Starting Early, Strengthening Diversity (1.5 CEU’s)

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) demographic data reports that approximately 40% of the certificates are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) individuals. The BACB has added items to support equitable supervision practices which will come into effect in 2025 under the 6th edition task list. One of the new task list items specifies that supervisors are required to identify and implement methods that promote equity in supervision practices. BIPOC individuals are especially at risk of being affected by inequitable supervision practices given much of the behavior analytic leadership is White and may not have previously had training on appropriate strategies that will reduce these inequities for BIPOC supervisees. The mission of BABA is to create a safe community to support, encourage and uplift Black professionals in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. Since BABA’s inception, our focus has been to shed light on the inequities that have marginalized our community for far too long while creating opportunities for growth, advancement, and leadership for clinicians of color. It is vital that the responsibility of cultural responsiveness is shared by the field of ABA in its entirety. Thus, the purpose of this presentation will be to discuss how current supervisor practices could contribute to inequities, identify common barriers in supervisor practices, and provide some examples of solutions which could promote equitable supervision practices.

Jagmeet Sangha M.A., BCBA