The Road to Licensure of Behavior Analysts in Texas: History and Lessons Learned
Texas BCBAs secured licensure by building a state association, training members in policy advocacy, and forming coalitions before ever filing a bill.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The authors tell the story of how Texas behavior analysts won state licensure. They tracked every step from 2004 to 2019. The paper lists who did what, when bills failed, and which tactics finally worked.
No clients were treated. Instead, the team built a state association, trained members to speak to lawmakers, and teamed up with parent groups and other professions.
What they found
Licensure passed only after ten years of groundwork. Success came from three moves: teach BCBAs to lobby, join forces with psychologists and social workers, and wait until the legislature needed cost-neutral ideas.
The law passed in 2019 with only one opposing vote.
How this fits with other research
LaFrance et al. (2019) maps the turf lines between BCBAs, psychologists, SLPs, and OTs. de la Cruz shows Texas BCBAs avoided turf wars by inviting those same groups into the coalition early.
Sevon (2022) urges BCBAs to fight racial discipline gaps through policy. The Texas story gives a playbook: build a parent army, share data, and meet lawmakers before you need them.
Li et al. (2018) found most BCBAs feel lost when clients take psychotropic meds. Licensure in Texas opens the door for future rules that could require medication training, closing the gap Li flagged.
Why it matters
If you live in a state without licensure, copy the Texas timeline. Start a state association now. Hold free advocacy workshops each year. Track every legislator who will listen. When the moment arrives, you will have the votes and allies already in place.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
In over 30 US states since early this century, behavior analysts have worked for months and years to secure laws to license behavior analysts. At present, very few published accounts exist to document those efforts and to provide models and recommendations for behavior analysts who are interested in advocating for licensure or some form of governmental regulation of behavior analysts. Many are well-prepared in behavior analysis but have little preparation for dealing effectively with the contingencies and procedures involved in making public policies. We provide an account of the extended, complicated efforts by behavior analysts in one state that culminated in establishment of state licensure of behavior analysts. Key activities described here include foundational organizational work by a state behavior analysis organization, preliminary licensure efforts, educating behavior analysts on public policy advocacy, establishing relationships with legislators and their staff as well as government regulatory agency personnel, developing of important alliances with various stakeholders, and review of final successful efforts. Successful efforts and lessons learned are reviewed. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40617-024-01030-z.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2025 · doi:10.1007/s40617-024-01030-z