Autism Behavioral Specialist

Autism behavioral specialists work with children and young adults living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a condition characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. These specialists create and implement behavioral plans, working with individuals and families, to improve problem behaviors and teach appropriate behavior.

Education and Training

While most states do not require a specific degree for this role, most candidates have at least a bachelor’s degree in a field like behavioral analysis, psychology, or social work. Some states require you to pass a certification exam to practice.

Roles and Responsibilities

Autism behavioral specialists perform a variety of duties in their day-to-day work, such as:

• Assessing the needs of clients through observation and interaction to create a tailored behavioral plan
• Offering behavior interventions to help clients develop appropriate solutions for minimizing problem behaviors and increasing desirable actions
• Training and educating families and caregivers on how to help autistic individuals learn new skills at work
• Working with other professionals to develop clear treatment goals such as teachers, therapists, and other members of their treatment team
• Keeping and maintaining accurate and detailed documentation about each client, including assessments, treatment plans, interventions provided, and outcomes