Massachusetts’ Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions (BRAMHHSP) is responsible for licensing applied behavior analysts and assistant applied behavior analysts as described in this guide.
The BRAMHHSP has adopted the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB) BCBA® (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) exam and BCaBA® (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst) exam as a requirement for the respective licenses.
By satisfying requirements to sit for the BACB exams, you can expect that minimum state licensing requirements have been met.
Follow these steps to learn more about qualifying for the certification exams and becoming licensed in Massachusetts:
 | Earn a Qualifying Graduate Degree |
 | Complete Qualifying Supervised Experience |
 | Pass the BACB’s BCBA® Examination |
 | Apply for a License with Massachusetts’ BRAMHHSP |
Step 1. Earn a Qualifying Graduate Degree
Meeting the qualifications to sit for the BCBA® exam requires you to hold a master’s degree in behavior analysis or a similar field and meet the BACB’s curriculum requirements. Earning a master’s degree from an Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA)-accredited program or a master’s or doctoral degree from an Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)-accredited or recognized behavior analysis program provides the most streamlined path to becoming a BCBA® as it meets all educational requirements necessary for certification.
But you can also meet the educational requirements for certification by earning a master’s or doctoral degree and completing the following graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis:
- BACB Ethics Code and Code-Enforcement System; Professionalism: 45 hours
- Philosophical Underpinnings; Concepts and Principles: 90 hours
- Measurement, Data Display and Interpretation; Experimental Design: 45 hours
- Behavior Assessment: 45 hours
- Behavior-Change Procedures; Selecting and Implementing Interventions: 60 hours
- Personnel Supervision and Management: 60 hours
If you are qualifying for BCBA® certification based on graduate-level coursework, you’ll need to provide proof to the BACB in one of two ways:
- Through a course-by-course review: Your department chair, dean, or BCBA-certified VCS Coordinator reviews your course materials and completes a Non-Verified Course Content Attestation.
- By completing a Verified Course Sequence (VCS): Complete the required coursework through an ABAI-Verified Course Sequence
*Note: The ABAI announced that it is ending the VCS system on December 31, 2025. Beginning in 2026, verification must occur through a course-by-course review.
Prerequisites for Master’s Programs
Master’s ABA programs may require that you hold an undergraduate degree in behavioral science or applied behavior analysis. In other instances, a BA or BS degree in one of the following majors would meet undergraduate degree requirements:
- Education
- Counseling
- Psychology
- Special education
- Social work
Examples of undergraduate course prerequisites you may encounter include:
- Research methods
- General psychology
- Applied behavior analysis
- Conditioning and learning
- Developmental psychology
Education Requirements for Assistant Applied Behavior Analysts
Similar to the applied behavior analyst license, to become an assistant in this field you must meet the requirements of the BRAMHHSP and the BACB, the latter of which sponsors the required Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA®) examination. Earning an undergraduate degree in behavior analysis, psychology, or teaching meets the BRAMHHSP’s education requirement.
Step 2. Complete Qualifying Supervised Experience
You must complete a period supervised fieldwork of between 1,500 and 2,000 hours.
Supervised Independent Fieldwork (2,000 hours) requires regular, ongoing supervision from a qualified BCBA, licensed psychologist registered in behavioral or cognitive psychology, or an ABAI-verified instructor totaling at least 5% of the total fieldwork hours.
Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork (1,500 hours) requires regular, ongoing supervision from a qualified BCBA, licensed psychologist registered in behavioral or cognitive psychology, or an ABAI-verified instructor totaling at least 10% of the total fieldwork hours.
Most students find that supervised independent fieldwork offers more flexibility, while concentrated supervised fieldwork requires more intensive supervision but can be completed in less time.
During each monthly supervision period, you’ll need to complete at least 20 hours but not more than 130 hours of fieldwork. At least 50% of the supervised hours must be individual supervision, and at least 60% of the hours must be spent engaging in unrestricted activities (those that aren’t related to implementing therapeutic procedures).
If you choose to earn an ABAI-accredited/recognized or APBA-accredited program, you will likely begin satisfying the fieldwork requirements through the program’s embedded curriculum. Your program director will help you locate and secure a practice site and qualified supervisor.
Supervision Requirements for Assistant Applied Behavior Analysts
Individuals working to become assistant applied behavior analysts must complete at least 1,300 hours of supervised fieldwork or 1,000 hours of concentrated supervised fieldwork.
Step 3. Pass the BACB’s BCBA® Examination
Once you earn the appropriate graduate degree and satisfy the fieldwork requirements, you can apply through the BACB to take the BCBA® exam.
Once the BACB has approved your application, you’ll be given notice to register and schedule your BCBA® exam through Pearson VUE, which has testing sites throughout the U.S. In Massachusetts, you can take your exam at one of the Pearson VUE testing sites located in Wellesley, Lexington, Cambridge, or Boston.
Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA®) Exam Content
This exam is taken on a computer and consists of 175 graded multiple-choice questions that cover the following concepts:
- Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations: 5%
- Concepts and Principles: 14%
- Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation: 12%
- Experimental Design: 7%
- Ethical and Professional Issues: 13%
- Behavior Assessment: 13%
- Behavior-Change Procedures: 14%
- Selecting and Implementing Interventions: 11%
- Personnel Supervision and Management: 11%
Examination Requirements for Assistant Applied Behavior Analysts
Applying for, scheduling, and taking the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA®) exam is similar to the BCBA® exam. You’re eligible to apply once you’ve completed the BACB’s education and supervised experience requirements.
Step 4. Apply for a License with Massachusetts’ BRAMHHSP
After earning BCBA® certification, you must apply for licensure as an Applied Behavior Analyst with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. As of September 2022, applications must be submitted through the new Massachustts Department fo Public Health eLicensing System. You can view video tutorials that detail how to use the system and register as a new user.
You must first complete a board-approved training course in domestic and sexual violence before you apply. This free training course can be taken online.
Before completing the online application, you’ll need to assemble the following items that will be uploaded during the application process:
- A head and shoulders photograph of yourself
- The date that you passed the BCBA® exam
- Your BCBA® certificate from the BACB
- A notarized Criminal Offender Record Information form
- Credit card to pay the $117 application fee
You must also arrange for your graduate school to email the Board your official transcript ([email protected]). If you have, or have ever held, a professional license in another jurisdiction, you must also have your previous licensing body send an official license verification to the Board.
Once your application is reviewed and approved, you’ll be required to pay the $155 license fee.
Reciprocal recognition – You can use the application above to apply for a license based on reciprocal recognition if all of the following apply:
- You are a licensed applied behavior analyst or equivalent in another state or jurisdiction
- You are of good moral character
- The requirements to work as an applied behavior analyst in your jurisdiction are similar or identical to those in Massachusetts
- You hold a current license in good standing issued by the licensing authority from your state or jurisdiction
Renewing your license – Your license expires every December 31st of odd-numbered years. You’ll receive a renewal application in the mail 90 days prior to this expiration date. To renew you must fill out this renewal application, pay a renewal fee, and complete 30 continuing education units per cycle. Continuing education should be directly related to your practice as a behavior analyst.
Licensure Requirements for Assistant Applied Behavior Analysts
License requirements mirror the applied behavior analyst application process above.
Autism Insurance Coverage in Massachusetts
The expansion of insurance coverage for individuals with autism spectrum disorder in Massachusetts has opened up countless doors for the treatment of ASD.
In 2010, ARICA (An Act Relative to Insurance Coverage for Autism) was passed, requiring private health insurers to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of ASD. There are no age limits on coverage, and the diagnosis and treatment of ASDs are not subject to any annual or lifetime dollar amount. Treatments covered under ARICA include:
- Habilitative or Rehabilitative Care: includes applied behavior analysis supervised by a BCBA®
- Pharmacy care
- Psychiatric care
- Psychological care
- Therapeutic care
Then, in 2014, the Autism Omnibus Bill was passed, expanding coverage for autism treatment under MassHealth.
ABA Centers in Massachusetts
Thanks to the passage of these bills, a growing number of ABA providers in Massachusetts now offer valuable services and resources to those with autism and other developmental disabilities. Just some of the many ABA centers throughout Massachusetts include:
Rising Above ABA, Waltham
Rising Above ABA’s mission is to provide quality and compassionate care, to achieve meaningful outcomes, and to rise above any challenge and thrive. This company provides at-home ABA therapy, school-based support to help students succeed in the classroom, and parent training and other supports to ensure the entire family successfully navigates an ASD diagnosis.
The Treetop ABA Therapy, Boston
The Treetop ABA Therapy provides individualized, developmentally appropriate, and evidenced-based services to children and their families. All children receive a functional assessment so that the team can create an appropriate care plan. They provide individualized ABA therapy in the home, provide parent and family training, and offer social skills groups. They also often partner with schools to develop effective programs based on the principles of ABA.
Beacon ABA Services, Milford
Beacon ABA Services is a private group of BCBAs, behavioral therapists, and licensed psychologists who specialize in working with very young children with developmental disabilities. Their Clinical Intervention Team includes experts who are highly trained in evidence-based interventions for children with ASD. Beacon has been working with individuals on the autism spectrum for more than 26 years.