MetroEHS Practicum Program
Launch Your BCBA Career with MetroEHS
At MetroEHS, we believe practicum students deserve more than observation hours—they deserve meaningful mentorship, real clinical experience, and a clear pathway to professional success. A Major Tier 2 Benefit is paid Indirect Hours. Unlike many practicum experiences where students complete unrestricted activities without compensation, MetroEHS provides guaranteed weekly paid indirect hours throughout Tier 2. This allows students to gain critical BACB-aligned fieldwork experience while being compensated for the professional responsibilities that prepare them for BCBA practice. Our structured practicum program is designed to align with BACB fieldwork expectations and incorporates best-practice recommendations from the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP), ensuring students graduate with the skills, confidence, and experience needed to excel as future behavior analysts.
Why Choose MetroEHS?
Invest in Your Future While You Learn
As students’ progress through our program and demonstrate competency, they unlock opportunities for advanced clinical training and paid professional development experiences.
Program Benefits & Highlights
- Guaranteed paid indirect hours in Tier 2, allowing students to earn compensation while developing essential BCBA skills such as assessment, program modification, supervision, data analysis, report writing, and parent training.
- Experience across multiple MetroEHS clinic locations, providing exposure to diverse clients, treatment teams, and BCBA supervisors.
- Students who complete 800 or more practicum hours with MetroEHS become eligible for a guaranteed employment offer upon successful completion of all MetroEHS and BACB requirements.
- Daily collaboration with Occupational Therapists (OT), Physical Therapists (PT), and Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) to strengthen interdisciplinary clinical skills.
- Monthly mentorship meetings with the Director of ABA Services focused on professional growth, fieldwork progress, and career planning.
- Comprehensive benefits package for eligible full-time employees, including Medical, Dental, Vision, and 10 paid holidays annually.
- Quarterly bonus opportunities throughout the year.
A Practicum Experience Designed Around BACB Success
The BACB requires fieldwork experiences that provide opportunities to develop competencies across assessment, intervention, supervision, ethics, and professional practice. Consistent with BACB standards and CASP recommendations for high-quality supervision, MetroEHS ensures students receive:
- Ongoing BCBA supervision, mentorship, and performance feedback.
- Diverse fieldwork opportunities that support completion of required BACB competencies.
- Progressive responsibility as skills develop.
- Meaningful unrestricted activities that prepare students for independent BCBA practice.
- Exposure to interdisciplinary treatment planning and collaboration.
Students Will Gain Experience In:
- Data collection, analysis, interpretation, and clinical decision-making.
- Parent and caregiver training observations and implementation.
- Program development, protocol modifications, and treatment evaluation.
- Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and comprehensive report writing.
- Clinical supervision and performance feedback delivery.
- Insurance-required documentation, including:
- Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs)
- Supervision notes
- Parent training notes
- Progress reports
- Treatment recommendations and clinical records
Two-Tier Practicum Model
Our structured practicum program provides a clear pathway from foundational ABA skills to advanced BCBA competencies.
Tier 1: Foundations of Clinical Practice
Tier 1 focuses on building the essential clinical and professional skills necessary for success in behavior analysis.
Students Develop Competency In:
- RBT skills and implementation fidelity
- Behavioral functions and core ABA principles
- Independent implementation of Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs)
- Professional communication and collaboration
- Leadership and clinical professionalism
Typical Duration: 3–6 months
Tier 2: Advanced BCBA Skill Development
Upon successful completion of Tier 1 competencies, students advance into Tier 2 and begin focusing on the advanced unrestricted activities required for BCBA development.
Advanced Training Includes:
- Clinical supervision and performance feedback
- Program and teaching procedure modifications
- Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs)
- Six-month reviews and treatment evaluations
- Advanced data analysis and clinical decision-making
- Parent training and consultation activities
- Report writing and insurance documentation
- Supporting assigned cases for further learning and independent growth opportunities.
This allows students to gain critical BACB-aligned fieldwork experience while being compensated for the professional responsibilities that prepare them for BCBA practice.
Eligibility: Begins upon successful completion of Tier 1 competency requirements and continues throughout the remainder of the practicum experience.
Client Population & Clinical Setting
Students gain hands-on experience working with:
- Children ages 2–6 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Children with complex communication, social, behavioral, and medical needs.
All practicum experiences occur within a clinic-based setting under the supervision of experienced BCBAs committed to developing the next generation of behavior analysts.
Qualifications
- Must be enrolled in an ABA degree program (BCBA = master’s, BCaBA = bachelor’s)
- Must be taking qualifying ABA coursework while accruing hours
- Supervision must meet BACB requirements (monthly supervision + required % of hours)
- Hours must be behavior-analytic work only
- All hours must be documented and verified by supervisor
Clinic Location
Status
Full-Time Benefits
- 401(k) with 4% match (fully vested after 90 days)
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits
- 100% employer-paid group life and long-term disability insurance
- 3 weeks PTO (120 hours) in your first year
- 11 paid holidays annually
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- 529 college savings plan
We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the recruiting and employment process.
