West Virginia is one of just a dozen states that does not require applied behavior analysts to hold a state license. But that doesn’t mean the state doesn’t recognized the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and the professionals who practice it.
In lieu of state licensure, a 2012 Sunrise Report, in response to an application submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Government Organization by the Board Certified Behavior Analysts of West Virginia, found that the oversight of behavior analysts by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) provided adequate protection for citizens of West Virginia.
BACB certification includes the following designations:
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®)
- Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst® (BCaBA®)
- Registered Behavior Technician® (RBT®) under supervision of the BCBA® or BCaBA®
Although not a legal requirement to practice as an applied behavior analyst in West Virginia, the BCBA® designation is required in order for services to be eligible for coverage under the state’s autism insurance reform laws. This has effectively made it a de facto requirement and a standard expectation among West Virginia employers.
All Medicaid children between the ages of 18 months and 20 years with a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder before their eighth birthday are eligible to receive ABA services.
West Virginia also requires all health insurance plans to cover ABA for autism spectrum disorder for children ages 18 months to 18 years. The maximum benefit for ABA services is $30,000 per individual for three, consecutive years from the date the treatment begins. After the third year, treatment is limited to $2,000 per month until the age of 18.
This guide details the process of earning the BCBA® designation.
Earning a Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with the Option to Earn BCBA® Certification
A master’s degree in behavior analysis or a master’s degree in psychology or education with a minor or concentration in behavior analysis has become the universally recognized minimum educational requirement for practicing as a full-authority applied behavior analyst, regardless of whether BCBA® certification is pursued.
Meeting BACB Graduate Program Requirements
To qualify for BCBA® certification, you must meet BACB educational requirements, which means earning a master’s degree or higher in a relevant field and completing specific, graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis.
Earning a degree that’s accredited by the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) or accredited/recognized by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) ensures that you’ve met the educational requirements for BCBA® certification.
You can also meet the educational requirements by earning a master’s degree or higher in a relevant field and then 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
The ABAI maintains a directory of Verified Course Sequence (VCS) programs through colleges and universities that meet the above coursework requirements. Completing a VCS is an easy way to ensure you’ve met the coursework requirements for BCBA® certification.*
But you can also complete the above courses outside of a VCS. If you chose this route, your department chair, dean, or BCBA-certified VCS Coordinator must perform a course-by-course review of your completed coursework and then complete a Non-Verified Course Content Attestation for the BACB.
*Note: The ABAI is discontinuing its VCS system on December 31, 2025. Beginning in 2026, your university must provide proof that they’ve confirmed you’ve met the BACB course requirements by performing a course-by-course review.
Practicum and Exam Requirements
To qualify for BCBA® certification, you must complete a BACB-approved fieldwork experience of between 1,500 and 2,000 hours. The total number of required hours will vary according to the level of supervision you receive.
You may either complete the required fieldwork hours as part of your ABA graduate program’s practicum or independent of your graduate program. Many institutions offering online ABA graduate programs help students locate and land a practicum at a nearby location.
Just some of the ABA providers in West Virginia where you may be able to complete your practicum/field experience include:
- Above and Beyond: ABA Therapy for Autism and More, Kenova
- Augusta Levy Learning Center, Wheeling
- Autism Services Center, Huntington
- Bright Futures Learning Services, Hurricane
- Diversified Assessment and Therapy Services, Kenova
- The West Virginia Autism Training Center, Huntington
- WHOLE Families WV, Morgantown
Once you’ve satisfied all education and experience requirements, you must take and pass the BCBA® exam, which is administered by Pearson VUE at testing sites throughout the country. You must apply through the BACB. Once the BACB has approved your application, you’ll be sent instructions regarding registering for the exam with Pearson VUE at a date, time, and location that’s convenient for you.
Pearson VUE has testing sites in Morgantown and Charleston, along with many other options in nearby PA, OH, MD, VA, and KY.
Click here for detailed step-by-step instructions on the BCBA® credentialing process.
Applied Behavior Analysts Needed to Meet a Growing Demand in West Virginia
West Virginia’s behavior analysts are answering the call for improved access to care for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders every day. New and expanded centers for ABA services are continuing to dot the landscape here, ensuring that some of the state’s most vulnerable children have access to scientifically backed ABA. Just some of the West Virginia centers staking a claim in the growing field of ABA include:
Mountain State ABA, Martinsburg
Mountain State ABA provides a host of early intervention services for children with autism spectrum disorders. Their ABA services are customized to suit each client’s needs. It was founded in 2017 in direct response to the growing need for ABA services in West Virginia. Their ABA services are focused on:
- Skills acquisition
- Challenging behaviors
- Parent and caregiver training
- Assessment and program planning
Key Learning Autism Center (Morgantown)
Key Learning Autism Center, which opened in 2019, features a unique center that was specifically designed to provide children diagnosed with autism with a variety of ABA services. The center features themed treatment rooms, a playroom, and a kitchen, and treatment rooms mirror that of a one-on-one classroom setting to allow for structured therapy. They offer center-based services for children ages 2-8, alongside half-day and full-day programs from two to five days per week.
Autism Services Center, Huntington
Autism Services Center is a nonprofit behavioral health center founded in 1979. They provide services to residents of Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, Mason, and Putnam counties. Though they specialize in autism, they also provide comprehensive, community-integrated services to all individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
They also own and operate homes throughout Huntington that are staffed 24/7 by trained employees. One of the center’s homes can accommodate up to six medically fragile individuals.
In addition to offering a wide range of services, including ABA, they offer a variety of workshops, seminars, and presentations to families, students, agencies, and schools on everything from ABA principles to parenting skills to conducting functional behavior assessments to discrete trial training.