Behavior Analyst Certification Board Issues Practice Guidelines for Health Insurance Plan Coverage of ABA Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Behavior Analyst Certification Board^® (BACB^®) has issued its new practice guidelines: Health Plan Coverage of Applied Behavior Analysis Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“The BACB is pleased to offer this resource as a tool for general guidance and basic descriptions of typical ABA service delivery. As general guidelines, we expect that they will need to be tailored to fit individual, local, and regional requirements and needs.”

The practice guidelines were developed to provide guidance to health plans, consumers, and providers so that individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder receive applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment consistent with the best available scientific evidence and expert clinical opinion.

According to BACB CEO James E. Carr, PhD, BCBA-D, "This project was prompted by the recent passage of autism-insurance legislation in multiple states, which has left numerous insurers with a need to develop an infrastructure for defining and funding ABA treatment. Given the multiple unique features of ABA treatment in this area, the BACB wanted to ensure that insurers were provided with the best information possible for this task."

Unique features of ABA treatment that are addressed in the guidelines include:

• Training and Credentialing of Behavior Analysts
• Assessment, Formulation of Treatment Goals, and Measurement of Client Progress
• Service Authorization and Dosage
• Tiered Service Delivery Models and Behavioral Technicians
• Clinical Management and Case Supervision

Although the guidelines are written primarily for insurers and health plans, they will also be useful for consumers and providers. According to Dr. Carr, “The BACB is pleased to offer this resource as a tool for general guidance and basic descriptions of typical ABA service delivery. As general guidelines, we expect that they will need to be tailored to fit individual, local, and regional requirements and needs.”

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board is a nonprofit corporation established in 1998 to meet professional credentialing needs identified by behavior analysts, governments, and consumers of behavior analysis services. The BACB adheres to national standards for boards that grant professional credentials. BACB certification procedures and content undergo regular psychometric review and validation, pursuant to a job analysis survey of the profession and standards established by content experts in the field.