Developing behavior analysis at the state level.

Rutter et al. (1987) tell the story of how Florida built a statewide behavior-analysis system.

They worked with state agencies, universities, and service providers.

The paper is a case study, not an experiment, so it has no outcome data.

Florida created rules that required certified behavior analysts in state programs.

University courses fed new analysts into the system.

The setup lasted, showing other states a ready-made blueprint.

Saunders et al. (2005) pick up where Florida left off. They urge the field to leave small clinic pilots and aim for public-health scale.

de la Cruz et al. (2025) show the next step: behavior analysts now lobby lawmakers for licensure and insurance funds.

McGee et al. (2019) add a warning. They say map your agency with behavioral systems analysis before you grow, something Florida did informally.

If you want ABA services in your state, copy Florida’s three levers: certification rules, university pipelines, and agency partnerships. Use McGee’s systems map first to spot bottlenecks. Then push legislators with the advocacy tactics in de la Cruz et al. (2025). You turn a demo project into durable policy.