Look the person up in the BACB's free public registry. It shows whether a BCBA, BCaBA or RBT certification is active and whether there are disciplinary actions. For an RBT, it also shows who supervises them. Ask the agency for the BCBA's name and certification number, and ask for ID at your door.
Step by step
- Ask the agency for the full names and certification numbers of the BCBA and the RBT.
- Look them up in the BACB registry (bacb.com/verify-certification). It is free, updated daily, and shows whether a certification is active and any disciplinary actions.
- For an RBT, the registry shows who supervises them. If no supervisor is on record, or the RBT is inactive, red text says they may not practice.
- At the first session, ask for ID and check the name.
- A clean record is not the whole story: an investigation in progress may not be public yet (Telemundo, 2025).
BCBA and RBT: who does what?
The BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) designs the plan and supervises. The RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) is a paraprofessional who spends the most time with your child carrying out that plan, always under close supervision by a BCBA or BCaBA (assistant analyst) who is responsible for their work.
Under the BACB's RBT Handbook (October 2026), supervision covers at least 5% of the RBT's service hours each month, with at least two real-time contacts, not by phone or email; in at least one, the supervisor watches the RBT providing services.
What background checks are required?
The BACB requires every RBT to pass a criminal background check and an abuse registry check before certification. The BACB does not require fingerprints, but states and agencies may. Ask which checks the person passed, and when.
Why check?
In May 2025, a Noticias Telemundo investigation reported that the BACB had revoked or suspended at least 800 RBT certifications in five years, and that some RBTs did not know their supervisors.
Where do I report a problem?
- Suspected abuse: Florida Abuse Hotline (DCF), 1-800-962-2873, 24 hours. In immediate danger, call 911.
- Suspected Medicaid fraud, such as overbilling: AHCA's Office of Medicaid Program Integrity, 1-888-419-3456, or its online form.
- A BCBA's or RBT's conduct: report it to the BACB, which can suspend or revoke certifications.
- Problems with services: your Medicaid plan's Member Services.
Paramount Behavior
Paramount Behavior provides ABA at home and at school in Palm Beach County, in English and Spanish. Call us at (561) 421-0047 and ask us all of this. You can also print our checklist, Questions to ask any ABA provider, from the Tools section of our site.
What if I can't find the therapist in the registry?
Ask the agency for the certification number and the exact name used to certify, and search again. If the person still does not appear, or shows as inactive, they should not work as an RBT; ask for someone else and tell your plan.
Can an RBT work without a supervisor?
No. The BACB says that if an RBT has no qualified supervisor, they may not practice and their certification is considered inactive.
Can the RBT change my child's plan?
The RBT carries out the plan, and the BACB says the RBT's activities are set by their supervisor. If you want changes, ask the BCBA.
General information, not legal advice. If you think a child is in immediate danger, call 911; if you suspect abuse, call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873.
Sources
- Verify Certification. Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), accessed October 30, 2026.
- Registered Behavior Technician Handbook (updated October 2026). Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), accessed October 30, 2026.
- Office of Medicaid Program Integrity. Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), accessed October 30, 2026.
- Florida Abuse Hotline. Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), accessed October 30, 2026.
- ¿Tiene un familiar con autismo? Expertos indican cómo escoger un terapeuta de conducta o RBT capacitado. Noticias Telemundo (published 2025-05-29), accessed October 30, 2026.