QASP-S® Supervision Requirements

Our Qualified Autism Services Practitioner – Supervisor (QASP-S®) supervision requirement supports our mission to ensure best practice across QABA’s three-tiered model. QASP-S®s provide services under the ongoing supervision of higher certificants. This close supervision provides both oversight for clients and serves to help QASP-S®s expand their skills under the tutelage of experienced practitioners.

Supervision must be documented using the QABA supervision log and verification forms located under the Forms section on the QABA website. Supervision must be validated and completed by a qualified supervisor and is the responsibility of the QASP-S® to maintain documentation.

Valid Supervisors include:

  • QBA®
  • Certified Behavior Analyst from an accredited certifying body
  • Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA), and/or Licensed Psychologist who demonstrates they have ABA within their scope of practice (LP)

All supervisors must be in good standing with their perspective boards. Supervisors must have an active and valid certification and/or license during the onset and for the duration of the supervision agreement.

Supervisors and supervisees must not be related nor have a dual-relationship of any sort at the onset or for the duration of the supervision contract.

If at any point in time the supervisor’s certification or license becomes revoked, suspended, expired, or is subject to criminal charges, the supervision contract will be considered terminated from the date of revocation, suspension, expiration, or criminal charges. Supervisees should take applicable measures to document this.

Hours accrued during a time period where a valid fieldwork supervision contract is not in place will not be counted towards total fieldwork supervision hours.

Supervision Hours

Each QASP-S® is required to meet with his or her supervisor for 5% of the time they provide behavior analytic services every 3-month period for the first 1000 hours of fieldwork. Beginning January 1, 2024, the QASP-S’s supervision periods may not extend beyond a 30-day period. Within the supervision period the supervisor must provide supervision for 5% of the total hours the supervisee accrued during that period. Supervision must be synchronous in format using software that meets privacy requirements such as HIPAA-compliant video conferencing program. During the supervision period, direct and indirect hours may be accrued. During an individual supervision period a maximum of 50% of the total supervision hours may be accrued in a group setting. Group participant totals for each setting are at the discretion of the supervisor.

Before and after certification, supervisees must be actively be working in or practicing ABA in some capacity. Supervisees can accrue no less than 20 hours per month and no more than 140 hours per month.

Fieldwork hours must be accrued within a 7-year time period prior to certification.

Hours cannot be accrued prior to a candidate taking their first course in their QASP-S coursework sequence.

Direct Fieldwork Hours:

Direct fieldwork hours are accrued during the fieldwork supervision and are direct in nature. These hours allow the supervisee to deliver direct therapy and/or instruction during their fieldwork. This requirement can be no more than 40% of your fieldwork experience. These hours do not require a supervisee to engage in this requirement during every supervision period.

Indirect Fieldwork Hours:

Indirect fieldwork hours are accrued during the fieldwork supervision and are indirect in nature. These hours demonstrate skills that would be performed independently once fully certified. These include, but are not limited to, data analysis, training with stakeholders and other client team members, conducting assessment and reports, conducting research and/or programming, and those which ensure client program fidelity and/or continuity. This requirement can be 60% of your fieldwork experience. This requirement does not require a supervisee to engage in this requirement during every supervision period.

Supervision Activity

Supervisors communicate performance expectations and evaluate QASP-S®s for overall performance. The supervisor must determine which activities qualify for fieldwork hours and if they reflect QABA standards. Through observation and modeling, they provide ongoing behavioral skills training and continual performance feedback. Supervisors model best practice in all aspects of the ABA field, including technical, professional performance and ethical behavior. Supervisors record data and monitor daily progress of QASP-S®’s adherence to and delivery of client behavior therapy plans.

Supervision activities may include the following:

  • Performing assessments such as functional assessment, preference assessment, staff performance assessment; or assessments used for evaluating behavior intervention
  • Implementing and systematically monitoring skill-acquisition and behavior reduction programs through data collection
  • Creating behavior plans, clinic notes, progress summaries, etc.
  • Attending planning meetings regarding the behavior analytic program and talking to individuals about the program
  • Collecting data for the assessments related to the need for behavior intervention
  • Training others, designing behavior plans, performance management
  • Overseeing the implementation of behavior analytic programs
  • Communication and cooperation skills with stakeholders and other professionals

Supervisor Eligibility Requirements

Supervisors must complete QABA’s required supervisory coursework before providing supervision of a QASP-S® (certified QBAs already completed 20 hours of supervision and training coursework prior to certification). All supervisors must possess current credentials and fulfilled the requirements as outlined in the candidate handbooks on the QABA website.  

Documentation Conflict or Error:

In the event, there is an error or conflict between the supervisor and supervisee related to the documentation of fieldwork supervision:

It is the responsibility of the supervisee to properly document the issues and submit them to QABA. The supervisee should submit the following items if applicable:

  • A detailed document outlining the discrepancy or issue.
  • A copy of the fieldwork agreement signed by both parties.
  • Any signed fieldwork supervision document(s) obtained prior to the issues.
  • Any other supporting documentation.

Contract Agreement:

The supervisee and supervisor must implement a contract agreement prior to the onset of supervised fieldwork and must maintain and adhere to that agreement for the duration of the supervised fieldwork. If the supervisor and supervisee terminate the contract, the final verification form must be completed by that supervisor and maintained by both parties. A new agreement must be implemented once a new supervisor is identified. All contracts are subject to submission at the request of the QABA. Contracts should outline the following criteria:

  • Clearly identify the supervisor and the supervisee.
  • Include each person’s credentials, certification and/or licensure, and their number.
  • Expectations of both the supervisor and supervisee are clearly stated.
  • Include a statement where both parties agree to follow the QABA mission, code of ethics, rules, policies, and competency standards as it relates to the fieldwork supervision.

All documents submitted will be sent to the QABA board for review. The QABA board reserves the right to reach out to the supervisor for further investigation. The QABA board reserves the right to approve or deny the application based on sufficient or insufficient evidence and proof.