Koehler Designs_BACB_113011

SUPERVISOR TRAINING
CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)
BACB LOGO VECTOR MASTER FILE

T :: Stefanie Koehler • stefanie.m.koehler@gmail.com • 604-563-9412 • Vancouver, BC, Canada

Table of Contents
Overview................................................................... 2
Supervision of Ongoing Services..................... 3
Supervision of Trainees......................................... 8
Selected Supervision Resources..................... 12This document should be referenced as follows:
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2018). Supervision training curriculum outline (2.0) Littleton, CO: Author.

SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)
Overview
This curriculum outline is comprised of learning objectives, tasks, and considerations thatare important for creating an effective supervisory relationship. Supervisors who oversee
the work of (a) individuals acquiring fieldwork (i.e., experience1) for BCBA or BCaBA
certification (trainees) and (b) current BCaBA or RBT certificants who are required to haveongoing supervision (supervisees) are required to complete an 8-hour supervision training
based on this curriculum before providing any supervision. Supervisors, supervisees, andtrainees should confirm the date the supervisor completed the training prior to initiating thesupervisor relationship.

Requirements for Training Providers

2

All Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) Providers and Verified Course Sequences (VCS)
are eligible to offer supervision training based on this curriculum outline. The cumulative
duration of training must be at least 8 hours (but may be offered in units as brief as 1 hour).
The training activities must include opportunities for trainees to demonstrate verbal orpractical competence of the curricular areas below. Training may be conducted in personor online. The training may be completed up to 180 days prior to the learner’s2 original
BACB certification date or, for qualifying non-certified RBT supervisors and non-certified
VCS instructors, as soon they meet the other supervision eligibility requirements.

Requirements for Documentation
ACE Providers must provide the learner with a one-page document showing thatthe learner completed the full training (see the ACE Handbook for documentation
requirements). If the training is completed as part of a VCS, the course syllabus and thelearner’s unofficial transcript, showing a passing grade, will be required. The training
provided must include a link to the BACB Supervisor Training Curriculum Outline (2.0), as
well as the following text in all online and print materials for their training program:“This training program is based on the BACB Supervisor Training Curriculum
Outline (2.0) but is offered independent of the BACB.”
The learner must upload the documentation described above into their BACB Account.
Once the documentation has been approved and they meet all other relevant supervision
eligibility requirements, they may begin providing supervision.

1

The term fieldwork will be used throughout this document to refer to the supervised practicalexperience required for obtaining BCBA or BCaBA certification.

2

We are using the term learner in this document to refer to those who are taking the supervision training.

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SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)
Supervision of Ongoing Services
The section below applies to supervision of the ongoing delivery of behavior-analytic
services and, thus, is particularly relevant to the supervision of BCaBAs and RBTs.
1) The supervisor should be able to state the purpose of supervision to the supervisee
or trainee.
a) Provide high-quality services that result in client improvementi)

Create context for clear communicationii) Ensure procedural fidelity of service deliveryb) Develop and maintain behavior-analytic, professional, and ethical repertoires of thesupervisee (as relevant)i)

RBT Task List and RBT Ethics Codeii) BCBA/BCaBA Task List and Professional Ethical and Compliance Code for
Behavior Analystsc) Teach conceptual skills using applied case exemplars
i)

Philosophical underpinnings of behavior analysisii) Concepts and principles of behavior analysis

3d) Develop problem-solving skillsi)Responding to novel behavior and insufficient progress of clientsii) Addressing questions from clients/caregiversiii) Maximizing learning opportunities for clientse) Monitor and evaluate decision-making skillsi)Professionalism decisionsii) Ethical decisionsiii) Treatment decisionsf) Model assistance-seeking skillsi)Identifying problemsii) Providing opportunities for feedbackiii) Seeking assistance from appropriate partiesg) Improve and maintain beneficial repertoires of the supervisee or traineei)Progress monitoringii) Opportunities for advancementh) Model effective supervision practicesi)Professional behaviorsii) Ethical behaviorsiii) Training behaviors
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SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)2) The supervisor should be able to describe the strategies and potential outcomes of
ineffective supervision.
a) Identify low-quality client servicesi)

Insufficient client progressii) Potential for harm to clientsb) Identify poor performancei)

Inadequate practice repertoiresii) Inadequate professional repertoiresc) Monitor indicators of potentially unethical behaviori)

Inability to identify ethical issuesii) Inability to problem solve and make decisions in novel or unfamiliar settingsd) Evaluate modeling of effective supervision practicesi)Missed training opportunitiesii) Production of ineffective supervisorse) Reduce the risks associated with high-volume work hoursi)4

Lower likelihood of compliance with supervisor recommendationsii) Costs of attrition
3) The supervisor should be able to prepare for the supervisory relationship with thesupervisee or trainee.
a) Determine feasible supervision capacity based on available time and resources forthe following activities:i)

Maintenance of effective servicesii) Available institutional/organizational resourcesiii) Identification of billable vs. non-billable time, if relevantiv) Access to supervision sites (e.g., travel time required)v) Preparation of content for supervisionvi) Timely responding to correspondence (e.g., calls, texts, emails)b) Verify and review BACB certification maintenance requirementsi)Supervision requirementsii) Competency assessment requirements (RBT)iii) Continuing education requirements (BCaBA)c) Verify certification statusi)

Use the BACB registry to check status of certificatio

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SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)d) Create a secure record system to document the supervisory relationship with thefollowing information:ii) Supervision contracts and formsiii) Supervision and work logsiv) Background checksv) Supervision performance evaluationsvi) Required documentation for a BACB audit
4) The supervisor should be able to establish a plan for structured supervision content andevaluation of competence for supervisees and trainees.
a) Review the nature of supervision and include the following:i)

Set performance expectationsii) Observe, implement behavioral skills training, and deliver performance feedbackiii) Model technical, professional, and ethical behavioriv) Guide strategies for developing behavioral case conceptualization, problem-solving,and decision-making repertoires (e.g., consider motivating operations, discriminative
stimuli, unctions of behavior)v) Review written materials (e.g., behavior programs, data sheets, reports)vi) Oversee and evaluate the effects of behavioral service deliveryvii) Provide ongoing evaluation of the effects of supervisionb) Review frequency, type, and structure of supervision sessions and consider
the following:i)

Scheduleii) Locationiii) Individual vs. group supervisioniv) Meeting agendasv) Multiple supervisorsc) Review expectations for behavior while feedback is being delivered, including
the following:i)Engagement in active listening (eye contact, posture) and engagement (question
asking, paraphrasing) strategiesii) Taking notes during feedback meetingsiii) Restatement of feedback to check for understandingiv) Requests for clarification, examples, or models as neededv) Acknowledgement of responsibility for errors (take responsibility)

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5SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)d) Review expectations for behavior after feedback has been received, including
the following:i)

Acknowledgement of the feedback receivedii) Goal setting for behavior-change goalsiii) Progress monitoring plane) Set appropriate boundariesi)

Response-time expectationsii) Multiple relationshipsiii) Preferred means of communication (e.g., face-to-face, phone, text, email)f) Review supervisee or trainee performance evaluation processesi)Frequencyii) Type (e.g., written correspondence, meetings)iii) Formal and informal reviewsiv) Areas of performance (e.g., professionalism, organization, time management,
program implementation, ethics)g) Review supervisor performance evaluation processes
6i)Frequencyii) Type (e.g., written correspondence, meetings)iii) Formal and informal reviewsiv) Areas of performance (e.g., professionalism, time management, effectiveness, ethics)h) Identify the conditions under which a supervisory relationship may end
i)Identification of a new supervisorii) Continued failure to meet learning goals
5) The supervisor should be able to create committed and positive relationships withsupervisees or trainees.
a) Use positive body language when interactingi)

Eye contactii) Postureiii) Affirmative movementsb) Communicate regularlyi)Follow-upii) Regular check-insiii) Timely responses to questions and concerns

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SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)c) Review and provide timely feedback on documents, including:i)

Data sheets and graphsii) Written protocols and reportsiii) Treatment notesiv) Behavior plansv) Professional correspondencevi) Training materialsvii) Portfoliosd) Provide undivided attention during supervisioni)Engage in active listening strategiesii) Take notesiii) Remove distractions (e.g., phone and email notifications)6) The supervisor should be able to use behavioral skills training to improve supervisee
or trainee performance.
a) Deliver clear, succinct, and detailed instructionsi)

Describe rationale for why the target skills are to be trainedii) Provide vocal and written descriptions of the target skillsiii) Use clear, concise, and simple instructions when describing the skilliv) Require active participation from the learnerb) Model the required skills across all relevant contextsi)Incorporate role play, in vivo, and video modelingii) Use role models, peers, and self-modelingiii) Deliver instructions concurrently with the modelc) Find and create opportunities to rehearse skillsi)

Use in vivo and role play scenariosii) Rehearse immediately after the skill is demonstratediii) Practice the skill in relevant settingsd) Deliver effective feedback to shape performancei)

Provide contingent, descriptive feedback immediately after skill rehearsalii) Correct errors using empathy statements and descriptive information on how
to improveiii) Provide vocal, written, modeled, video, and graphic feedbackiv) Deliver feedback individually and to a groupv) Deliver feedback using formal and informal methodsvi) Incorporate self-monitoring
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7SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)e) Repeat behavioral skills training steps until skill reaches masteryi)

Set a pre-determined mastery criterion for the skillii) Measure procedural fidelity with the skilliii) Assess application and generalization of skill to new targets, clients, and settingsiv) Schedule follow-up competency checksf) Train across skill areas that are relevanti)Measurement, data displays, and interpretationii) Assessment and treatment proceduresiii) Professionalismg) Describe the detrimental effects of withholding feedbacki)

Poor quality controlii) Development of an apathetic relationshiph) Describe the detrimental effects of performing skills independently prior todemonstrating competencyi)8Increase likelihood of harm to the clientii) Develop a history of incorrect respondingi) Describe the detrimental effects of avoiding practice opportunities for weak or absent
skills within repertoiresi)Lack of commitment to supervisee’s or trainee’s trainingii) Failure to improve client services

Supervision of Trainees
In addition to the section above, supervisors have additional responsibilities whensupervising trainees pursuing BCBA or BCaBA certification; these responsibilities aredescribed below.
1) The supervisor should be able to comply with relevant BACB fieldwork requirements
when supervising a trainee pursuing BCBA or BCaBA certification.
a) Review the requirements for those pursuing BCBA or BCaBA certification that are
specific to the trainee, including:i)

Degree requirementsii) Coursework requirementsiii) Fieldwork requirementsiv) Maintenance requirements

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SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)b) Develop, review, and sign a supervision contract prior to beginning supervisioni)

Write a comprehensive supervision contractii) Review the supervision contractiii) Clarify and agree to scope of supervisioniv) Review the conditions under which a supervisor may refuse to sign formsv) Provide copies of signed contracts to all partiesc) Document the supervisory relationshipi)

Fieldwork verification formsii) Supplemental documentation systemsiii) Professional portfoliosiv) Filing systemd) Collaborate to establish training objectives aligned with the BCBA/BCaBA Task List
based upon the following:i)Trainee interestsii) Trainee deficitsiii) Coursework objectives

9iv) Goalse) Measure trainee progress towards training goals that are aligned with the BCBA/ BCaBA
Task Listi)

Knowledge-based evaluationsii) Performance-based evaluationsf) Identify training opportunities designed to develop and improve trainee skill sets thatalign with the BCBA/BCaBA Task List and fieldwork requirementsi)Appropriate vs. inappropriate fieldwork activitiesii) Restricted vs. unrestricted fieldwork activitiesg) Provide a variety of fieldwork opportunities that are tied to the BCBA/BCaBA Task Listi)

Establish pre-determined mastery criterionii) Incorporate behavioral skills trainingiii) Identify trainee and supervisor responsibilities for progression through the task listh) Create assignments designed to improve and extend the trainee skill set that align with
the BCBA/BCaBA Task Listi)

Assign type (e.g., written, oral, video)ii) Assign hour allocationiii) Set deadlinesiv) Document evidence of completion

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SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)i) Model and teach professionalismi)Time management (e.g., measure planned activities vs. actual activities, adherence
to deadlines)ii) Organization (e.g., measure client programming, meeting preparation)iii) Prioritization (e.g., measure appropriate allocation of time towards tasks basedon criticality)iv) Social skills (e.g., evaluate posture, adaptation to audience)v) Interpersonal skillsj) Regularly monitor the supervision experience for effectivenessi)

Review the supervision contract and goals periodically to determine satisfaction
with the trainee experience (e.g., evaluate frequency and structure of meetings,
goals, areas of deficiency)ii) Review supervisor competencies
1. Identify self-selected goals for supervision
2. Self-rate supervisory activities10

3. Use supervisor peer-overlap of supervision activities for the purpose ofobtaining peer feedback when possiblek) End the supervisory relationship appropriatelyi)Complete the accrual of supervised fieldwork hoursii) Plan for fading supervisor-trainee contactiii) Plan for continued mentorship
2) The supervisor should be able to evaluate the effectiveness of supervision of
the trainee.
a) Assess baseline skillsi)Conduct interviewsii) Conduct observationsiii) Consult with previous supervisors, given consent from supervisee or traineeiv) Review writing samples and portfoliosv) Review the BCBA/BCaBA Task Listb) Schedule observations with clientsi)

Conduct in-vivo observationsii) Conduct live video observationsiii) Conduct recorded video observations

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SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)c) Evaluate supervision based on client performance where appropriatei)

Objective measures of client behavior addressed by services (e.g., graphic
display of client performance)ii) Interviews and direct observations of client and caregiver satisfaction withservices (e.g., social validity/satisfaction questionnaires)d) Evaluate supervision based on supervisee or trainee performancei)

Objective measures of direct observation of supervisee or trainee behavior
addressed in training and supervisionii) Interviews and direct observations of supervisee satisfaction with training
and supervisione) Evaluate professionalism using objective or subjective measures as appropriatei)

Attireii) Social interactionsiii) Attendanceiv) Time managementv) Organization (e.g., measure client programming, meeting preparation)vi) Flexibility (e.g., evaluate problem-solving and responsiveness to changes in tasks)f) Evaluate the fidelity of implementation of specific interventionsi)

Objective measuresii) Self monitoringiii) Peer monitoringiv) Supervisor monitoringg) Describe the potential outcomes of ineffective supervision practices, including
the following:i)Limits the supervisor’s ability to replicate effects of effective supervision withsubsequent supervisees or traineesii) Disorganized supervisory fieldwork that is time and cost prohibitiveiii) Discourages effective supervisors from supervisingiv) Models ineffective supervisory practices to the supervisee who may later
become a supervisorv) Increases potential risks of harm to current and future clients and supervisees
or trainees

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11SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)
3) The supervisor should be able to incorporate ethics and professional development
into supervision of trainees.
a) Identify relevant ethical requirements and remain in compliance with themi)Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analystsii) BACB code-enforcement systemsiii) Licensure lawsiv) Other policies (e.g., funding and institutional requirements)b) Analyze and solve ethical dilemmasi)Engage in problem-solving activitiesii) Seek assistance when necessary (e.g., colleagues, supervisors, mentors)c) Identify and develop new areas of defined competency to ensure ethical supervisioni)

Review literature related to new competency areasii) Engage with professional groups in new areas of practiceiii) Pursue training and supervision in new areasiv) Identify necessary requirements for new areas of practice12d) Pursue professional development opportunities for supervisorsi)Create a continuous learning community to enhance behavior-analytic skills (e.g.,
study groups and journal clubs)ii) Read the literature (e.g., supervision, ethics, practice)iii) Attend professional development activities (e.g., conventions, workshops, webinars)iv) Engage in peer reviewv) Seek mentorshipvi) Consult with colleaguesvii) Participate in professional networksviii) Develop self-care strategies to maintain healthy and stable work environments

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SUPERVISOR TRAINING CURRICULUM OUTLINE (2.0)
Selected Supervision Resources
DiGennaro Reed, F. D., & Henley, A. J. (2015). A survey of staff training and performance
management practices: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Behavior Analysis in
Practice, 8, 16-26. doi:10.1007/s40617-015-0044-5
Dubuque, E. M., & Dubuque, M. L. (2018). Guidelines for the establishment of a universitybased practical training system. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 11, 51-61. doi:10.1007/
s40617-016-0154-8
Garza, K. L., McGee, H. M., Schenk, Y. A., & Wiskirchen, R. R. (2017). Some tools forcarrying out a proposed process for supervising experience hours for aspiring Board
Certified Behavior Analysts®. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 11, 62-70. doi:10.1007/
s40617-017-0186-8
Hartley, B. K., Courtney, W. T., Rosswurm, M., & LaMarca, V. J. (2016). The apprentice:
An innovative approach to meet the Behavior Analysis [sic] Certification Board’s
supervision standards. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 329-338. doi:10.1007/
s40617-016-0136-x
LeBlanc, L. A., Heinicke, M. R., & Baker, J. C. (2012). Expanding the consumer base forbehavior analytic services: Meeting the needs of consumers in the 21st century.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 5, 4-14. doi:10.1007/BF03391813
LeBlanc, L. A., & Luiselli, J. K. (2016). Refining supervisory practices in the field of behavior
analysis: Introduction to the special section on supervision. Behavior Analysis in
Practice, 9, 271-273. doi:10.1007/s40617-016-0156-6
Sellers, T. P., Alai-Rosales, S., & MacDonald, R. P. (2016). Taking full responsibility: The ethics
of supervision in behavior analytic practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 299-308.
doi:10.1007/s40617-016-0144-x
Sellers, T. P., LeBlanc, L. A., & Valentino, A. L. (2016). Recommendations for detecting andaddressing barriers to successful supervision. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 309319. doi:10.1007/s40617-016-0142-z
Sellers, T. P., Valentino, A. L., & LeBlanc, L. A. (2016). Recommended practices for individual
supervision of aspiring behavior analysts. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 274-286.
doi:10.1007/s40617-016-0110-7
Turner, L. B., Fischer, A. J., & Luiselli, J. K. (2016). Towards a competency-based, ethical,
and socially valid approach to the supervision of applied behavior analytic trainees.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 287-298. doi:10.1007/s40617-016-0121-4
Valentino, A. L., LeBlanc, L. A., & Sellers, T. P. (2016). The benefits of group supervision anda recommended structure for implementation. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 320338. doi:10.1007/s40617-016-0138-8

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Stefanie Koehler Designs_BACB_113011

BACB LOGO VECTOR MASTER FILECONTACT :: Stefanie Koehler • stefanie.m.koehler@gmail.com • 604-563-9412 • Vancouver, BC, Canada

Copyright © 2019 by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board,® Inc. (“BACB®”), all rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, copying, ortransmission in any medium is strictly prohibited.
®The trademarks “Behavior Analyst Certification Board,® Inc.,” “BACB®.” “Board Certified Behavior Analyst®,” “BCBA®,” “Board Certified
Assistant Behavior Analyst®,” “BCaBA®,” and “RBT ®,” are owned by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®. Unauthorized use or
misrepresentation is strictly prohibited.