Q 1. What is the value for becoming a credentialed professional?
- FTF’s credentialing provides professionals with an opportunity to verify their experiences with respect to the PFA and SBT process and receive recognition for their training, implementation experience, and supervision.
As a credentialed professional, you will:
- Receive independent verification of training and experience (consistent with requirements of Code 1.05; Behavior Analyst Certification Board®, 2020);
- Obtain a certificate and wallet card, and confirmation letter signed by Dr. Gregory Hanley recognizing the achievement of the certificate.
- Be featured on the FTF Credential Directory which will allow potential clients to connect with you.
- Be invited to FTF’s Big Ideas and New Discoveries, an advanced topics interactive seminar organized exclusively for credentialed professionals
Q2. Why should I certify professionals within my organization?
- Grow with confidence by ensuring the integrity of PFA and SBT implementation within your organization through expert evaluation (i.e., document review, direct observation) consistent with FTF’s credentialing process requirements
- Ensure recognition of expertise within your organization
- Enhance credibility and prestige
- Obtain and retain stakeholder interest
- Increase consumer confidence and influence within your community
- Improve the services you provide while safeguarding the individuals you serve
- Promote and maintain continued education and professional development
Q3. If I am implementing or providing supervision on PFA and SBT, do I need to stop until I am credentialed? Do I have to be credentialed to implement the PFA and SBT process?
- No, you do not need credentials to implement PFA and SBT. You do need credentialing to provide supervision to those implementing the process. Anyone can do and can continue to do PFA and SBT without credentialing, and we respect the implementer’s capability to discern what is within their scope of competence. The voluntary credentialing program is offered via FTF to serve a growing international demand for training, implementation support, and supervision regarding the PFA and SBT process. By providing professionals with an opportunity to verify their competency-based experiences and featuring them in FTF’s Credential Directory, FTF can help increase consumer confidence in a given professional competence (i.e., Education, Application, Implementation, Advanced Education, Supervision) and connect professionals and supervisors with potential clients and supervisees, globally.
Q4. Do I have to receive supervision from an FTF consultant?
- No, you are not required to receive supervision from an FTF consultant to implement PFA and SBT. Anyone can do and can continue to do PFA and SBT without credentialing, and we respect the implementer’s capability to discern what is within their scope of competence. FTF’s credentialing program allows those who have completed competency-based supervisory training via FTF to be recognized for their experience and featured on the FTF Credentialing Directory, allowing potential clients and supervisees to connect with them.
Q 5. I attended a two-day live workshop before January 1, 2019, may I still apply for credentialing?
- The purpose of FTF’s credentialing in PFA and SBT of severe problem behavior is to acknowledge the importance of continued training in the process even as its elements are refined. Therefore, only workshops, live trainings and courses delivered on, or after, January 1, 2019, will be accepted.
Q6. Can I apply to level up more than once per year?
- As you acquire new skills and meet new eligibility requirements with respect to credentialing in PFA and SBT, we strongly encourage leveling up.
Q7. How do I get started?
- First, review the requirements to ensure that you meet the eligibility qualifications for the level for which you are applying. Then, complete an application. Please ensure all requested fields and documentation are thoroughly completed in a single submission to ensure the quickest processing time. You may find the application form here.
Q8. Do I need master’s degree to apply?
- No, you do not need a master’s degree to apply for credentialing.
Q9. Do I need to be a BCBA to apply?
- No; however, levels 6 and 7 require an independent practitioner’s credential such as BCBA, SLP, Licensed Special Ed Teacher, or LCSW/LMSW.
Q10. I’m new to the PFA/SBT process, can I still apply?
- If you are new to the process, we recommend enrolling in the 10-hr on-demand course to complete your Level 1 requirement in the eligibility chart. Please find the 10 hour on-demand course: Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment here.
Q11. Do you accept international applicants? Is the credentialing program International?
- Yes, FTF accepts applications from professionals regardless of residence. In other words, it’s an international credentialing system.
Q12: Why are FTF’s Big Ideas and New Discoveries events for credentialed professionals only?
- The series of events will include advanced topics and interactive seminars for which it would be first necessary for a professional to have received up-to-date education and training with respect to the PFA-SBT process (i.e., completion of an updated [2019, or later] PFA-SBT course/workshop). FTF’s credentialing process verifies the completion of necessary prerequisites.
Q13. Where can I find a verification letter template to submit with my application?
- Please download a copy of the template for verification of implementation credentials:
Q14. How do I update my information on the Credentialing Directory?
- Please use this form to submit a request to update your information on FTF’s Credentialing Directory. Please allow 2 -3 weeks for processing time.
