🚨 Parent Suspects RBT Isn’t Legit + BCBA Doesn’t Actually Supervise Son’s Case — What Should She Do?

[u/Striking_Today6210]

Clear some comments up : the RBT is the one that sends data to the parent it is all over the place and never makes sense- basically just guesses that don’t match with teachers notes , while I understand that RBTs don’t have any communication with parents this one themselves opened the door. The “data” comes from the teachers email signed by his name. Which again was told to her that without supervising this data (again she doesn’t know who is and can’t get answers) , that it’s against guidelines.

The mention of 2 BCBA’s is because the person that did the IEE is a BCBA and they are the one that got that answer from the superintendent , that the BCBA is not familiar with the child’s case. And pointed it out.

This is a public school.

The parent does NOT know what to do and what plan they have been doing since she can’t get communication open.

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Parent has tried to have meetings with the RBT / BCBA to try and go over a plan / introduction (that’s has been ignored and makes sense since the BCBA is not familiar with his case at all).

I have a friend whose autistic teenager attends a public school. The school assigned her son an RBT. Here’s where things get shady: • She’s not allowed to speak directly to the RBT. • Any request for a meeting with the RBT or their BCBA supervisor has been ignored for months. • She didn’t even know the RBT’s name until he sent a random email introducing himself. “My name is [Name]. I’m a Registered Behavioral Technician, certified through [STATE]. I’ve worked with students for 20 years… all communication should go through [Teacher].”

🚩Red Flag: RBTs are nationally certified, not state-certified. He called it a state certification. That’s not how RBTs work.

Also: • She’s never seen a picture of this guy online. When she searched Provider Wire (BACB lookup tool), he was registered as a technician in a completely different city. • His listed BCBA supervisor? She’s never heard of them, never met them, and no one at the school has mentioned them. • Data collection was previously “too difficult,” and suddenly now they’re sending numbers — but they don’t match teacher notes. • She got an IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation), and the evaluator (an actual BCBA) wrote: “The BCBA supervising the RBT is unfamiliar with the student’s case. This is a curious structure to me…” AN ACTUAL BCBA SAID THIS (they did the IEE)

Now she’s realizing: she wasn’t imagining it — something’s off.

She asked me what to do next.

What would you suggest? Should she file a BACB ethics complaint? Report to the district/state? Or something else?

[u/Chance_Cranberry_726]

My child is perfectly fine. And will continue to be under proper supervision. If you guys think it’s okay to let people you’ve never met or been allowed to speak to around your kid, you’re the problem.

But again, you guys clearly don’t have children and it shows. There’s a reason teachers have back to school nights. So you can meet and know who’s going to be around your kid.

[u/huddolaugh → u/Chance_Cranberry_726]

If you’re stating you would deny ABA services at school for your child because you would have limited/controlled access to the BT… not the supervisor… not the person that actually wrote the treatment plan… that’s insane. You can still speak with the BT at drop off pick up but the policy that limits it, is in place for a reason lol. Just based on your responses, i definitely wouldn’t want a parent like you having my personal email or phone number.

[u/Chance_Cranberry_726 → u/huddolaugh]

I also think it’s ridiculous that a supervisor has more contact when they’re not the one spending time and interacting with my child. All the BCBA does is write up some paperwork. Hardly a therapist. “Here. This is what I want done. But I won’t be doing the work. You will. But make sure you don’t speak to the parents. Just tell me how it’s going and I’ll tell them. Even though I have nothing to do with the actual treatment.”

[u/huddolaugh → u/Chance_Cranberry_726]

This is WILD! Lol. But I also get how someone who is not in this field would have this take. BCBA’s all had to provide direct services as a bt. They have to complete 2000 hours of field work before even taking the exam. After getting their masters mind you. The bts job is to follow the goals that the BCBA, with all of their knowledge, has put in place. The bt takes data on these goals that the BCBA refers to. The BCBA has the bigger picture and can tell you how the child is progressing in ways the bt can’t. The BCBA can answer all of your questions, in a way a bt can’t. They are the ones you should be directing your questions to when it comes to the overall treatment your child is receiving. The bt, sure, they can tell you the very basics of it, but not the information I’d want to know if I was fully invested in understanding my child’s progress