The Perks of Being a Registered Behavior Technician
The Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) role is a rewarding profession, packed with opportunities for both personal and professional growth. It opens doors to make meaningful impacts in the lives of others while offering a satisfying and promising career path. In this blog post, we will delve into the benefits of being an RBT and highlight the stepping stones to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
Understanding the Role of a Registered Behavior Technician
As an RBT, your primary responsibility is to implement behavioral intervention plans under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). This crucial role primarily revolves around assisting individuals with behavioral disorders, with a particular focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The work involves teaching new skills, promoting and reinforcing desired behaviors, and helping to decrease harmful or disruptive ones. The goal is always to enhance the quality of life of the individuals you serve, providing them with the tools they need to succeed.
The Wide-ranging Impact You Can Make
As an RBT, you have the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for those you work with. This could mean aiding autistic children in developing more effective communication skills and supporting these children in achieving a more independent lifestyle. Your role isn’t just a job; it’s an opportunity to facilitate meaningful change in the lives of others. With each interaction, you are not merely working, you are changing lives, influencing futures, and helping individuals reach their fullest potential.
Comprehensive Training and Certification Process
To become an RBT, you’ll undergo an in-depth training course spanning 40 hours, followed by a competency assessment and a certification examination. This extensive training ensures RBTs are well-prepared to implement behavior-analytic services effectively. It equips them with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate the challenges of their roles, thereby enabling them to offer high-quality care to their clients. The stringent certification standards affirm that RBTs are not just ready to step into their roles, but also excel in them. After the initial training and certification process, RBTs can expect ongoing training and supervision from a BCBA weekly, as the child continues to progress across their goals.
The Career Progression Opportunities
With the increasing recognition and diagnosis of ASD and related behavioral disorders, the need for specialized professionals is on the rise. Stepping into the role of an RBT means joining an industry that’s not only satisfying and meaningful, but also abundant with opportunities for career enhancement and progression. The expertise and hands-on experience you acquire can serve as stepping stones towards roles such as a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) or ultimately a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Thus, the journey of an RBT is not static but one that evolves, offering continuous learning and upward mobility. This dynamic profession is about growing as you gain insights, developing your skills further while working on the front lines of behavioral intervention.
The Pathway to Becoming a BCBA
Transitioning from an RBT to a BCBA requires certain educational and fieldwork milestones. A master’s degree in behavior analysis or a related field is essential, with the hands-on experience gained as an RBT proving invaluable. While meeting these prerequisites, your role as an RBT also offers an applied understanding of behavioral principles and techniques, equipping you with the foundation to thrive as a BCBA. This pathway ensures your career growth aligns with expanding your capacity to make meaningful contributions to the lives of those with behavioral disorders.
What to Expect as an RBT at MeBe
Your work at MeBe incorporates play-based therapy that is, most importantly, fun! You’ll teach and nurture behavioral, social, communication, and daily living skills in a 1:1 setting to children with autism in their home or at MeBe’s Learning Center. You’ll follow treatment plans developed by BCBAs that help increase the child’’s communication, self-help, social and play skills. At the end of each session, you’ll accurately record progress in our data collection system Central Reach using your work assigned tablet. You’ll relay info on the child’s progress to BCBAs and families to keep them informed. You’ll help to build positive relationships with families while maintaining professional boundaries.
You’ll positively contribute to the MeBe Family culture, working to embody the MeBe values each day. This will include taking pride in your work and having a reputation for doing high quality work; valuing transparency and inspiring others to be their best selves; weaving fun and laughter into whatever you do; and promoting individuality, striving to highlight the child’s, as well as your, strengths and creativity.
What Makes MeBe Different?
In addition to the daily rewarding work of an RBT, you can expect additional perks of being an RBT specifically at MeBe. The MeBe values of fun and individuality are weaved into our daily culture. Teamwork is held in high regard. You can expect monthly social events with your coworkers, shared break spaces that allow for camaraderie, and opportunities for like-minded individuals to collaborate. Achievements of clinicians are celebrated and shared regularly. You will have the opportunity to learn about cross-disciplinary work involving Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy. Clinicians work together to provide a holistic teaching approach for each individual client.
The professional growth and mental health of each of our RBTs is of utmost importance to MeBe. The professional growth of each RBT is curated with the support of your mentoring BCBA and Site Director. MeBe partners with local universities to offer tuition reimbursement rates, and BetterHelp to offer discounted rates to additionally support our RBTs.
Check out our YouTube page for a further look into a “Day in the life of an RBT!”
A Day in the Life of an RBT (click here!)
Learn more about MeBe
If you’re ready to learn more about Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Pathology, Feeding Therapy, or Applied Behavior Analysis services at MeBe, contact us today.
We are hiring!! If you think you will be a great fit for out team please check out our career page at mebefamily.com/careers link here for more information.
For helpful tips from the MeBe therapy team, check out @mebefamily on Instagram and Facebook and visit the MeBe Family YouTube channel.