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April 18, 2022 – A new Florida law enacted during early April 2022 will help more children in the state gain access to behavioral health services outside the classroom, according to professionals at Albizu University’s Miami Campus.

Known internationally for its culturally sensitive psychology doctoral degree and mental health certification programs, Albizu University offers a minor in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), a requirement for those wishing to become certified in the field.

Current Florida law requires public K-12 schools to allow certified applied behavior analysts and Florida-licensed mental health professionals to provide services in a classroom setting.  Previously, this requirement did not apply to behavior technicians working under their direction.

The new law adds a “registered behavior technician” to the list of private instructional personnel allowed to provide ABA services in the classroom setting.  The technician must hold a nationally recognized paraprofessional certification in behavior analysis, practice under the supervision of either certified behavior analysts or licensed professionals and be employed by an enrolled Medicaid provider.

“The reality is public school staffing varies considerably by school,” Albizu Assistant Professor Elvin Alvarez, Psy.D., LMHC, BCBA explained.  “If a child diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder like autism has a problem at school, this new law will help clear the way for needed additional classroom staffing.”

Dr. Alvarez cited a 2016 lawsuit filed in Broward County as an impetus for the legislation.

The new law, which passed the Florida Legislature as CS/HB 255, had bipartisan sponsorship from State Representatives Rene Placensia (R) and David Silvers (D).  Former Broward County School Board Chairman Robin Bartleman, now a State Representative, was among the co-sponsors.

ABA is an umbrella term referring to the principles and techniques used to assess, treat, and prevent challenging behaviors while promoting new, desired behaviors.  ABA has been recognized as a treatment option for a range of behavioral health conditions, with an emphasis on the treatment of autism spectrum disorder.

About Albizu University

Proud of its roots and commitment to excellence in program offerings, Albizu University is a private, non-profit institution of higher learning with campuses in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami, Florida, and a University Center in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.  It was the only regionally accredited secular University in the continental United States named in honor of a Hispanic, the distinguished Puerto Rican psychologist Dr. Carlos Albizu-Miranda. To date, over 9,000 graduates call Albizu University their Alma Mater—a university that prides itself on educating culturally competent individuals capable of serving the diverse populations of our global community.  Albizu University offers undergraduate and graduate programs in psychology, education, speech-language pathology, human services, and criminal justice, as well as an ESOL program, taught by a diverse, expert faculty.  Total enrollment is over 2,000 students representing 65 countries.  Albizu University’s Miami Campus was recently recognized as the top institution for Best Online Master’s in Organizational Psychology Programs 2020 by BestColleges.com.  For more information, visit albizu.edu.