The state of Maryland began licensing applied behavior analysts (ABAs) in 2015 after the state legislature passed a law in 2014 adding the profession to the purview of the existing Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. As part of the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the board also acts as the licensing authority for related professions such as professional counselors and licensed marriage therapists.
The legislature cited three major reasons for establishing licensing requirements for ABAs in Maryland:
- Consumer protection
- Provider protections
- Recognition of the discipline for professional and billing purposes
The only specific requirements outlined by the Board’s Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee for licensure are:
- Have a current certification (BCBA® or BCBA®-D) issued by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) or a successor organization
- Have received a master’s degree or higher from a behavior analysis program accredited by the BACB or a successor organization
Additionally, applicants have to pass a criminal background check. Otherwise, pretty much all the boxes are checked by earning your BCBA® certification.
Maryland does not currently offer licenses to assistant applied behavior analysts.
Steps To Becoming a Licensed ABA in Maryland
Step 1. Earn at Least a Master’s Degree in Behavior Analysis
The base requirement for ABA licensure in Maryland is certification through the BACB. There are two certification options to choose from based on the degree you earn, both of which grant the exact same level of practice privileges:
- BCBA® (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) (for master’s-prepared ABAs)
- BCBA®-D (Board Certified Behavior Analyst – Doctorate)
Note: The BCBA®-D is only available after first earning the BCBA® and then going on to demonstrate additional requirements for the doctoral-level credential.
One of the most explicit qualifications established by Title 17 is the requirement that license applicants possess a master’s degree or higher from a behavior analysis program approved by the BACB.
The BACB recognizes all online and campus-based master’s and doctorate programs in behavior analysis or in related fields with a focus or minor concentration in behavior analysis that have been accredited by the Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) or Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) as including the curriculum required to take national certification exams.
Additionally, degrees in psychology and education that include the approved Course Content Allocation or programs otherwise fitting into the ABAI recognized program list would also meet certification requirements.
Programs that are not ABAI accredited or that don’t have an attestation from a Verified Course Sequence Coordinator must be evaluated by BACB and found to meet Course Content Allocation requirements. As ABAI phases out the VCS system in 2025, however, this path will be going away and all accepted coursework will have to be by attestation or accreditation.
Many students today opt for ABAI-accredited online master’s programs. Online degree programs allow you to choose from a greater variety of options. The flexibility of online courses also makes earning a graduate degree easier for students who are still working and unable to attend classes during the day.
Step 2. Complete a Period of Supervised Practice
Supervised experience completed as part of your graduate program, as an independent post-graduate field experience such as an internship, or a combination of the two is required before you would be allowed to take the BACB exam and obtain the national certification (BCBA® or BCBA®-D) required to become licensed in Maryland.
Total experience requirements must align exactly with these standards or found to be equivalent:
- 1500 hours of concentrated supervised fieldwork
OR
- 2000 hours of supervised fieldwork
Supervised fieldwork is earned in real-world treatment environments, such as in a working clinic or practice, where you may conduct assessments, design behavior analysis programs, or oversee implementation of such programs while under the supervision of a licensed ABA.
The difference between regular and concentrated fieldwork is simply the degree of supervision you receive from that ABA. A concentrated program includes six contacts per month, with 10 percent of your hours supervised. Normal fieldwork requires only 5 percent of hours and four contacts. You’re free to combine the two types, however, for a total somewhere over 1500 but less than the full 2000.
A current BCBA®-holder must provide the supervision and evaluation for each of these categories. The supervisor will both attest to the completion of the required hours and evaluate your performance in a number of different aspects of care, including:
- Timeliness
- Professionalism
- Self-analysis
- Sensitivity to non-behavioral professionals
- Skills-acquisition
Step 3. Pass the BCBA® Certification Exam
After attaining your master’s degree and fulfilling all the necessary experience requirements, you will be eligible to take the National Behavior Analyst Exam from the BACB as the final step to becoming nationally certified and licensed in Maryland.
The exam is administered by Pearson VUE and offered in exam centers around the nation. There are three sites available for test-takers in Maryland:
- Baltimore
- Bethesda
- Columbia
Considering the lay of the land here, however, you may find a site in Delaware, Virginia, or even DC more convenient. There are no restrictions on where you take the exam.
To take the test, you must first register online with the BACB. You will have to provide the necessary paperwork to verify that you have completed the educational and experience requirements for the BCBA® before you will be allowed to take the exam.
The exam is a 175 question, multiple-choice test covering:
- 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
You can expect to draw on your field training, your college coursework, and the official BCBA® task list for the answers. You’ll have four hours to complete the exam.
Step 4. Apply for Licensure with the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists
The official license application form can be downloaded from the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists website here.
Like many states, Maryland requires that you submit to a criminal background check before you can be licensed. Somewhat unusually, you will have to submit this background check prior to submitting your LBA application.
Application processing can take between 60 and 90 days to complete. The application fee is $200; if your application is accepted, you will also have to pay an additional $200 licensing fee.
You will have to include verification of your current BCBA® certification as well as official transcripts from your qualifying master’s degree program.
To vouch for your character, you will have to provide at least three professional references. These may include:
- Employers
- Supervisors
- Colleagues with a professional license or certification
At least one reference should be a current BCBA®.
You are also required to submit to a criminal background check, but this step will not be taken unless your application is accepted. The board will send you the required forms for the records check after reviewing your application.
Currently, Maryland does not have any provision for the issuance of temporary or reciprocal licenses for ABAs who have already acquired a license in another jurisdiction. However, proof of any out-of-state credentials held should be submitted with your license application and will be taken into account by the board when evaluating your qualifications.
License Renewal for Behavior Analysts in Maryland
Renewals for LBA licenses are due every two years in Maryland, at a total cost of $301. You can file online, due by January 31. The Board estimates that processing can take between five and ten days, so it doesn’t pay to cut it too close when filing your paperwork.
That paperwork will include documentation of your completed continuing education hours. The Board requires that you complete 40 hours of continuing education over each 2-year period. If you have held your license for less than two years, 20 credits are accepted instead.
CE must be provided by approved sponsors in one of two different categories:
- Category A: Formally organized continuing education sessions such as courses and presentations
- Category B: Informal education opportunities, such as conference seminars, lectures, or in-house colloquia
No more than 10 CEUs can be counted from Category B in each biennium, while the remainder bust come from Category A. It is possible to carry over excess CEUs to the next renewal period, however.
The Board generally approves providers individually, but an exception is made for certain well-established professional providers such as universities and national professional organizations like ABAI or their state affiliates.
In Maryland, that state affiliate is MABA, the Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis. MABA’s mission is to serve as a professional reference group for Maryland behavior analysts and includes researchers, faculty, practitioners, and psychologists from all around the Mid-Atlantic region today. It’s a prime source for keeping track of updates to Maryland ABA licensing and billing rules.