Illinois is among the most recent states to introduce a formal licensing requirement for Applied Behavior Analysts. Taking effect in 2025, both behavior analysis and assistant behavior analysts working in the Land of Lincoln will need to be licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
The license requirements are based on the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Model Act, a proposed example of legislative language for ABA regulation.
The Model Act is a blueprint set of legislation designed to give state legislators a basic outline for legislation enabling the licensing of behavior analysts, establishing minimum qualifications for education and training, and providing for state-level oversight of the field.
Right in line with the model act, then, possession of a BCBA® (or BCaBA®, for assistant ABAs) meets the state licensing requirements for providing this valuable service.
Special Education Provision and Insurance Standards Have Long Required BCBA® Certification in Illinois
While the overall licensing of ABAs is fresh off the presses in Illinois, behavior analysts here are no strangers to BCBA® certification requirements.
Since 2007, Illinois has had at least one law on the books that recognizes and requires the possession of a BCBA® for one particular practice area: Illinois Public Act 094-0948, concerning the provision of special education services in public schools, defines a behavior analyst as someone holding a BCBA®. This means that ABAs without board certification haven’t been allowed to work in Illinois schools for quite some time.
Additionally, the Illinois Department of Human Services has required BCBA® certification for approval as a provider for behavior intervention services with the Division of Development Disabilities.
It’s pretty likely that many practicing ABAs in Illinois already have their BCBA® or BCaBA®.
If you already practice ABA here without a credential or are planning to in the future, you’ll have to go through a four-step process in order to both get your national credential and get a license to practice ABA in Illinois:
Step 1. Earn a Master’s Degree in Behavior Analysis or a Similar Field
If you’re just coming to ABA practice and certification in Illinois, however, you’ll need to start off with the right education to earn a BCBA®. That means a master’s degree, and preferably one accredited by either the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) or that is accredited or recognized by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).
These degrees, in either psychology, behavior analysis, or education, will meet the coursework requirements set by BACB in terms of both content and quantity.
Because fully accredited programs are still relatively rare, however, BACB will also accept other master’s graduates with the appropriate coursework behind them. You may find it in other kinds of degree programs, or through a post-graduate certificate program. That coursework can qualify through an attestation by a VCS (Verified Course Sequence) Coordinator, or, less commonly, undergo class-by-class review by BACB.
The course-by-course review option offered under VCS will no longer be available after 2025, and all approvals must be by attestation after that point.
The process for BCaBA® candidates is similar but they require only a bachelor’s degree.
Step 2. Complete a Period of Supervised Practice
Hands-on experience is an important qualifier for a field like behavior analysis. There’s a lot of variation in individual clients and cases. There’s no way to get every bit of knowledge you need about how to handle them out of textbooks, even from approved courses.
So BACB, and, by extension, the state of Illinois, require you to engage in a period of direct, practical treatment under the careful supervision of someone already approved to perform ABA therapy.
There are two accepted types of this supervised experience:
- Supervised Fieldwork – 2000 hours with 4 supervisor contacts per month and 5 percent of total hours supervised
- Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork – 1500 hours with 6 supervisors contacts per month and 10 percent of total hours supervised
You can see why the concentrated option takes less time—you have more guidance and oversight. But it’s possible to combine the two methods, depending on your supervisor’s availability and case load, so you may end up with anywhere from 1500 to 2000 hours total.
Step 3. Pass the BCBA® Certification Exam
With the requisite experience accumulated, you’re only one step away from your critical certification. That last step is a big one, however: you must take and pass the BCBA® or BCaBA® Certification Exam.
At 175 multiple-choice questions that must be answered in four hours, it’s a big chunk to bite off in either case. The exam covers 9 core content areas:
- Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations
- Concepts and Principles
- Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation
- Experimental Design
- Ethical and Professional Issues
- Behavioral Assessment
- Behavior-Change Procedures
- Selecting and Implementing Interventions
- Personnel Supervision and Management
These, in turn, cover the essential elements found on the BCBA® task list. A review of those standard abilities, plus your educational coursework and notes from your supervised fieldwork, should be all you need to get through the test.
The BCaBA® exam naturally covers similar territory but at a less advanced level.
The exams are only available through Pearson VUE, which has a number of on-site testing centers around the state. You’ll need to register directly with BACB for approval to sit the exam before you can schedule it with Pearson, however.
Click here for step-by-step instructions on the BCBA® credentialing process.
Step 4. Apply for Licensure With the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Official licensing for behavior analysts is just beginning in 2025 and the system is still being put in place. All licensing applications must be made online through IDFPR’s CORE system.
The official titles for the new ABA licenses in Illinois are Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) and Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LABA).
Through the system, you’ll have to separately provide certification of your education, proof of passing the BCBA® Certification exam, and a current valid BCBA® Certification.
The initial application fee is $400 for an LBA and $100 for LABAs. You’ll also need to arrange to be fingerprinted and undergo a background check, similar to other states
It’s important to note that this license and licensing process is separate from the provider registration required by IDHS before you can bill for behavior intervention services under the state’s Medicaid Waivers act. You’ll need to register with that system separately if you plan to offer and bill for such services.
Getting Your LABA or LBA License By Endorsement in Illinois
It’s also possible to receive licensure by endorsement in Illinois if you already hold an out-of-state license with equivalent standards. In practice, that will typically mean from another state that also requires BCBA® certification for their license process.
You’ll need to submit a certification of current licensure along with an official transcript and diploma, as well as proof of passage of either the BCBA® exam or a similar exam (which may be offered in some states as an alternative).
Naturally, you’ll need to ensure that your existing license is active and in good standing, as well.
Maintaining Your LBA License in Illinois
Licenses for both kinds of ABA therapists will be on a two-year cycle, after which you will have to renew them. The costs is $300 for LBAs and $75 for LABAs.
But it will take more than just money to re-up your credentials. The state will also require 30 CEUs in continuing education (20 for LABAs).
Since no one has actually been licensed yet in the state, no one will have to renew for a couple of years and so the CE system is still being worked out. The IDFPR rules call for all accepted CE to be offered by an approved sponsor, which encompasses:
- BACB-approved CE providers
- The American Psychological Association
- Educational credits from an Illinois University or College that offers degrees in behavior analysis
- Other approved providers
But the application and approval process is still being nailed down.
Practicing Applied Behavior Analysis in Illinois
ABAs in Illinois have long worked with adults and children suffering from a variety of behavioral issues, including:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Depression
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Learning disorders
- Anxiety
- Developmental disorders
Services they offer include:
- Early intervention
- Family support
- Group therapy
- Staff training
- Structured programming
- Behavior modification
Because of the recent explosion in ASD diagnoses among school age children, many ABAs in Illinois work primarily with that age group. This requires a special touch, both in handling younger patients, and in coordinating care with their parents, teachers, and other care providers.
When working in schools, ABAs will have direct participation in evaluating special needs students and helping to develop Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to cover their requirements in and out of class.
One exception to the LBA/LABA licensing requirement in the state, however, is for individuals working as learning behavior specialists or school support personnel with an endorsement from the State Board of Education or particular school districts.
When they are not hired directly by school districts, ABAs usually work for private contractors or other healthcare organizations. All these activities are likely to continue at the same pace of even expand, but licensing here is fuzzier. According to ILABA, enrolled Behavior Intervention Services providers with IDHS at Level 1 or Level 2 will not require licensing. But every ABA and assistant who describes themself as an LBA or LABA will have to get a license in order to keep practicing even in their current positions.
Professional Resources for ABAs in Illinois
The Illinois Association for Behavior Analysis (ILABA) is the professional association in the state representing behavior analysts and provides job listings for members only. ILABA is the Illinois chapter of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). Membership costs $60 per year. Members have access to professional magazine subscriptions, the ability to attend an annual conference, and input on organization activities.
ILABA was instrumental in getting the legislation passed to bring licensing requirements to life in Illinois, and the organization remains one of the best resources for keeping up with the rigors of implementation. ILABA members have been helping define ABA roles and practices to ensure that the legislation will allow appropriate insurance billing for behavior analysis services. The organization is also a terrific clearinghouse for exploring all the details and requirements for the new licenses.