What Does a Day at Work Look Like for A BlueSprig BCBA?
BlueSprig is on a mission to change the world for children with autism, and it all starts at the heart of our company: our team members. It is important that we provide an environment where we are helping clients while supporting our team along the way. We provide our employees with career advancement, free internal continuing education units (CEUs) and continuous learning opportunities through our award-winning training program! We also emphasize the importance of work-life balance in our centers by encouraging the use of generous PTO benefits, volunteer PTO days, motivating staff to prioritize health and self-care, manageable caseloads with a consistent emphasis on clinical quality and employee support, break time, and encouraging staff to make time for their loved ones. With all of those things in mind, let’s take a walk through a day in the life of a BlueSprig BCBA!
Initial and Ongoing Learning at BlueSprig
As a BCBA at BlueSprig, there are many opportunities for learning and growth, both professionally and personally. Upon onboarding, BCBAs will learn about time management, how to onboard clients, and participate in a 4-week course to ensure they feel prepared and confident with their transition into their role. This 4-week new hire training uses a blended approach to learning and includes formal, social, and self-directed learning via e-learning, in-person training, webinar training, and hands-on practice. The development continues within their center for 3 to 6 months following an individualized training plan.
We also provide over 100 CEUs for BCBAs and BCaBAs! This allows our staff to gain knowledge from industry professionals while also learning through experience and mentorships from other local and national BlueSprig BCBAs before they embark on their first day in the life of a BCBA.
Day-to-day Tasks
There are a variety of different responsibilities that a BCBA participates in as part of a day in the life. These tasks range from creating treatment plans, working with families to set goals for their clients, supporting and training families to be an active part of their child’s treatment, and observing Behavioral Technicians (BTs) and Registered Behavioral Technicians (RBTs) while they work one-on-one with clients.
Assessments
Once a client has received an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, the caregiver of the client and BCBA will work together to begin the on-boarding process.
- The BCBA will conduct a resource evaluation. This evaluation is a list of questions that use the words “sometimes” and “never” to determine how often certain behaviors and skills occur for a client.
- After completing the resource evaluation, the BCBA will move forward by overseeing a direct assessment. During this process, the BCBA is observing a client while he/she participates in daily activities such as using the bathroom, eating lunch, playing with toys, and engaging with other clients.
- Once finishing the resource evaluation and the direct assessment, the BCBA moves on to an indirect assessment. The BCBA will interview the client’s parents about different behaviors that they have experienced at home. Instead of observing certain behaviors, they can speak with the family about their personal experiences with the child and receive feedback on which skills the child should work on during their time at BlueSprig.
Personalized Treatment Plans and Setting Goals
After completing the assessments, the BCBA will work closely with the client’s family to determine the best treatment plan. They customize each treatment plan to the client’s needs and used to achieve behavioral goals throughout their ABA therapy journey.
Some goals may be: decreasing the number of tantrums thrown a day, implementing coping mechanisms that a client can use when feeling anxious or upset, and increasing verbal skills to help the client communicate more efficiently with peers. These goals will be assessed during each session with the BCBA or the RBT assigned to the client.
Supervising BTs and RBTs
A large part of being a BCBA is overseeing the responsibilities of BTs and RBTs. Each BT and RBT must have supervision at a minimum of 5% of the time. Depending on how much a BCBA works, observing time could equal up to 2 hours each week. BTs must go through a robust training program to become an RBT, including structured training, curriculum developed and implemented by our Learning and Performance Development department, and cohort training to maximize BCBAs’ time and RBT success. During this process, the BCBA will be checking in to make sure that their training is going well and to support them while they learn more about how to best assist their clients through ABA therapy services.
Clinical Support
Becoming a part of the BlueSprig family means that there will be clinical support around every corner. “What makes BlueSprig stand out from other ABA providers is the amount of support I receive from my team on a daily basis,” said Rebecca Salinas, BCBA at BlueSprig. “All leadership is on a mission to change the world for children with autism, and because of this, they are dedicated to helping me with whatever I need.”
Every month, our BCBAs meet with their Center Director to discuss new clients, how to better assist current clients, and what help they may need. Being a BCBA at BlueSprig means that you will never be alone. We focus on creating an environment where BCBAs feel supported in asking questions, no matter the obstacle.
Where to Learn More
Now that you have seen what a day in the life of a BlueSprig BCBA looks like, if you are interested in starting your journey into the field of ABA or wanting to become a BCBA at BlueSprig, learn more by visiting our BCBA page. We continuously offer resources, news, and information about career opportunities. ABA is a steadily growing field, and BlueSprig would love to start you on your new career path!