Work for an Ethical ABA Organization that puts “people ahead of profits.”
Having been in the field of ABA for over 12 years supporting the professional development needs of BCBAs, I know firsthand how difficult it is becoming for ethical BCBAs who want to operate ethically and to be able to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people whom you are responsible for supporting – clients, parents, behavior technicians, and RBTs.
The reason is crystal clear. Too many ABA organizations put profits ahead of quality care. And since more than 80% of ABA services are being provided by mega, private-equity-backed companies whose stated mission is to “maximize shareholder value,” this stated goal generally translates into various cost-savings measures, total lack of investment in staff, and highly questionable business practices.
As supervisors, you have seen first-hand how demoralizing it is for BTs and RBTs when they don’t receive the hours they need due to client cancellations; when companies refuse to pay for mandatory training; don’t reimburse for required drive-time; don’t provide materials and resources that are required to run programming, and most of all, do not provide BCBAs with the time to fully support the needs of BTs/RBTs and client with proper, quality supervision opportunities.
With these abusive employment practices, it is no wonder that turnover among BTs/RBTs is over 75%! It’s horrifying, but no surprise that more than 20% of BTs/RBTs are leaving the field. If we assume that there are 125,000 RBTs and approximately 150,000 BTs in our field, that translates to 55,000 direct care providers leaving the field. That’s over 100,000 families losing services because our field continues to support these abusive practices!
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT THIS? A LOT!
You can do your part by going to work for an Ethical ABA Organization that puts “people ahead of profits.” Independent ABA organizations, led by your peers – BCBAs – who have also poured their hearts and souls into helping people who desperately need to be helped. Your peers who understand that maintaining the integrity of the science of behavior analysis is the ONLY way for us to survive. And the only way to achieve that goal is through an unwavering commitment to ethics.
IF you would like to be connected to such Ethical Organizations, send your CV and Cover to kchung@special-learning.com. Please do not send a generic cover letter. Our clients are very special people and our objective is to match you up with an organization whose mission and values align with your passion, values, and professional goals to make a lasting union.
