Azaba Ethics Scenario Archive

Client Assessment & Discontinuation

Ethics Scenario Archive
1. Approaching Former Adult Client
2. Medical Marijuana
3. Pro Bono Work
4. Supervision Has Multiple Relationships with Family Receiving Services
5. Parent Training Concerns
6. Parents Not Implementing Procedures
7. Soliciting Parent Testimonials
8. Retaliation Towards Mandated Reporting
9. Family Rejecting Safety Measures
10. Parental Collaboration
11. Hostile Work Enviornment
12. Creating Protocol to Prevent and Treat Trauma with Limited Functional Language
13. Parent ABA Practice Questions in OT & Speech
14. Potential Gifts From Clients on Social Media
15. Helping Close Relationships With ABA Tips
16. Parent Utilizing CBD & THC
17. Client Pre-Authorization Denied For Much Needed Services
18. Supervisee Slaps Child in School Setting
19. Changing Direction of Treatment from Previous BCBA
20. BCBA Subpoenaed in Family Court
21. Terminate Services Due To Parent Behavior
22. Parents Offering Token Items During Check Out/Transition
23. Family Doesn’t Want Details Released To Funding Source Without Permission
24. Resources for IRB Approval for Independent Researchers
25. Speech Therapist Refusing To Do PECS
26. BCBA Receives Cease & Desist
27. Unlicensed, Certified BCBA Provide Supervision
28. Rapid Prompting Method (RPM)
29. Parent as Witness to Accident
30. Website Testimonials
31. Student Using Social Media Inappropriately
32. Hiring Behavior Analyst Trainees at a School District
33. College Recommendation Letter for Client
34. Connecting Families That Are Clients
35. Employer Requiring Same Number of ABA Hours for All New Clients from New BCaBA
36. Do we have any ethical guidelines regarding shared work spaces among two companies that provide similar ABA services in a private property?
37. Client Assessment & Discontinuation
38. Caseload Concerns
39. Naptime
40. Systemic Supervision Concern – Clients & RBTs
41. BCBA’s Performing Diagnostics
42. Self-Reporting DUI to BACB
43. Multiple Relationship with RBT
44. Refusal to Provide Documentation
45. Telehealth Supervision
46. Role of a Lead RBT
47. Urgent – Unsupervised RBT
48. Clinic Owner Requesting Services
49. Inadequate Case Supervision
50. Language Barrier to Services
51. Withholding Fieldwork Hours
52. Reportable Trainee Behavior
53. Treating Others with Compassion, Dignity, and Respect
54. RBT Self-Reporting DUI

Scenario

“BCBA recently had clinic administration call parents of early learner to pick up during a tantrum and discharged child with a referral to get a “mental health evaluation”. No behavior data was taken and no assessment of the tantrum behaviors. Behaviors were typical of an early learner starting ABA services.”

Committee Input (e.g., considerations for pathways forward, potential barriers, potential solutions):

In accordance with Ethics Code 7.02, we would encourage the submitter to foremost review if addressing the concern/individual directly would correct the issue.  The BACB recommends that all persons suspected of an ethics violation be contacted directly wherever possible.  You can find further information on the steps for reporting an ethics violation on the BACB website under the Ethics tab.If the person submitting this is a BCBA and felt that their colleague was performing outside of their scope during assessment or the behavioral incidents (before/after), we encourage you to reflect on what your immediate actions could have been during this process.In review of the submission, the committee is recommending that parties involved explore the following codes in relation to this issue.  The committee would recommend additional training and mentorship for all BCBAs to practice within their scope of competence in all areas including (1) accepting clients within the scope, (2) seeking supervision, (3) interrupting and discontinuing services, and (4) proper assessment methodology.Additionally, we recommend that the submitter consider their company’s internal grievance policy/process to ensure that the BCBA in question receives adequate supervision moving forward.  Finally, if a board complaint is found to be warranted after review of the Ethics Toolkit for decision-making and continuity of care, the submitter should also file concerns/reports to the board of licensure (AZBoPE).

Ethics Codes (specific standards that could apply to support/oppose):

  • 1.02 Boundaries of Competence
  • 2.01 Accepting Clients
  • 2.15 Interrupting or Discontinuing Services (subpart d)
  • 2.15 Interrupting or Discontinuing Services (subpart e)
  • 3.01 Behavior-Analytic Assessment
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