Through a partnership with the University of Hawai’i, BAYADA Home Care’s behavioral health services has received grant funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services to train and employ Registered Behavior Technicians™ (RBT®). The funding is designed to help recruit RBTs in rural and underserved areas. BAYADA Home Care is a 501c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to serving the home health care needs of the citizens of Hawai’i.
BAYADA provides individualized, positive, behavior supports to individuals with autism, intellectual, or developmental disabilities in their own home, school, or community. RBTs are paraprofessionals who, under the supervision of Licensed Behavior Analysts and board-certified Assistant Behavior Analysts, implement applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment plans.
According to BAYADA Clinical Educator Kathleen Penland, ABA is used to teach communication, social, and daily living skills, as well as to reduce challenging behaviors. “Depending on the age and ability of each individual, we focus on basic verbal and non-verbal communications as tools for learning readiness,” she explained. “This includes increasing participation in daily activities, helping with eye contact, play skills, and social engagement.”
The job responsibilities of an RBT include providing direct client care in one-on-one or group settings, collecting and recording data based on the client’s behavior, and communicating with clients, parents, and caregivers regarding client progress.
Scholarship applicants need a high school diploma or GED, be willing to complete 40 hours of training, an in-person competency exam, and a written exam.
“At BAYADA, our employees receive competitive salary and benefits, 24 hour clinical support, ongoing training, including continuing education credits, mentorship and career development opportunities,” said Penland.
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