RES-NEWSLETTER-PROCESSING — BACB Newsletter: How the Ethics Department Processes Notices of Alleged Violation (Mar 2023)
What does RES-NEWSLETTER-PROCESSING say?
The BACB described its internal process for handling ethics complaints. Key steps: (1) Receipt — Notices are received through the BACB website and logged by the Ethics Department. (2) Preliminary review — Staff determine whether the Notice meets criteria for processing (jurisdiction, timeliness, sufficient documentation). (3) Routing — Notices meeting criteria are routed to either the Education System (less severe matters) or the Disciplinary System (more serious matters). (4) Education System — Subject receives notice and educational resources; may include mandatory mentorship, continuing education, product submissions, or required actions. No formal sanctions. (5) Disciplinary System — More formal investigation; Subject receives notice of charges and opportunity to respond; may result in formal sanctions including mandatory supervision, practice restrictions, suspension, or revocation. (6) Timeline — Processing typically takes several months; complex cases may take longer. (7) Confidentiality — Active cases are confidential; only final disciplinary actions are published. (8) Published sanctions — Final disciplinary actions are searchable in the BACB Certificant Registry.
Official source: read the full text in the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (2022) (official document).