BCBA licensing has passed!
The Minnesota Legislature has passed the BCBA Licensing Bill and has been signed into law by the Governor. It will take effect on January 1, 2025. Minnesota will be the 38th state to license Applied Behavior Analysis.
This new law will require anyone who wishes to practice applied behavior analysis and use the title of Behavior Analyst, to be licensed by the Minnesota Board of Psychology, unless they are exempt for the reasons listed below. Their title in Minnesota would become "Licensed Behavior Analyst."
To qualify for licensure as a behavior analyst, the individual must have a current and active national certification as a board certified behavior analyst, and pass a background check.
The practice of Applied Behavior Analysis means the design, implementation, and evaluation of social, instructional, and environmental modifications to produce socially significant improvements in human behavior. The practice of applied behavior analysis includes the empirical identification of functional relations between behavior and environmental factors, known as a functional behavioral assessment and analysis. Applied behavior analysis interventions are based on scientific research, direct and indirect observation, and measurement of behavior and environment and utilize contextual factors, motivating operations, antecedent stimuli, positive reinforcement, and other procedures to help individuals develop new behaviors, increase or decrease existing behaviors, and emit behaviors under specific social, instructional, and environmental conditions.
The following is a list of exceptions to the licensing requirement:
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An individual who is providing behavior analysis services under the authority and direction of a licensed behavior analyst.
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An individual who is licensed to practice psychology.
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An individual who is practicing under the supervision of a licensed psychologist.
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An individual who is licensed, certified, or registered by the state to practice within their own scope of practice.
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An employee of a school district who is employed to provide behavior analysis services.
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An employee of a program that is licensed under chapter 245D and is employed to provide behavioral support services.
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An individual who is teaching behavior analysis or conducting behavior analysis research in an accredited school.
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A family member of the recipient of behavior analysis services.
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Click here for the detailed law passed by the legislature.
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Got questions?
Check out these licensure handouts.
Licensure
MNABA, as an organization, is working to support bills that will establish licensure for behavior analysts in Minnesota.
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Why is licensure important to Minnesotans?
A bill that licenses behavior analysts will create protections for members of the public who receive behavior analytic services by creating more oversight and establishing state-level credentials for the minimum level of competency required to deliver behavior analytic services. Currently, there are no such standards in the state of Minnesota that guarantee all members of the public a basic level of service quality. MNABA is working to change that.
A bill that licenses behavior analysts will also ensure that more people have access to behavior analytic services, while still maintaining the quality of services as the field grows. MNABA believes and supports that all people deserve to have access to high quality behavior analytic services, for those that choose to receive ABA therapy. Currently, there is a large deficit in the number of individuals who need and desire behavior analytic services and the number of service providers who are currently eligible to provide those services.
How do I know what bills to watch?
We have a page on our website dedicated to tracking what bills are currently in the Minnesota legislature that relate to the delivery of behavior analytic services.
Click here to visit our "Bills we're watching page" for more information.
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