How to Find a BCBA Near You: A Maryland Parent’s Guide to Board-Certified Behavior Analysts

A BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) and an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) have very different roles. The BCBA is the clinical expert — a master's-level professional who assesses your child, designs their individualized therapy program, supervises all sessions, provides parent training, and makes all clinical decisions. An RBT is the direct therapist who spends the most time with your child during sessions, implementing the program the BCBA has designed.

RBTs complete a standardized 40-hour BACB training and a competency assessment, and must practice under ongoing BCBA supervision at all times. They do not make independent clinical decisions about your child's program. A quality ABA program requires both roles working in close coordination: the RBT providing consistent daily therapy, and the BCBA providing regular oversight, data review, program adjustments, and family support.

The Learning Tree ABA maintains a team of licensed BCBAs who serve families across Maryland, including Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Harford County, and Carroll County. Every child in our program is assigned a dedicated BCBA who is responsible for their individual program.

We are happy to provide specific information about our current BCBA team during your consultation. If you would like to know more about the experience and background of the BCBAs who serve families in your area, please contact our intake team directly.

Consistency matters deeply in ABA therapy. A BCBA who knows your child — who has observed their progress over time, understands what motivates them, and has built a relationship with your family — is better positioned to make good clinical decisions than one who is new to the case.

At The Learning Tree ABA, we work hard to maintain consistency in BCBA assignment. Transitions do happen occasionally due to life circumstances, and when they do, we manage them carefully to ensure continuity of care. Your child's program documentation, goals, and data history transfer fully to any new BCBA, and there is always a structured transition period. Stability in the therapeutic relationship is something we take seriously.

BACB guidelines require BCBAs to provide regular, active supervision of the RBTs implementing their clients' programs. What "regular" means in practice depends on the child's age, the intensity of their program, and the complexity of their clinical needs. For younger children, children early in therapy, or children with more complex behavioral profiles, more frequent BCBA involvement is appropriate.

A common standard in quality ABA programs is that the BCBA directly observes and participates in at least 10 to 20 percent of a child's total therapy hours, in addition to reviewing session data, holding parent training sessions, and being accessible to the family between scheduled contacts. When you speak with any provider — including us — ask this question directly and expect a specific, transparent answer. Vague responses like "as needed" are not reassuring.

Yes — and in a quality ABA program, that access should be a built-in feature of the program, not something you have to fight for. At The Learning Tree ABA, regular parent meetings with the BCBA are part of every child's care plan. These meetings are not just administrative check-ins. They are working sessions where your BCBA explains what the data shows, discusses what is going well and what needs adjusting, answers your questions, and builds your skills through parent training.

You should always be able to contact your BCBA with time-sensitive questions between scheduled meetings. If you ever feel that you cannot reach your child's BCBA or that your questions are not being prioritized, that is worth addressing directly — and if it cannot be resolved, it may be a reason to consider a different provider. You are a partner in your child's therapy, not an observer. Your BCBA should treat you that way.