Pennsylvania IBHS · Reference Portal
Two rulebooks — the state's and the BACB's — land on the same staff roster and confuse everyone. Here is who needs what, by role, with the regulation cited on every line.
The rules
30 hours before working independently (8 required topics) + 24 hours within the first 6 months (11 topics). Then 20 hours annually.
§ 5240.73(c), (d), (e)
PA IBHS Initial 30-Hour Training for BHTs — $99 · Within-6-Months 24-Hour Training — $129
20 Department-approved hours annually, tied to the individual training plan your agency keeps under § 5240.13.
§ 5240.73(e)
Annual BHT 20-Hour Training — $99 · BHT 20-Hour for Mental Health Professionals — $99 · Interpersonal, Safety & Systems for BHTs — $129
Qualification route: one-time 40-hour training covering the RBT Task List (certificate names the responsible BCBA/BCaBA trainer) — it never expires. Then 20 ABA-related hours annually; BACB-authorized (ACE) CE provider training accepted.
§ 5240.81(g)(5) · § 5240.83(d)
On top of state hours: 12 PDUs per 2-year cycle, in effect since January 1, 2026 — first deadline January 2028. PDU content must be behavior-analytic.
BACB RBT Handbook, 06/2026
16 Department-approved hours annually, related to job functions.
§ 5240.73(b)
PA IBHS BC/MT Training — $99 · Yearly Training for Clinical Directors & Consultants — $129
16 hours annually — training from a BACB-authorized (ACE) CE provider accepted. BCBAs: note PA wants 16 each year, not 32 anywhere in the 2-year BACB window.
§ 5240.83(b)
Initial Training for Clinical Directors & Consultants — $99 · CE catalog (ACE OP-14-2437)
20 hours up front, then 20 hours annually.
§ 5240.83(c)
Agency assessment
Ten questions about your roster. One output: every role's initial and annual requirements, the BACB overlays, and your agency's total annual training load.
| Behavioral Health Technicians (BHT) | |
| …of whom are NEW (not yet practicing independently) | |
| BHT-ABA technicians | |
| …of whom are BACB-certified RBTs | |
| Behavior Consultants / Mobile Therapists | |
| Behavior analytic staff / BC-ABA (incl. BCBA/BCaBA) | |
| …of whom hold BCBA/BCaBA certification | |
| Assistant BC-ABA (not yet certified) |
Common questions
No. The 40-hour training covering the RBT Task List is a one-time qualification under 55 Pa. Code § 5240.71(d)(5) and § 5240.81(g)(5). It never expires. What recurs is the annual requirement — 20 Department-approved hours per year for BHT staff (§ 5240.73(e)).
Sometimes. For ABA-services staff, the regulation accepts training provided by a BACB-authorized continuing education (ACE) provider toward the annual hours (§ 5240.83). For BHT staff on individual services, annual hours must be Department-approved — and PA DHS's own guidance lists trainings offered by a BACB Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) provider among those requiring no Department review or approval.
Not in Pennsylvania. The BACB allows 32 CEUs anywhere in the 2-year cycle, but PA requires 16 hours each year (§ 5240.73(b), § 5240.83(b)). Front-loading or back-loading leaves one year short of the state requirement.
As of January 1, 2026, every RBT must earn 12 hours of professional development units (PDUs) per 2-year recertification cycle — the first recurring education requirement RBTs have ever had. First deadline: January 2028. PDU content must be behavior-analytic, so most state-required topical hours do not count toward it.
No. An IBHS agency may accept documentation of completed initial or annual training from a previous agency (§ 5240.13(d)). Keep certificates on file and stop paying to retrain people.
Only from organizations Pennsylvania specifically names — for Child Protective Services Law training, providers such as the University of Pittsburgh's Child Welfare Resource program; for first aid, organizations such as the American Red Cross and American Heart Association. No other provider's version counts, including ours.
A short plain-English video walkthrough of these requirements, and an ask-anything assistant grounded in the regulation text — both in production. Questions now? Contact us and a human answers.