These answers draw in part from “Ethical Implications to an Interdisciplinary Approach to Service Delivery” by Stephanie Nostin, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCBA, LABA (BehaviorLive), and extend it with peer-reviewed research from our library of 27,900+ ABA research articles. Clinical framing, BACB ethics code references, and cross-links below are synthesized by Behaviorist Book Club.
View the original presentation →Code 2.10 (Collaborating with Colleagues) requires behavior analysts to collaborate with other professionals when it serves the client's best interest. This includes sharing relevant information, coordinating treatment goals, and respecting other professionals' expertise and scope of practice. Code 2.05 supports clients' rights to effective, coordinated treatment. Code 1.06 requires practitioners to stay within their competence boundaries, which means recognizing when another discipline's expertise is needed rather than attempting to address all client needs independently.
Start by seeking to understand the other professional's reasoning. What data or clinical rationale supports their recommendation? Often, apparent conflicts dissolve when both parties understand each other's framework. When genuine disagreements remain, propose a data-driven approach: implement a time-limited trial of the approach most supported by evidence for this specific client, collect objective outcome data, and reconvene to evaluate results. Keep the focus on client outcomes rather than disciplinary superiority. If you cannot resolve the conflict, involve the family in the decision-making process with transparent presentation of both perspectives.
Share information directly relevant to coordinated care: treatment goals, current intervention approaches, recent progress data, behavioral patterns observed during sessions, and any changes in the client's presentation. Ensure appropriate releases of information are signed before sharing any protected health information. Do not share information beyond what is necessary for coordination purposes. Code 2.06 requires maintaining confidentiality and sharing only what is needed. Use secure communication channels and avoid discussing client details in public or semi-public settings.
You do not need to become an expert in speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, or any other discipline. You do need a working understanding of their general scope, common assessment tools, and intervention approaches, enough to communicate effectively and recognize when their expertise is relevant. For example, understanding that an SLP's pragmatic language assessment evaluates different aspects of communication than a VB-MAPP helps you identify complementary information. Continuing education courses on interdisciplinary topics and direct conversation with colleagues from other disciplines are efficient ways to build this knowledge.
The most common barriers include scheduling constraints that prevent joint meetings, lack of organizational support or allocated coordination time, different terminology across disciplines that creates communication difficulties, historical tension between ABA and other fields, unfamiliarity with other disciplines' methods and perspectives, insurance structures that do not reimburse coordination activities, and individual practitioners who view their discipline's approach as inherently superior. Most of these barriers are addressable with intentional effort at both individual and organizational levels.
Scope of practice boundaries define what you are qualified to assess, recommend, and implement. When you observe a need outside your scope, communicate the observation to the appropriate professional rather than attempting to address it yourself. For example, if you notice motor difficulties affecting a client's ability to complete tasks, share this observation with the OT rather than designing a motor intervention. Simultaneously, welcome input from other disciplines about behavioral observations they make during their sessions. The boundary is between making recommendations within your competence and recognizing when referral or consultation is needed.
Yes, with appropriate family consent. Cross-disciplinary observation is one of the most effective ways to build mutual understanding and identify coordination opportunities. Watching how a client responds to ABA instruction provides the SLP or OT with context they cannot get from reports alone. Similarly, observing speech therapy or OT sessions gives you clinical information that improves your treatment planning. Establish ground rules about observation roles to prevent in-session conflict, and schedule a debrief to discuss observations afterward.
Translate behavioral terminology into accessible language without losing precision. Instead of saying the behavior is maintained by negative reinforcement in the form of escape from demand, say the data show that he engages in this behavior primarily to get out of difficult tasks, and it works consistently, which is why it continues. Provide concrete examples from the client's experience rather than abstract definitions. Avoid jargon-heavy explanations that may come across as lecturing. Ask other professionals to explain their concepts to you in return, creating a reciprocal learning environment.
Families should be active participants in coordination, not passive recipients of professional decisions. They bring irreplaceable knowledge about how their child functions across all environments and can identify contradictions between providers' approaches that professionals miss. Include families in team meetings, share coordination plans with them, and ensure their priorities guide the collaborative process. Families should not, however, be expected to serve as the primary communication channel between providers. Direct professional-to-professional contact is essential.
This happens frequently, often because families trust their BCBA or because other providers are less available. Respond honestly by explaining scope of practice boundaries in terms the family can understand. You might say, I can absolutely work on the behavioral aspects of mealtime, but the specific food texture progressions need to be guided by your OT or feeding therapist because that requires expertise I do not have. Offer to coordinate with the other provider to ensure consistency. If the other service is not available, help the family advocate for access rather than attempting to fill the gap yourself.
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Ethical Implications to an Interdisciplinary Approach to Service Delivery — Stephanie Nostin · 2 BACB Ethics CEUs · $20
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.