The Road to Licensure of Behavior Analysts in Texas: History and Lessons Learned

In over 30 US states since early this century, behavior analysts have worked for months and years to secure laws to license behavior analysts. At present, very few published accounts exist to document those efforts and to provide models and recommendations for behavior analysts who are interested in advocating for licensure or some form of governmental regulation of behavior analysts. Many are well-prepared in behavior analysis but have little preparation for dealing effectively with the contingencies and procedures involved in making public policies. We provide an account of the extended, complicated efforts by behavior analysts in one state that culminated in establishment of state licensure of behavior analysts. Key activities described here include foundational organizational work by a state behavior analysis organization, preliminary licensure efforts, educating behavior analysts on public policy advocacy, establishing relationships with legislators and their staff as well as government regulatory agency personnel, developing of important alliances with various stakeholders, and review of final successful efforts. Successful efforts and lessons learned are reviewed.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40617-024-01030-z.