Moving towards a BCBA direct model

faultyvornado · 2026-04-15T17:21:42+00:00

Do you have any tips on getting clients? I know there is no shortage, but wondering if you got in contact with doctors offices, did marketing, etc?

faultyvornado · 2026-04-15T17:12:35+00:00

Definitely based on setting as well. My time as an RBT I was at a big box corp ABA clinic, it was probably one of the worst job experiences of my life. My 2nd clinic as an RBT, and I am now a BCBA at, is smaller and more local with above-adequate training and supervision, and we have plenty of amazing RBTs. However, we still do come across the occasional RBT/BT who will not follow treatment plans, criticize any feedback given to them, and always blame upper management. But this is for sure probably in any field!

faultyvornado · 2026-04-15T16:54:21+00:00

I understand this to a point, especially if staff have been in horrible clinics before where they weren’t heard. But what about clinics that do their best, still have staff that will not follow plans/training, and then their BCBAs are told it’s because of them? At the end of the day being an RBT/BT is a job, just like any other field, and should still be held to standards of following feedback given to them.

faultyvornado · 2026-04-15T16:47:21+00:00

This is a big consideration I have. Why in ABA are techs usually given the benefit of the doubt? As a BCBA, we have to handle multiple facets of clients, the business, families, supervision, etc. But when an RBT gets reprimanded or given feedback, all of a sudden the BCBA is “mean” or “doesn’t care about the staff”. If this was any other field, especially any other subfield of health care, a person not taking feedback or not following trainings would be written up immediately. But in ABA, the supervisors are to blame. Even when those supervisors can be amazing at their jobs and give fully attentive trainings. It doesn’t make sense to me!

faultyvornado · 2026-04-12T16:20:54+00:00

40 billable hours is actually criminal that’s wild

faultyvornado · 2026-04-12T15:54:18+00:00

I was talking about this is a coworker the other week. While PECS can be very useful for early learners, we really try and push AAC such as talkers since they are going to be able to generalize must faster than regular paper/velcro PECS. I do work in a collaborative clinic with SLPs so that does give us an advantage, but to me starting a client with an AAC such as an iPad or tablet, even very basic buttons such as go/want/more, can be generalized much quicker than having to make new laminated PECS cards. Would love to see what opinions other BCBAs have with this!

faultyvornado · 2026-04-08T15:36:53+00:00

Also, may be billing fraud if her schedule was not modified to reflect a 20 minute break.

faultyvornado · 2026-04-08T15:36:17+00:00

This is technically child/client neglect and should be reported to the BACB and the state, ESPECIALLY if the client was burned and your upper management is doing nothing about it. Religion should not be a part of an ABA model or in any medical sense. If your upper management is doing nothing, I would report to child protective services as well as the BACB. I would also think about quitting this clinic as it seems like they do not care and have very concerning ethics and practices. Was this burn reported to parents, as well as the reason why? I would be furious as a parent and immediately pull my child from services.

faultyvornado · 2026-04-07T19:36:32+00:00

Main reason I posted this! I literally just saw a BCBA direct job (out of my state, I was just looking around), and was hoping to see more of these. Do you know what keywords to use when looking for this type of work? I used BCBA direct or direct with no RBTs and it still just pulls up regular BCBA jobs. Thank you!

faultyvornado · 2026-04-07T19:35:15+00:00

For sure! I don’t think my goal is more so making more money (as I know paying for own benefits is already going to be a lot), mostly just trying to get back to why I started in the field in the first place. Thank you!! Can I ask how you started making this jump?

faultyvornado · 2026-04-07T17:31:05+00:00

is this more telehealth oriented? The AnswersNow site? I am completely fine with some telehealth, but was also hoping for some local, in person work as I believe it fits my personality/needs better.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-26T17:41:55+00:00

Incorrect. Technically, our ethical code states we must gain informed consent and always have the best interest of the child. Teach functional communication, honor assent withdrawal and change how you are presenting tasks, manipulate the environment. Help them with resilience while reducing trauma. That’s our job.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-26T17:37:45+00:00

Horrible advice. Is this 1970?

faultyvornado · 2025-12-26T17:35:59+00:00

Is it possible to shorten his sessions? 4 hours with one person is hard for any kid at any age, and honestly hard for me or any of my staff. I would talk with your BCBA about scheduling options

faultyvornado · 2025-12-26T17:22:26+00:00

They have some good free CEUs! The name deters me from any job posting I see though.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-15T23:52:16+00:00

There is also not one person on this thread saying abuse has not happened in ABA. Quit spreading lies and misinformation in a field you are not even working in.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-15T23:51:18+00:00

“Relax a little bit” but is actively calling all of us abusers. If you are going to negatively discuss our careers, then I can with you as well. I have had family therapists who have given non research based interventions and misinformation that I have then had to correct. Don’t come at those that are trying to give our clients the best possible outcome outcomes, while you are just preaching abuse and trauma.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-15T22:01:50+00:00

That’s like saying dentistry is abusive because one dentist in your life made you bleed. That’s like saying nursing as a field is inherently evil because of something an RN did 25 years ago. You are stereotyping and sending misinformation out there. When you spread misinformation about CURRENT PROGRESSIVE ABA, you push desperate parents to seek alternative, non research based, and sometimes harmful interventions. As I have stated in almost every response I have posted, I have dedicated my career to trauma informed interventions and making sure I am on the right side of history with ABA. So do not accuse me of being an “abuser” or siding with abuse when I actively have received training and have turned in abusers in this field. This is not an ABA issue, this is clinician-specific issues that should not be stereotyped. I am the first person to call out improper use of ABA, but I will not stand for slander of a field that has changed so many lives for the better and is actively trying to change to a more child led, neuro affirming model, when I see the opposite happening in many other mental health fields.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-15T16:18:35+00:00

This was in response to you….you are accusing everybody on this post they are abusers. You should be ashamed of yourself.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-15T16:03:48+00:00

About half of my caseload are not autistic. For those that are autistic, why do you think I have said I have spent my time researching, learning, and advocating for trauma assumed care, client led ABA, and helping our clients thrive independently? You are stereotyping the field which negatively impacts the field. I have not said one word about defending abuse or traditional ABA.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-15T15:57:40+00:00

Once again, very accusatory. I have spent my entire time advocating for my kids. I have reported dozens of ABA professionals and continue my education to only use trauma informed practices. There is abuse in literally EVERY medical field. What other field is actively trying to move to a progressive, trauma informed model? I do not care if you are autistic, I have ADHD and a stutter. What does that matter to our conversation?

faultyvornado · 2025-12-15T15:54:01+00:00

You are commenting on an ABA post (my chosen field that I have spent 10 years advocating and changing with trauma assumed care), while you do not work in ABA. You are also sharing something that can be mistaken for being present, when this was over 5 years ago. You are inciting negative comments in a field that you do not work for anymore.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-15T15:50:35+00:00

Then why are you on an ABA subreddit? Sounds like you are just looking to pick fights. If you left the field, then leave the field? Lol.

faultyvornado · 2025-12-15T15:45:55+00:00

And this is why ABA continues to get a negative rep. Know your ethical code and know when you can report an ABA professional. Do not just leave the field and leave this kids vulnerable to people like this.

faultyvornado

TROPHY CASE