Pa. Code 5240.71

Staff qualifications for individual services

This section establishes minimum staff qualifications for individuals providing individual services under Pennsylvania's behavior consultation, mobile therapy, and behavioral health technician (BHT) service programs, which are part of the state's ABA/behavioral health services framework for children and youth. Staff must hold specified licenses, certifications, or degrees depending on the service type delivered, with additional requirements for those serving children diagnosed with ASD. Operators must ensure all staff meet the applicable credential thresholds before providing covered services.

55 Pa. Code § 5240.71 - Staff qualifications for individual services 

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(a)
 Except as set forth in subsection (b),
 individuals who provide individual services through behavior consultation
 services must meet one of the following:
(1)

 Be licensed in this Commonwealth as a behavior specialist.

(2)
 Have a certification as a BCBA or other
 graduate-level certification in behavior analysis that is accredited by the
 National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the American National Standards
 Institute.

(3)
 Have a graduate
 degree in ABA from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized
 by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher
 Education Accreditation or have an equivalent degree from a foreign college or
 university that has been evaluated by the Association of International
 Credential Evaluators, Inc. or the National Association of Credential
 Evaluation Services. The Department will accept a general equivalency report
 from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a foreign degree or its
 equivalency.

(4)
 Have a minimum of
 1 year of full-time experience in providing mental health direct services to
 children, youth or young adults and a graduate degree in psychology, social
 work, education, or counseling from a college or university accredited by an
 agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council
 for Higher Education Accreditation or an equivalent degree from a foreign
 college or university that has been evaluated by the Association of
 International Credential Evaluators, Inc. or the National Association of
 Credential Evaluation Services. The Department will accept a general
 equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a foreign
 degree or its equivalency.

(5)

 Completed a clinical or mental health direct service practicum and have a
 graduate degree in psychology, social work, education, counseling or a related
 field from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the
 United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education
 Accreditation or have an equivalent degree from a foreign college or university
 that has been evaluated by the Association of International Credential
 Evaluators, Inc. or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.
 The Department will accept a general equivalency report from the listed
 evaluator agencies to verify a foreign degree or its equivalency.

(b)
 Individuals who provide
 behavior consultation services to children diagnosed with ASD for the treatment
 of ASD shall be licensed in this Commonwealth as a psychologist, professional
 counselor, marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, social
 worker, behavior specialist, certified registered nurse practitioner or a
 professional with a scope of practice that includes overseeing the provision of
 ABA services.

(c)
 Individuals who
 provide individual services through mobile therapy services shall meet one of
 the following:
(1)
 Be licensed in this
 Commonwealth as a psychologist, professional counselor, marriage and family
 therapist or clinical social worker.

(2)
 Be licensed in this Commonwealth as a
 social worker or a behavior specialist and have a graduate degree that required
 a clinical or mental health direct service practicum from a college or
 university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department
 of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or have an
 equivalent degree from a foreign college or university that has been evaluated
 by the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. or the National
 Association of Credential Evaluation Services. The Department will accept a
 general equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a
 foreign degree or its equivalency.

(3)
 Have a minimum of 1 year of full-time
 experience in providing mental health direct services to children, youth or
 young adults and a graduate degree with at least nine credits specific to
 clinical practice in psychology, social work or counseling from a college or
 university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department
 of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or an equivalent
 degree from a foreign college or university that has been evaluated by the
 Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. or the National
 Association of Credential Evaluation Services. The Department will accept a
 general equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a
 foreign degree or its equivalency.

(4)
 Completed a clinical or mental health
 direct service practicum and have a graduate degree with a least nine credits
 specific to clinical practice in psychology, social work, education, counseling
 or a related field from a college or university accredited by an agency
 recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for
 Higher Education Accreditation or have an equivalent degree from a foreign
 college or university that has been evaluated by the Association of
 International Credential Evaluators, Inc. or the National Association of
 Credential Evaluation Services. The Department will accept a general
 equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a foreign
 degree or its equivalency.

(d)
 By January 1, 2021, individuals who
 provide individual services through BHT services shall meet one of the
 following: 
(1)
 Have a certification as a
 BCaBA.

(2)
 Have a certification as
 an RBT.

(3)
 Have a certification as
 a BCAT.

(4)
 Have a behavior health
 certification or behavior analysis certification from an organization that is
 accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the American
 National Standards Institute.

(5)

 Have a high school diploma or the equivalent of a high school diploma and have
 completed a 40-hour training covering the RBT Task List as evidenced by a
 certification that includes the name of the responsible trainer, who is
 certified as a BCBA or BCaBA.

(6)

 Have a minimum of 2 years of experience in the provision of behavioral health
 services.

Notes

55

 Pa. Code §
 
5240.71

This section cited in 55 Pa. Code §
 
5240.72
 (relating to supervision
 of staff who provide individual services); 55 Pa. Code §
 
5240.91
 (relating to staff
 requirements and qualifications for group services); and 55 Pa. Code §
 
5240.93
 (relating to training
 requirements for staff who provide group
 services).

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