ACCEPTABLE ACTIVITIES
Applicants must also prove that they practised competently within the statutory scope of practice of the profession a minimum of 1500 hours within the four years before submitting their application.
Scope of Practice: “The practice of applied behaviour analysis is the assessment of covert and overt behaviour and its functions through direct observation and measurement and the design, implementation, delivery and evaluation of interventions derived from the principles of behaviour in order to produce meaningful improvements.” (Section 3. (2) Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis Act, 2021.)
The following activities may be counted toward the determination of these practice currency hours. These activities require the use of skills necessary to demonstrate competence in behaviour analysis including those necessary to interact effectively with clients, supervisors, families, and others.
Assessment and Intervention Processes:
Assessments:
- Assess behaviour and its functions using formal or informal observations and measurement and interpretation of results (e.g., stimulus preference assessment, functional assessment, experimental functional analysis, staff performance assessment).
- Determine client goals based on factors such as client preferences, supporting environments, risks, constraints, and social validity.
- Selection of appropriate interventions based on assessment results, supporting environments, risks, constraints, social validity, clinical experience, and supported by currently accepted scientific evidence.
Interventions:
- Design, implement, and systematically monitor skill-acquisition and behaviour reduction programs.
- Delivery of ABA interventions directly to individuals who present with a range of skills, levels of functioning, and ages. Plan for and identify unwanted effects of the recommended interventions.
- Implement a full range of scientifically validated, behaviour analytic procedures (i.e., reinforcement, extinction, incidental teaching, and use of naturalistic teaching methods).
- Utilize ABA procedures through direct, caregiver mediated and/or group intervention formats.
- Train staff and/or caregivers as they deliver new or revised behavioural services.
- Research and implement scientifically validated effective procedures, relevant to the needs of the client for promoting generalization of behaviour change.
- Conduct mediator (e.g., caregivers, direct support professionals) training using ABA procedures.
- Work collaboratively with professionals from other disciplines.
- Demonstrate adherence to professional ethical expectations. These would include, where applicable, billing, and administrative (office management) practices.
Assessments/Interventions:
- Design appropriate data collection and analysis to make data-based decisions to help monitor or modify intervention procedures.
- Discuss assessment results, goals, service options and progress with clients/mediators/caregivers.
- Evaluate and monitor effectiveness of interventions.
Supervisory Activities
- Delegate to your supervisees only those responsibilities that such persons can reasonably be expected to perform competently, ethically, and safely. A supervisor cannot delegate any task that they themselves are not competent to perform.
- Assign team members to implement behaviour plans and/or train caregivers to implement behaviour plans.
- Observe interventions and assessments carried out by staff and/or caregivers and monitor intervention fidelity.
- Supervisor has sufficient direct contact with the client and/or their caregivers to ensure adequate service delivery.
- Confirm that supervisees maintain competence to perform the tasks assigned to them, considering numerous factors, including skills, education, and experience.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the limits of their competency and the importance of referring clients to other professionals when necessary.
- Oversee and provide clinical feedback for clinicians/Behaviour Analysts who carry their own caseload/support their own clients.
- Provide ongoing direction and guidance to staff to ensure services are being delivered correctly and effectively.
- Review behaviour plans and assessment outcomes.
- Review data and measure client progress.
- Maintain detailed notes of progress, key decisions, and next steps.
Activities That Cannot be Counted Towards Practice Currency Hours:
Only behaviour-analytic activities may be counted toward practice currency hours. Non-behaviour-analytic activities, while valuable, will not be counted.
Examples of activities that will not count toward practice currency hours include:
- Attending meetings with little or no behaviour-analytic content.
- Providing interventions that are not based in behaviour analysis.
- Performing administration related to non-behavioural activities.
- Non-behaviour-analytic trainings related to service delivery (e.g., crisis management, CPR, billing systems).
- Completing non-behavioural assessments (e.g., diagnostic assessments, intellectual assessments).
- Attending professional conferences, workshops, or university courses.
- Didactic-course assignments (e.g., completing homework assignments, readings).
- Providing consultation where the consultant holds no responsibility for individual client care.