5% Is the Floor. Arizona Wants 10% in Writing.

One RBT went on r/bcba with a question you don't hear every day: is my BCBA supervising me too much?

Their BCBA already supervised 10% to 15% of their hours and wanted to go to 20%. The RBT knew the minimum requirement was 5%, so they started wondering: Was this normal, or were they being taken advantage of?

The BACB requires RBTs to receive supervision for at least 5% of their behavior-analytic service hours each month. But that's the minimum requirement, not necessarily the amount of supervision an RBT needs to feel supported or provide quality services.

So, is 20% too much? Not automatically.

Now Arizona wants to double it. The state's Medicaid agency, AHCCCS, has proposed requiring at least 1 hour of BCBA case supervision for every 10 hours of direct ABA services provided by behavior technicians.

The public comment period closed October 17, but as of October 25, the proposal had not been finalized.

According to Breaking News ABA, CMS's August toolkit recommends supervision levels of approximately 10% to 20% for ABA services.

What it means for your week

Example math only: a client getting 25 tech hours a week needs at least 2.5 supervision hours a week under Arizona's proposal. Multiply that by your caseload and see if the week still fits. A clinic that plans BCBA time at 5% may be planning a bigger caseload.

Arizona would require technicians to earn a national certification within 180 days of being hired or by April 30, 2027, whichever comes later.

Questions to steal for your next interview

• How much supervision do your RBTs typically receive?
• Does indirect supervision time count toward productivity expectations?
• What's the typical BCBA caseload?

Our matchmakers ask these before you ever get on a call. Want a place that supervises like it means it? Find us at u/PairABA.

Policy recap only, not legal or billing advice.