Introduction to the Special Issue on Public Policy Advocacy in Behavior Analysis: Chronicles from Behavior Analysts to Guide Future Public Policy Advocacy Action
Behavior analysts who keep meeting lawmakers turn data into dollars and licenses.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The editors asked behavior analysts around the world to tell their own stories.
Each story explained how they talked to lawmakers and changed rules.
The collection shows wins on licensure, insurance funding, and growing service slots.
What they found
Every country used the same simple steps: meet the legislator, share data, bring families.
After these visits, states and nations passed new ABA laws or added insurance codes.
Service capacity grew because the new laws let more BCBAs get paid.
How this fits with other research
Bourland et al. (2025) extend these tales by warning that passing a law is only round one.
They say you must keep lobbying or sunset clauses can erase the win the next year.
Malott (2004) is the 2004 roadmap that predicted these global wins if pioneers stayed active.
The 2025 stories act like a 21-year follow-up showing the roadmap worked.
Why it matters
You can copy the exact steps: schedule one coffee meeting, bring a parent and a graph, leave a one-page sheet.
Do this every quarter to protect and grow your state’s ABA rules.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Behavior analysts continually assess the needs of clients and the community at large. Some behavior analysts have educated themselves and become public policy advocates at the local, state, national, and international levels. Across the world, behavior analysts are meeting with legislators to educate them on behavior analytic solutions to societal problems, including but certainly not limited to why people need behavior analytic services. Incorporating a behavior analytic perspective into policies supports best practices in many areas and creates a more humane, positively reinforcing environment for all. Papers published in this special issue of Behavior Analysis in Practice on public policy advocacy demonstrate how such work has positively affected society across the globe. Such work has involved credentialing and regulation of behavior analysts, funding for ABA services, and increasing service capacity. Authors discuss their public policy advocacy efforts, share lessons learned, and discuss implications for future efforts. Many behavior analysts may be unaware of the importance of being involved in public policy and advocacy and how they can make a difference for the benefit of society. Behavior analysts are urged to learn from the work described and adapt and apply it in their community.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2025 · doi:10.1007/s40617-025-01049-w