Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy

By Alan Harchik

BABAT is Massachusetts’ largest and longest-standing professional organization for behavior analysts. We celebrated our 41st anniversary in 2020. Our website is babat.org and we will be launching a new website in Spring of 2021. BABAT’s mission is to advance behavior analysis in Massachusetts and beyond through professional advocacy, organization of continuing education and networking opportunities, professional recognition, and providing needed supports to our membership. The BABAT conference, held annually in October, continues to be a central focus of the board.

Annual Conference
The chapter’s 41st annual conference was October 9, 2020. It was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A dozen presentations took place throughout the day and were made available for streaming for an additional 30 days to all attendees. Topics included diversity, inclusion, COVID-19, telehealth, climate change, and treatment interventions. Our 42nd conference took place in October 2021.

Additional Events
All BABAT events took place virtually in 2021, but we added additional events to increase access to ongoing education for our members. In addition to the annual conference, we will also held our annual ethics and supervision networking event, a webinar series, and three topical events focused on adult services, DEI, and ABA small businesses.

Membership
Membership has continued to grow and stands at over 2,300 active members. Almost 80% of members identified as practicing behavior analysts. Nearly 95% of those surveyed indicated that they worked with individuals with ASD. Just over one-third of our members worked in public schools, and a slightly greater number worked in home-based settings.

Legislation and Professional Practice
BABAT strives to advocate for our profession through legislative advocacy. The BABAT Professional Practice Committee helps support and develop legislation that advances opportunities for behavior analysts and the people they serve. BABAT also provides an ever-expanding array resource for behavior analysts in MA and surrounding areas. A recently developed resource page on babat.org provides members with links to relevant supports. BABAT’s Professional Practice Committee also works to assist other national and state organizations that collectively advance the profession of behavior analysis.

Social Media
BABAT has a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. These outlets share highlights and information regarding awards, upcoming events, and more.

The New England Behavior Analyst
BABAT recently posted its semi-annual newsletter, The New England Behavior Analyst. It is available online and provides our membership with important updates on legislative matters, conference highlights, student award winners, reflections on recent trends in the literature, and upcoming events for behavior analysts in New England.

BABAT Leadership
Stacie Bancroft continues her term as president of BABAT. The Board of Directors meets regularly as do our various committees. BABAT and our community benefit from the hard work of more than 25 committee members.