Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)

Primary Functions

• Provide direct training and coaching to paraeducators during the school day including modeling, coaching, and immediate feedback.
• Monitor the implementation of behavioral programs and behavior intervention plans to ensure consistency and quality of programs, in collaboration with the environment supervisors.
• Assist in providing ongoing professional development training with the team of behavior analysts for the paraeducator staff focused on pertinent topics in behavior programming, implementation, and interfering behaviors.
• Maintain caseload of clients within one to two classrooms as assigned by the Director of Behavioral Services using the guidelines determined by the BACB.
• Build effective and meaningful rapport with students, families, and staff while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Complete assessments for students in collaboration with others using ACE, ABBLS, AFLS or other appropriate assessment methodologies.
• Development and implementation of appropriate skill acquisition goals based on:
  • Social skills to enhance participation in family, school, home, and community activities (e.g., imitation, social initiations and response to adults and peers, parallel and interactive play with peers and siblings).
  • Expressive verbal language, receptive language, and nonverbal communication skills.
  • Increased engagement and flexibility in developmentally appropriate tasks and play, including the ability to attend to the environment and respond to an appropriate motivational system.
  • Cognitive skills, including symbolic play and basic concepts, as well as academic skills.
  • Replacement of target behaviors with more conventional and appropriate behaviors.
  • Independent organizational skills and other socially appropriate behaviors that facilitate successful community integration (e.g., completing a task independently, following instructions in a group, asking for help).
  • If restrictive procedures are warranted and approved by the team, use of Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI) in an effective manner.
• Maintain an interdisciplinary team model and collaborative relationships by ensuring there are lines of communication between other therapies (OT/PT/SLP/Sped/Home) for each student.
• Utilize appropriate data collection method to monitor data collected from direct-care staff and make programming changes as appropriate to ensure effectiveness of behavior interventions.
• Report a minimum of monthly progress on behavioral programs to families, school districts, and interdisciplinary team.
• Conduct functional behavior assessments (FBA) to inform services. Review recommendations with the interdisciplinary team and develop the behavior intervention plan (BIP) and treatment plan with the teacher.
• Support direct-care staff in maintaining fidelity of behavior intervention plans for students on caseload.

Secondary Functions

• Collaborate with Home BCBAs to maintain consistency in programming and identify needs.
• Maintain organization of files for each student as listed in policies and procedures, including documentation of IEP minutes provided.
• Prompt and regular attendance is required.
• Participate and encourage ideas to enhance student programs and ABA processes.
• Provide supervised independent fieldwork hours to individuals as assigned by the Director of Behavioral Services.
• Approve and send all required documentation for use of restrictive procedures within required timeframe of incident to families and school districts.
• Follow Heartspring’s core values of excellence, service, celebration, possibilities, leadership, and integrity to ensure quality services for each child.
• Participate in new hire and ongoing ABA training as needed by Director of Behavioral Services.
• Adhere to The Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts and the Heartspring Professional Standards for BCBAs.

Educational, Training, and Licensure Requirements

• Current BCBA certification in good standing with the BACB.
• Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis or related field
• Valid Kansas drivers’ license and good driving record.
• Must maintain NCI & CPR Certification (annually)

Physical Requirements

• Able to perform significant, prolonged, and frequent amounts of walking, standing, sitting, stooping, squatting, bending, twisting, reaching, and kneeling.
• Ability to assist with NCI procedures as needed during crisis behaviors.

Work Environment

• Classroom, home, and/or shared office environment
• Personal Protective equipment including masks, gloves, helmets, arm guards and leg guards- Occasionally
• Working Outside without a temperature-controlled environment- Occasionally
• Exposure to infectious diseases, excluding COVID- Rarely
• Exposure to bodily fluid, blood-borne pathogens-Occasionally
• Exposure to physical contact from clients, including hitting, punching, kicking, biting, and other interfering behaviors.

The School Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is responsible for supporting students with significant behavioral needs in the residential school. Services include developing and overseeing the implementation of behavior analytic programming and procedures across environments for a specified caseload, training and coaching direct-care staff on the implementation of programming, and providing a collaborative model of service.