Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis in Montana | Online ABA Graduate Degree Programs in MT

The year 2017 was a monumental one for the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in Montana. In was then that the Montana Legislature enacted Senate Bill 193, which created the licensure and regulation of behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts.

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Earning a Master’s Degree and BCBA® Certification

Earning BCBA® certification requires completing a set of steps that include: (1) earning a master’s degree or higher and completing specific coursework in behavior analysis; (2) completing a period of supervised fieldwork; and (3) passing the BCBA® exam.

Education Requirements

The minimum educational requirement for the BCBA® certification is a master’s degree in behavior analysis or in a similar field such as education or psychology. The most streamlined path to certification is through the completion of 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 program.

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Experience Requirements

The next step to BCBA® certification requires the completion of between 1,500 and 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork (the total number of hours required will depend on the level of supervision you receive during this time).

You’ll be able to begin accruing these hours as soon as you begin taking graduate-level courses in behavior analysis. If you choose to complete an ABAI- or APBA-accredited program, you’ll likely satisfy most or all of the required hours through your embedded practicum. Your program director will be a good source of assistance when it comes time to finding and securing an approved supervisor and field site where you’ll earn the required hours.

Just some of the ABA providers in Montana where you may complete this required period of training include:

Exceptional Family Connections, Bozeman
Full Circle Autism and Developmental Services, Missoula
Pediatric Therapy Clinic, Inc., Billings
Special Learning 1-ON-1 LLC, Bozeman
STEP, Inc., Billings
Child Development Center, Missoula

Exam Requirements

Once you’ve met all educational and experience requirements, you’ll need to apply to the BACB. Once your application is approved, the BACB will provide you with instructions for registering for the BCBA® exam through Pearson VUE. There are Pearson VUE testing centers located throughout the U.S., including the following sites in Montana:

Helena
Bozeman
Billings
Butte
Missoula

Click here for step-by-step instructions on the BCBA® credentialing process.

Montana Insurance Reform Helping Children with Autism Receive Necessary Services

Children with autism under the state’s Medicaid program no longer need to win the lottery to receive the care they need. This is good news for children with autism, their families, and the applied behavior analysts who treat them.

Although Montana began this Medicaid program for these children back in 2009, it was limited to just 55 children statewide; therefore, only the lucky ones received intensive services. But in 2015, the Legislature authorized the state to provide autism-related services to all eligible children.

The change in Medicaid law was undoubtedly brought about by the successes achieved since 2009. Independent researchers studied the program and found that 65 percent of children in the program were able to transition to regular public school classrooms instead of special education.

In 2013, the estimated lifetime cost of one individual with autism spectrum disorder was $3.2 million. Millions of dollars in future savings could be realized if children could function well in regular classrooms—a huge payoff from an initial Medicaid investment of $45,000 per year in preschool services.

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services estimates that as many as 1,200 children may be eligible. Of those, about 30 percent will seek services over the next two years.

Montana’s Medicaid program joins Senate Bill 234 – better known as Brandon’s Bill—, which requires insurance companies to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies of up to $50,000 annually for a child with autism 8 years of age and younger and $20,000 annually for a child between the ages of 9 and 18.

Expanding ABA Services to Meet a Growing Need in Montana

There is a flurry of recent activity in Montana as ABA providers focus their efforts on increasing services for the state’s children and adults with autism and other developmental disorders.

Just some of the ABA providers in Montana making a difference include:

Ascent Behavioral Analysis: Helena

Ascent Behavioral Analysis is a provider of ABA services to children with ASD and other developmental disabilities. They design individual programs that focus on a child’s strength and skills deficits. Programs address a variety of skills, including academic skills, daily living skills, social skills, developmental skills, and communication skills. The interventionists at Ascent work with children in two-to-five-hour sessions, depending on the location and the program goals. In addition to comprehensive programming for children, they also offer support and training for parents and families.

Pediatric Therapy Clinic: Billings, Bozeman

Pediatric Therapy Clinic, which operates an expanded clinic in Billings, along with satellite clinics in Bozeman and Butte, offers a variety of services, including ABA, speech, occupational, and physical therapy. They were one of the first clinics in Montana to offer ABA therapy. Their expanded services include clinic-, home-, and school-based ABA therapy that’s delivered by their staff of nine BCBAs and three BCaBAs.

Big Sky Therapeutic Services: Great Falls

Big Sky Therapeutic Services provides individualized and intensive ABA and behavioral health services in the home, in school, and throughout the community. They regularly work with other agencies to provide comprehensive services to patients throughout northcentral Montana. This growing practice includes 15 staff members with more than 70 years of combined experience.

Improving Educational Programs in Montana’s Rural Schools

The Montana Autism Education Project (MAEP) addresses the needs for schools to increase training and support to implement evidence-base practices for students with autism, particularly in rural areas and Indian reservations. They offer free autism training programs and consultations with public schools throughout Montana. Their efforts include providing schools with video training, on-site assistance, and peer-to-peer collaboration.

Part of the OPI Special Education Professional Development Unit, MAEP was created in 2010 to address a growing need to provide students with autism spectrum disorder with appropriate support and guidance.

MAEP provides services to any student with a current IEP, as well as services aimed at ASD, ABA, and related topics.