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The child in your care has had an autism evaluation, received an autism diagnosis, and is starting ABA therapy with an ABA therapist. You’re now wondering: “What does an ABA therapist do?” This is a common and understandable question (in addition to questions like: How does ABA therapy work?). After all, a child’s ABA therapist plays a central and meaningful role in their growth and development.

Finding an ABA therapist who is a good match for your child is essential. Still, you also want to make sure the therapist is highly trained, data-driven, and is a strong, compassionate communicator.

This guide will help cover everything you need to know about what ABA therapists do, ABA therapy certification requirements, and what to look for in ABA therapy providers.

The ABA Therapy Team

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is effective and is considered the gold standard in behavioral therapy for children with autism. ABA is recommended by major medical organizations, including the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the U.S. Surgeon General.

There are two main types of ABA therapy providers: Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT). ABA therapy takes a tiered approach, with BCBAs supervising and designing treatment plans, and RBTs delivering the treatment. You can think of BCBAs as the architects of a child’s ABA therapy and RBT as therapy contractors. At ACES, these roles are often referred to as ABA therapy “supervisors” and “behavior technicians.”

BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst)

Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) are highly trained behavior analysts who must complete graduate-level certification requirements in ABA therapy. Requirements include holding a graduate degree in a relevant field, completing the requisite coursework, completing 1,500-2,000 hours of fieldwork, and passing a BCBA exam.

BCBAs design ABA therapy treatment plans, analyze data, and conduct assessments. They also oversee and supervise the work of RBTs and other professionals who work with a child receiving ABA therapy.

RBT (Registered Behavior Technician)

To become certified, Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) must complete a 40-hour training course and pass an RBT certification exam.

RBTs work under the supervision of BCBAs. Their job is to work one-on-one with children and deliver the approved therapy. Their other responsibilities include following and implementing treatment plans and collecting and sharing data.

Why ACES is Different

ACES is an ABA therapy industry leader—parents and caregivers can be assured they are in good hands. They have experienced and effective ABA behavior technicians ready to help the child in your care.

While experience levels can vary across providers, ACES always emphasizes senior clinical leadership and long-tenured BCBAs. The BCBAs who work at ACES, however, are highly trained, long-tenured senior clinical leaders. ACES goes above and beyond other ABA therapy centers in terms of training hours required, beginning as soon as BCBAs are onboarded and continuing throughout their time with ACES.

At ACES, not only are BCBAs highly trained, but staff turnover is low compared to other ABA therapy providers. It’s well known within the industry: BCBAs who work at ACES stay at ACES. This translates to BCBAs who are dedicated, happy to come to work, and able to offer data-driven, highly supportive care—above all, exceptional.

What Does an ABA Therapist Do and What Happens During a Session?

ABA therapy can happen at your home, at an ABA center, in a school, or even online. What happens during ABA therapy sessions is based on goals from a child’s initial assessment, which includes caregiver input. This means that ABA therapy sessions are highly personalized, targeting specific skills a child needs to strengthen. Usually, these include skills in communication, socializing, behavioral, and tasks of daily living.

ABA sessions resemble typical preschool and elementary school activities, to provide a stimulating environment where children typically find themselves. ABA behavior technicians use various methods to teach essential skills to children, including:

Visual strategies (visual schedule, organization, and work systems)
Fine or gross motor skill exercises
Adaptive skill building, which may include meal preparation, hygiene, and self-care
Socialization skill building with behavior technicians and sometimes with other children
Communication skill building, sometimes featuring Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems (anything from tools like picture boards to high-tech speech-generating devices, which support speech for individuals with communication challenges)
Play-based learning, such as puzzles, sensory bins, board games, role-play, movement games, and arts and crafts

What Makes a Good ABA Therapist?

A good ABA behavior technician will demonstrate compassion and concern for the child they work with, along with strong clinical, data-driven skills. Here are some important traits to look for when choosing an ABA behavior technician.

Clinical Skills

There are key skills that experienced, effective ABA behavior technicians should possess. Here’s what to look for:

Evidence-based clinical practices

Implementation of evidence-based clinical practices such as ABA analysis, positive/negative reinforcement, shaping, task analysis, discrete trial training (DTT), and natural environment teaching (NET)

Assessments

Appropriate application of assessments against a child’s care plan and tracking of their therapy goals

Data

Use of data to track, document, and share progress

Communication

Ongoing communication between the ABA behavior technician and parents or caregivers

Coordination

Coordination with the supervisor, who in turn collaborates with professionals on a child’s care team, including teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists

Interpersonal Skills

ABA therapy is all about connection and communication—not just for the child, but also for caregivers and clinical ABA therapy providers—so a good ABA behavior technician will have exemplary interpersonal skills. They will practice active listening, make appropriate eye contact, read body language, and most importantly, form a trusted connection with the child they are working with.

ABA behavior technicians treat each child as the unique individual they are, and don’t take a “cookie-cutter” approach to therapy. And, in turn, the child’s supervisor is the shared decision-maker with parents and caregivers, always taking into consideration the child’s strengths and preferences.

Red Flags vs Green Flags

As a parent or caregiver, there are some signs you can look for to evaluate whether an ABA behavior technician is a good match.

ABA therapy green flags include:

Whether the child is happy and engaged during a session
The therapist is engaged and connected with the child
Activities are varied and based on a child’s strengths, preferences, and therapy plan
Data about a child’s progress is consistently shared with parents and caregivers

ABA therapy red flags include:

A disengaged therapist
A child who is consistently upset
No data collection
Little or no structure during sessions
High turnover of ABA behavior technicians

How ACES Ensures Quality

ACES has the industry experience and expertise to ensure that each child receives the care and skills they need to thrive. ACES has over 3,000 highly trained clinicians, including nearly 500 Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), ready to serve your family.

Training Program

Each BCBA receives rigorous training as soon as they start working with ACES. But the training doesn’t stop there. BCBAs receive ongoing training and support throughout their tenure at ACES.

While most ABA therapy providers only use a few assessment tools, all ACES therapists are trained in the delivery of high-quality services,implementing 7+ assessment tools, including:

Vineland-3 (Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program,VB-MAPP)
Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS)
Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2)
Developmental Assessment of Young Children Second Edition (DAYC)
Quality of Life (QOL)
Parenting Stress Index/Stress Index for Parents of Adolescents (PSI/SIPA)

Supervision Structure

ACES’ supervision structure includes BCBAs who perform assessments, design treatment plans, and supervise RBTs. RBTs work one-on-one with children, collaborate with parents and caregivers, and share data with supervisors, parents, and other team members.

What to Look for in an ABA Provider

There are many ABA therapy providers out there, and it can be challenging to know how to select the right provider for the child in your care.

When choosing an ABA provider, you want to make sure you select one that takes a fresh, innovative approach to ABA therapy. Gone are the days when ABA therapy was about the rigid elimination of unwanted behaviors. Instead, you should look for an ABA therapy provider that emphasizes collaboration, individualization, and shared decision-making between the child, caregivers, and supervising BCBAs.

ACES recommends looking for the following qualities when it comes to ABA therapy providers:

Licensed Providers

Utilizes highly trained and licensed ABA therapy providers, including Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs)

Goal-oriented care plans

Creates goal-oriented care plans that take into consideration a child’s strengths and preferences

Data

Uses data to track and evaluate ABA therapy on an ongoing basis

Location

Engages with the child in familiar locations, such as school or home

Collaboration and communication

Collaborates and communicates effectively with parents, sharing goals and progress and listening to concerns.

A child’s unique self

Celebrates each child for who they are, and doesn’t see them as a problem that needs to be fixed

Current best practices

Bases therapy on up-to-date clinical evidence

Ongoing training

Provides rigorous, ongoing training for all behavior technicians and supervisors

The Bottom Line

At the beginning of a child’s ABA therapy journey, many caregivers ask themselves, “What does an ABA therapist do?” Now that you have a clearer sense of what ABA therapists do—and how to find an experienced, skilled ABA therapy provider—it’s time to take the next step.

Also, when it comes to the cost of ABA therapy, the ACES team is ready to guide you through the process and do the legwork to ensure therapy services are covered. This lets you focus on what matters most: the child's growth and well-being in your care.

ACES is a leader in ABA therapy. When your family works with ACES, you can feel confident knowing that the child in your care will receive top-notch, evidence-based ABA therapy that taps into the child’s potential and teaches them the essential skills they need to succeed and grow.

Get started with ACES today!