What is an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician)?
A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) is a paraprofessional credentialed by the BACB who delivers ABA therapy directly to clients under the supervision of a BCBA.
RBTs do the hands-on work of ABA: running programs, teaching skills, implementing behavior plans, and recording what happens in each session. They work under the direction and supervision of a BCBA.
The credential requires completing a 40-hour training, passing a competency assessment, and clearing a background check, with supervision continuing throughout practice.
Because RBTs capture data in the moment - sometimes in homes, clinics, or the community - reliable, easy data collection that works even offline is central to their day.
The scope of the role is defined rather than open-ended. RBTs implement the plans a BCBA writes; they do not design programs, modify treatment goals, or make independent clinical changes. When something isn't working, the expectation is that they document what happened and raise it with their supervisor rather than adjust the plan themselves.
Maintaining the credential requires ongoing supervision of a portion of the RBT's direct service hours each month, plus annual renewal and a competency reassessment. That supervision has to be documented, which is why supervision records sit alongside session notes in most practices' systems.
For many people the RBT credential is an entry point into behavior analysis, and some go on to pursue BCaBA or BCBA certification while working. Practically, the job asks for the discipline to run a program exactly as written while staying responsive to the person in front of you - and to record what happened accurately enough that a clinician who wasn't in the room can act on it.