will be available for the individuals served.