Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts

1 Ethics Code for Behavior AnalystsThe Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Code) replaces the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts (2014). All BCBA and BCaBA applicants and certificants are required to adhere to the Code effective January 1, document should be referenced as: Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for Behavior Analysts . Littleton, CO: 2020, BACB , All rights Analyst Certification Board | Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts | 2 Updated 09/2021, Copyright 2020, BACB | All rights of ContentsIntroduction ..3 Scope of the Code ..3 Core Principles.

2 4 Application of the Code ..5 Enforcement of the Code ..6 Glossary ..7 Ethics Standards ..9 Section 1 Responsibility as a Professional .. Being Truthful .. Conforming with Legal and Professional Practicing within a Defined Role .. Practicing within Scope of Competence .. Maintaining Competence .. Cultural Responsiveness and Diversity .. Nondiscrimination .. Nonharassment .. Awareness of Personal Biases and Challenges .. Multiple Relationships .. Giving and Receiving Gifts .. Coercive and Exploitative Relationships .. Romantic and Sexual Responding to Requests .. Self-Reporting Critical Information.

3 10 Section 2 Responsibility in Practice .. Providing Effective Timeliness .. Protecting Confidential Information .. Disclosing Confidential Information .. Documentation Protection and Retention .. Accuracy in Service Billing and Reporting .. Fees .. Communicating About Services .. Involving clients and Stakeholders .. Collaborating with Colleagues .. Obtaining Informed Consent .. Considering Medical Needs .. Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Assessments .. Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Behavior - Change Interventions .. Minimizing Risk of Behavior -Change Interventions .. Describing Behavior -Change Interventions Before Implementation.

4 Collecting and Using Data .. Continual Evaluation of the Behavior -Change Intervention .. Addressing Conditions Interfering with Service Delivery ..12 Section 3 Responsibility to clients and Stakeholders .. Responsibility to Identifying Stakeholders .. Accepting Service Agreement .. Financial Agreements .. Consulting with Other Providers .. Third-Party Contracts for Services .. Responsibility to the Client with Third-Party Contracts for Services .. Communicating with Stakeholders About Third-Party Contracted Services .. Limitations of Confidentiality .. Documenting Professional Activity .. Advocating for Appropriate Services.

5 Referrals .. Facilitating Continuity of Services .. Appropriately Discontinuing Services .. Appropriately Transitioning Services ..14 Section 4 Responsibility to Supervisees and Trainees .. Compliance with Supervision Requirements .. Supervisory Competence .. Supervisory Volume .. Accountability in Supervision .. Maintaining Supervision Documentation .. Providing Supervision and Training .. Incorporating and Addressing Diversity .. Performance Monitoring and Feedback .. Delegation of Tasks .. Evaluating Effects of Supervision and Training .. Facilitating Continuity of Supervision .. Appropriately Terminating Supervision.

6 16 Section 5 Responsibility in Public Statements .. Protecting the Rights of clients , Stakeholders, Supervisees, and Trainees .. Confidentiality in Public Statements .. Public Statements by Behavior Public Statements by Others .. Use of Intellectual Property .. Advertising Nonbehavioral Services .. Soliciting Testimonials from Current clients for Advertising .. Using Testimonials from Former clients for Advertising .. Using Testimonials for Nonadvertising Purposes .. Social Media Channels and Websites .. Using Digital Content in Public Statements ..17 Section 6 Responsibility in Research .. Conforming with Laws and Regulations in Research.

7 Research Review .. Research in Service Delivery .. Informed Consent in Research .. Confidentiality in Competence in Conducting Research .. Conflict of Interest in Research and Publication .. Appropriate Credit .. Plagiarism .. Documentation and Data Retention in Research .. Accuracy and Use of Data ..18 Behavior Analyst Certification Board | Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts | 3 Updated 09/2021, Copyright 2020, BACB | All rights a diverse group of professionals who work in a variety of practice areas, Behavior Analysts deliver applied Behavior analysis (ABA) services to positively impact lives.

8 The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB ) exists to meet the credentialing needs of these professionals and relevant stakeholders ( , licensure boards, funders) while protecting ABA consumers by establishing, disseminating, and managing professional standards. The BACB facilitates ethical Behavior in the profession through its certification eligibility and maintenance requirements, by issuing the Ethics standards described in this document, and by operating a system for addressing professional Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Code) guides the professional activities of Behavior Analysts over whom the BACB has jurisdiction (see Scope of the Code below).

9 The Code also provides a means for Behavior Analysts to evaluate their own Behavior and for others to assess whether a Behavior analyst has violated their ethical obligations. An introduction section describes the scope and application of the Code, its core principles, and considerations for ethical decision making. The core principles are foundational concepts that should guide all aspects of a Behavior analyst s work. The introduction is followed by a glossary that includes definitions of technical terms used in the Code. The final section includes the Ethics standards, which are informed by the core principles.

10 The standards are organized into six sections: 1) Responsibility as a Professional, 2) Responsibility in Practice, 3) Responsibility to clients and Stakeholders, 4) Responsibility to Supervisees and Trainees, 5) Responsibility in Public Statements, and 6) Responsibility in of the CodeThe Code applies to all individuals who hold Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA ) or Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA ) certification and all individuals who have completed an application for BCBA or BCaBA certification. For the sake of efficiency, the term Behavior analyst is used throughout this document to refer to those who must act in accordance with the Code.