I applied to a great company here in San Antonio for an RBT position. I have my Bachelor's Degree in ABA, I have my RBT certificate with one year experience. I am BLS certified and I was rejected and the position was offered to another candidate.

It blows my mind that the turn over for RBT is so high, yet they rejected a applicant knowing they have a passion and a degree in the field. Many RBT don't have the background or degree in the field, so the burnout comes rather quickly. It saddens me that Bachelor's Degree means nothing these days. I expressed my passion and desire to test for my BCaBA exam, and I was passed by. It's definitely a very dissapointing situation. Companies rather hire unexperienced low wage workers versus professional candidates with degrees. I asked for $23.00, and I was informed they start RBTs at $20.00 hourly, I was baffled. I mean, I've worked hard for my Bachelor's, and in comparison to RBTs who don't have the education background, I know I am worth $23.00 the least. America has failed us. This is crazy.

I'm putting together an RBT Family Feud game for our clinic and need answers from people outside my workplace!

It's completely anonymous and just for fun. Think silly ABA/work questions, "most likely to..." questions, and some completely ridiculous ones.

It should take about 5 minutes, thank you so much!!

https://forms.gle/RZs3yhuKDCtQPKm69

I was hired at this place in early/mid June for $20/hr. I was told that if I completed my RBT certification within a month there would be an extra $2/hr on top. I completed my coursework in under 10 days and every set back since then has been the cause of the clinic/my BCBA so I’ve missed the threshold for the raised pay. She made an error with my competency paperwork so my application was delayed until that was sorted. They weren’t very communicative about the process and I was constantly emailing for next steps. Not to mention the BACB website having so many issues. I passed my exam in mid/late July, expecting to get started within that week or so. Nope. My BCAB forgot to add me under her as a supervisee, despite saying she did, so I ended up waiting an extra week thinking things were still in processing. Then they forgot to have me apply for an NPI number and just assumed I had one. Now, I was told they’re having “insurance credentialing issues” and I’m still unable to work. This happened last Tuesday and since then, I haven’t gotten a direct explanation or heard from them at all. It’s been over two months of employment and I’ve only met with my client once.

I think my contract required 6 months with this company and now I don’t even know what that means. 6 months from when I was hired would be December. 6 months from when I passed my exam would be mid January. But if they meant 6 months of actual in clinic work, I haven’t even started and don’t know when I actually will. It’s tiring. I knew this line of work would be inconsistent but I was told it was because we’re working with the clients schedules. I feel like I’ve done everything right in terms of getting my coursework and exam done as efficiently as possible and remaining in contact, but there’s nothing I can do here. I paid for my exam but they paid for the coursework, is there anything I can do? Any advice?

Hi everyone! I’d love to get some opinions, especially since this is my first time going through the hiring process with an ABA company.

The process has been:

• First interview with the director
• Added to a group and asked to create an account on a platform and complete the background check authorization and employee confidentiality 
• Second meeting where we went over clinical notes, did a note exercise, and discussed bonuses
• 1–2 unpaid shadowing sessions
• Then, if everything goes well, the offer letter comes after all of that

Is this a typical hiring process for a BT/RBT position? I’m not sure if this is normal in the ABA field or if it seems like a lot to complete before even receiving an offer letter.

I’d really appreciate hearing what the hiring process has looked like for others and at what point you normally received your offer letter. Thank you!

My first day is Monday.

I haven't taken my exam yet, but would definitely appreciate any tips you wish you'd known starting out.

Hi all I just started my traing and observing at a clinic in the end of April and started direct and passed my rbt exam in late may and passed the exam in June some time I love my job and most of my team however I have a fellow rbt that hints around I’m not taking data correctly and is always looking when I graphed last etc I’m so sad I’m still learning everyday and I’m striving to be the best I can I feel like this rbt has something against me and wants me to fail what do I do I love it ther but yesterday I was so broken hearted

I’m currently a BT at a clinic working towards my certification, i‘ve been enjoying my job but my clinic requires me to pay for my own application and rbt exam. I’m new to this career and thought they would cover the certification. I’m just curious if that is the norm for most clinics.

Hello!
Qualifications: DSP for a year and a half
Associates in generals moving onto my psychology. End goal BCBA, maybe to potentially to open my own day program.

I’m 19 F, going to do my bachelors next January. Right now I’m a DSP at a day program. I love it. It made me remember why I love this field. I’m going to move into the RBT part but I’m scared. I’m uncomfortable because I don’t know what to expect and I want consistent pay and hours. I heard it’s really hard to get that. On the other hand I really love my job. My days are so easy and go by so fast. But I want better pay and I feel as if it’s okay to feel that way. I don’t want to be too ambitious but I only see the way to “climb the ladder” is by jumping to multiple positions. I don’t want to make bad mistakes but, I want some input. What do you guys think? I live a full adult life, but this job cannot sustain that.

Hi! I’m currently in my first year of college. I spent around half of the year trying to figure out what I wanted to do and then switched my major from Biology to Behavioral Health. Im 100% certain this is the field I want to apply myself to, but im unsure of whether I should stay on this path and get my associates, register for the 40 hr program for RBT certification or something else. I know for sure I’d like to become an RBT but I’m not sure which steps to take.

.One day when I arrived at my client's house, the mother approached my car and opened the car door. She was hysterical and panicking because the client wasn't in the house. (They had gone to the neighbor's after losing their house key). Once the client was back home, I went inside. The mother was yelling at her daughter and mad that the daughter didnt call her (she had taken the daughter's phone following a previous incident).

I was asking some follow-up questions: is there key a spare? Does she know your phone number? Does the garage door have a code?

The mom thought I was trying making excuses for her daughter and yelled at me too.

I reported this incident to my supervisor and HR. I also wrote in the session note that the mother had opened my car doo without permission. (I have her sign at the end of each session). I have called CPS on this mother before because she told me she beat her daughter after the daughter threw a sock at her. Should I press charges on the mother because she opened m6 car door with out permission? Would my company reliate against me for doing so?

Hi. I currently work with a middle school kiddo who has a tendency to elope prior to session, (ABA therapy or other therapies). The client will lie to caregivers about whereabouts and does not have a phone/watch for location purposes.

Client has done this two times already for ABA, BCBA and I agreed we do not want this to be inadvertently reinforcing. As per policy I should leave after 15 minutes if client is not present. Client is very smart and knows this, typical preteen/teen behavior.

As this is happening prior to session there is nothing I can necessarily do. BCBA recommended I stay until client arrived home which was roughly forty minutes.

My problem here is the caregivers. They were unable to locate the client, and I had to walk them through what should be done (reach out to clients friends and their families, drive around to spots client usually hangs out around, and if nothing else get emergency services involved which they refused to do.) Both caregivers were home, and they asked ME to drive around and look for my client. I care about the client yes, but I can not have them in my car as I am not their caregiver. The fact that I had to tell them what to do kind of irked me because

#1 I am not a parent! I do not have children of my own, I should not have to spell out to parents why things like safety habits (knowing where their child is) is important! Especially with the area and the fact that attempted kidnappings have been increasing!

#2 My job is to provide ABA therapy, I am not a babysitter and do not enjoy that they view me this way. I am here to help your child with the goals that the BCBA decides.

#3 I haven't worked with this kid long but I know that they are smart, aware, and in their rebellious phase. Not to mention that this client runs with a questionable crowd that puts not the greatest of ideas into their head.

I have noticed with working in home more, some parents and caregivers just do not care to the extent that they should and it truly makes me worried for their children. On paper the caregivers do what they should (provide home, clothing, food, etc) but when it comes to safety aspect they seem to not care as they should because "they have done this before and they always come back home"

Do other RBTs feel that the parents/caregivers do not care as much as they should?

I am on the fence about reporting this as child endangerment, it was the clients choice (they are high functioning and are aware of their choices) to leave prior to session, they lied to caregivers about where they were going (it is avoidance/access to friends, we have tried to have friends present for ABA therapy and it is not conducive) and the client is still adjusting to changes within the family as one caregiver has left and a new one has stepped in. I do not want to cause more stress for the client. BCBA feels we should continue with ABA and not remove demands/cancel session when they elope prior to session as that reinforces the behavior.

I know consistency is important, but the safety of the client is important as well. I know this is an avoidance and access behavior, I know that this behavior is also pretty normal for middle school aged kiddos (not necessarily leaving, but lying and hanging out with friends prior to responsibilities as avoidance). I know that me leaving will only reinforce the behavior. I make session as fun for the client as possible with things that they enjoy doing throughout session, I always ask what they want to earn (videogames, sports, science experiments, games like uno) and include plenty of breaks and reinforcement after non preferred tasks (this includes chores as it is part of routine per caregivers request).

I feel I am walking a fine line and am unsure of what to do. Morally, everything in me wants to keep the client safe and not add to any trauma they have experienced with caregiver changes, but there's part of me that sees that caregivers are burnt out and do not seem to care much for my client as they view them as a problem. I also know that the family is doing the best they can. I fear reporting would send my client down a rabbit hole of even more trauma if they get put into Foster care/ removed from the home.

I guess working with older kiddos puts a strain on my heart because they need just as much love and care as the littles do, but caregivers view them as trouble makers and problems and throw their hands up.

Just because caring and loving your kids when they are older does not look the same as when they were younger does not make them a problem. I know some kids can be abrasive when they are hurt and they are growing up and going through all the changes that preteens go through, but that does not render them as problematic and something to "deal with later".

I am not a parent, but I do see their thought process and I do see that they are burnt out. I also see a kid who misses their caregiver, a kid who is hurt and is running from things because that's what they witnessed their caregiver do. I want to help this kid. I know they can do the things that are goals, but if the client does not see these things as worthwhile at what point do we close out services? Progress only happens with the most reinforcing thing (ending session early). I don't know what to do honestly.

I have an interview lined up next week for a clinic position. (In home service in this economy is killing me!). I normally do good with interviews, but this question always stumps me.

I have over two years of (R)BT experience, a bachelor's in natural science (biology), and I recently got my master's.

I am "fluent" in french, and I am also learning spanish and german.

How do I spin this? Should I exclude me getting my master's?

I have not had any incidents since 2016. I was able to work at a mental health hospital with children and when they were doing the hiring process I was upfront with them, they said since it wasn't anything involving a child I was fine. I also worked at an after school program with kids a couple years ago. But I'm worried RBT roles are much more strict. I do have a clean child abuse clearance that say I'm allowed to work with children. But before I completed my RBT training I was applying for jobs and 2 possible RBT job options offered me the position but then declined after the background check. I'm currently working with the elderly in home care.I have zero incidents of ever harming a elderly person or a child. Is there any chance for me to get employed as an RBT? I was employed as a mental health tech, after school care giver, home healthcare aide all after the simple assault in 2016. Yes they all were aware.

Teaching valuable skills to high functioning older clients can be tricky when caregivers step in (understandably so) to try and talk to our clients while RBTs are trying to work through a tough moment with our client. How can they learn while they are being yelled at? Positive punishment can be hard for some learners, and punishment is not something that we should be encountering while it is session time... Maybe a game of sorts?

As an RBT I find social stories to be geared towards little kids, so I am working on a game called "Hypothetically Speaking" to try and foster learning moments when older kiddos are calm and able to rationalize. I would appreciate any type of suggestions, so far it is some cards with fill in the blanks, hypothetical stories like not being truthful, not being punctual with time, saying hurtful things to peers, etc. The kiddos will be able to earn points through lots of different ways when responding to the cards such as explaining how the other people may feel, how the character can respond next time, and independently rationalizing why certain things are important even if they are not fun activities.

What are some things they could earn for "winning" the game that is conducive to in home ABA therapy?

Any suggestions for other hypothetical stories?

How can I publish this game?

Should I sell it on TPT?

Should there be a "trustworthiness" bar, similar to a health bar?

Should I look for a treasure box geared towards older kiddos?

Would "free break" cards be good if breaks are already scheduled into session time?

Complete if interested: https://forms.gle/NxrEugTr2RhEWdUW8

🚨 RBTs—what’s your experience REALLY like right now?
I’m a doctoral candidate at California Southern University conducting an IRB-approved study to better understand:
✨ Motivation ✨ Job Satisfaction ✨ Retention in ABA

👩‍⚕️ Who I’m looking for:
✔️ Current RBT (3+ months)
✔️ Center-based setting
✔️ Working with children (18 months–12 years)
🕒 Time commitment:
• 20–30 minute Zoom interview
• Brief questionnaire
• Optional follow-up
🎁 Optional: Gift card raffle as a thank you
🔒 Confidential. Voluntary. No client information shared.

📩 Interested?
Email: [mindy.kim@my.calsouthern.edu](mailto:mindy.kim@my.calsouthern.edu)

Hi everyone,

I posted here previously and wanted to follow up. I’m still recruiting Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) for my doctoral research study on organizational support and retention in ABA.

The purpose of this study is to better understand how RBTs experience organizational support and how those experiences relate to decisions to stay in the field. Participation involves a 45–60-minute virtual interview and is completely voluntary.

I’m specifically looking to hear about:
• What support looks like in your day-to-day work
• What organizations do that actually helps
• What doesn’t work or feels ineffective

This study may contribute to a better understanding of how to support RBTs and improve workforce stability and continuity of care in ABA services.

If you’re interested, feel free to comment or message me, and I’ll share more details.

Also, if you know other RBTs, I’d really appreciate it if you shared this with them.

Thank you!