We all want the highest quality care for our children. That means finding the best trained and educated providers that we can. When it comes to ABA therapy, that isn’t always the easiest thing to find. The truth of the matter is that being a “behavior therapist” requires no real training at all. A lot of ABA companies will hire anyone, “train” them for a couple of days, and then call them a therapist. At The Helm, however, we require that all of our therapists become Registered Behavior Therapists, RBTs, within 30-days of being hired. So what is an RBT, how does a therapist become one, and why does The Helm ensure our therapists become one before continuing with the company?
What is an RBT?
Simply put, a Registered Behavior Technician is a therapist who is certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, the same group that tests and certifies BCBAs. This means that they are well-trained in the areas of measurement, assessment, skill acquisition, behavior reduction, documentation and reporting, and professional conduct. All of these skills are vital to ensuring a client is receiving quality therapy.
In addition, an RBT must continue to receive supervision, adhere to a strict code of ethics, and renew their status annually.
How does a therapist become an RBT?
In order to become an RBT, a therapist must meet the following standards:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have completed high school-level education or equivalent
- Pass a criminal background check and an abuse registry check
- Obtain 40 hours of qualified training
- Successfully complete an RBT initial competency assessment
- Take and pass the RBT exam
The first three are pretty self explanatory, but what goes into the training and what is a competency assessment?
The 40 hour training must be overseen and logged by a certified trainer. Usually this is a BCBA or BCaBA. At The Helm, we have dedicated Classroom Trainers who oversee all of our training. Because they specialize and can focus their energy on training, the
education they provide is second to none.
During this training, therapists at The Helm will spend half of their time in a classroom setting learning from our dedicated Classroom Trainer and the other half shadowing RBTs and BCBAs in direct therapy with clients in order to gain the necessary practical experience. The combination of those two types of learning is crucial to truly learning how to provide quality therapy.
Once the training is finished, the prospective RBT moves on to the competency assessment. According to BACB, this assessment may be done with a client or as role-play. The Helm requires our therapists to perform this assessment with a client as that is the only real way to test their skills. In the session, the BCBA is looking to make sure that the therapist is applying all of the skills that have been learned over the course of the 40 hour training. After that, the therapist must sit for the exam, proving that they have the intellectual and practical knowledge required to be an RBT.
Why does The Helm require passing the RBT within 30 days of hiring?
The sad truth of the matter is that there are a lot of under qualified therapists out there. We want to provide the best therapy possible for all our kiddos, and that means making sure that our therapists are as well-trained and well-informed as possible. If a therapist is unable or unwilling to do the rigorous work required to become an RBT, then they are not up to the standards that The Helm insists upon.
And it doesn’t stop there! After becoming an RBT, The Helm provides on-going, weekly 1:1 training in session and group learning sessions several times a month to keep our therapists performing at a level that exceeds industry standard.
Have more questions about becoming an RBT or receiving ABA therapy? Send us an email at info@thehelmaba.com!