Black Applied Behavior Analysts (BABA) Response to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB®) Removal of DEI Requirements

Public Statement

For Immediate Release
Mon Mar 24 2025
Contact: [email protected]

The behavior of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB®) is akin to every other major system in America; offering a reminder that no matter what a Black person achieves, whether it be advanced degrees, thousands of hours of supervision, or passing a rigorous exam, even our credentialing bodies will discount our experiences and need for inclusion if it jeopardizes their ‘widespread recognition.’ 

This pattern is not new. Throughout American history, Black people have been used, promised equity or freedom, and then cast aside once those promises became inconvenient. From the Revolutionary War, when enslaved Black people were offered freedom in exchange for fighting, to the Civil War, where Black soldiers fought on the promise of liberation, each promise was unkept. Even after emancipation, the federal government pledged 40 acres and a mule, a tangible start to economic stability, but that, too, was rescinded. During the Civil Rights Movement, Black communities were once again promised equality in education, housing, employment, and protection under the law. But those promises were hollowed out by redlining, underfunded schools, mass incarceration, and persistent racial bias (Heritage Foundation, 2021). 

Fast forward to 2020, the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tony McDade reignited global demands for racial justice. In response, corporations, schools, and professional fields rushed to perform self-audits, release solidarity statements, and pledge to build inclusive spaces (Ray et al., 2023). The BACB® convened a committee of subject matter experts (SMEs) and required continuing education in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to start in 2027. Anecdotally, ABA organizations began to diversify speakers, leadership, and topics within conferences and journal publications. For a moment, these performative actions felt like change was en route.

The BACB®’s newsletter announcement on March 24, 2025 shows the standalone DEI CEU requirement has been eliminated, reframed and diluted under broader language. In its place, they’ve expanded the definition of Ethics CEUs to “explicitly include content on cultural and contextual responsiveness.” The message is clear: the experience of marginalized communities no longer merits its own space. 

The BACB®’s revised requirement that all content on cultural or contextual responsiveness be “directly linked to the behavior-analytic literature and/or established practice” reinforces a limiting and exclusionary standard. While there is a growing body of work in behavior analysis on cultural humility and equity-informed care, it pales in comparison to the depth and breadth of literature in adjacent fields to include, but limited to social work, psychology, education, and public health. This restriction silences interdisciplinary collaboration and minimizes the contributions of Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized scholars whose work often lives outside of narrowly defined “established practice.” It sends a clear message: innovation, especially when it centers equity, will be deemed irrelevant unless it fits within a historically white, Eurocentric, and behaviorist framework. This is not scientific rigor, it is gatekeeping.

Although the BACB® claims to have expanded the definition of ethics CEUs to include cultural and contextual responsiveness, they did not increase the number of ethics CEUs required per cycle, which we assert is superficial rather than substantive. Certificants now have “greater flexibility in how they fulfill their ethics CEU requirements (BACB®, 2025).” In practice, this means behavior analysts could meet their ethics CEU obligations solely through content on code compliance, never once engaging with topics of bias, discrimination, cultural responsiveness, or systemic barriers. Our commitment to culturally responsive care has been reduced to a loophole.

This decision reflects a quiet retreat from the commitments once made in response to community advocacy. It disregards the years of labor, scholarship, and lived experience offered by Black behavior analysts and marginalized practitioners who called for culturally responsive practice during a time when the field’s leadership remained largely silent. 

We want to underscore that this decision also reinforces ableism in behavior analysis. It fails to acknowledge the critical importance of accessibility, disability justice, and the lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals; the very same individuals served by 82% or more of BACB certificants (BACB®, 2025). By eliminating intentional DEI-focused learning and continuing education requirements, the BACB® dismisses the necessity of training on inclusive practices, accommodations, and ethical considerations for disabled clients and practitioners. This is a direct step backward.

As of March 24, 2025, 48% of all BACB® certificants (BCBA-D®, BCBA®, BCaBA®, and RBT®) identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian/Alaskan Native, or Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander; 87% identify as female, non-binary, or other. The removal of DEI requirements impacts not only these certificants, but also the direct recipients of behavior analytic services, their families, and communities.

We want to be clear: DEI was never the goalpost. It was the bare minimum. BABA does not aim for DEI as an endpoint, we push beyond it toward true liberation. We seek radical, systemic change that acknowledges the full humanity, dignity, and power of Black people and all oppressed communities. The BACB’s decision does not erase our mission, it only reinforces the urgency of our work.

The BACB’s decision appears to be in response to a single incident. On December 6, 2024, at the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation meeting, Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis Credentialing Board (QABA) appealed to be recognized as a certifying body, citing that they are merit-based and they will not adhere to DEI and follow the path of the BACB® (Texas Licensing, 2024).

In its newsletter, the BACB® stated it has “invested years of effort to ensure that its certification programs are widely recognized by funders and state licensure programs” and has a responsibility to “safeguard their standing (2025).” Their willingness to bend to Texas, a state actively pursuing anti-DEI legislation, raises serious concerns about what else the BACB® might compromise to preserve its status. This decision was not made with the best interests of their certificant holders in mind.

The BACB®’s claim that this shift was supported by anonymous Subject Matter Experts (SME) only reinforces the lack of transparency and accountability in a process that disproportionately impacts communities those voices may not represent. They are described vaguely as “diverse” in terms of stakeholder group, faculty status, practitioner experience, geographic region, certification type, gender, and race/ethnicity. This lack of transparency offers no reassurance to certificants. There is no disclosure of the qualifications required to serve on this committee or whether the committee reflects the populations most impacted by this decision.

This move appears to be a calculated effort to make the BACB® more palatable to institutions and individuals who resist equity-centered education and practice; Institutions that we maintain are not allies, nor accomplices to our community. Certificants invest thousands of dollars into their certification over their careers, yet this sweeping decision was quietly embedded within a newsletter titled “Changes to 2027 BCBA® and BCaBA® Coursework and CEU Requirements.”

The DEI rollback was not clearly labeled, while other topics in the same newsletter, such as “RBT Criminal Background Checks and Abuse Registry FAQs,” were clearly named. This omission suggests a lack of transparency and respect for the certificants most impacted by the change.

The BACB®’s justification that their revisions reflect “best practice” and are “comparable to other helping professions” is not supported by current trends. As of March 24, 2025, other allied health professions continue to affirm their commitments to equity and DEI:

• The American Medical Association (AMA) has made clear in its policy that “Improving health through DEI is integral to fulfilling our mission to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health (n.d.).”
• The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has reiterated that DEI remains central to social work practice and competency (2025).
• The American Psychological Association (APA) intentionally continues its efforts to integrate DEI into education, research, and practice despite political pushback (n.d.).
• The American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) requires that graduate programs “show … how DEI is incorporated throughout the academic and clinical program, in theory and in practice” and requires their certificants to receive 2 hours of continuing education in DEI each certification cycle (n.d.).
• The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) boldly claims diversity as an organizational principle and states that graduate coursework is “built with input from subject matter consultants who represent the diversity of our population and in a manner that emphasizes fairness and accessibility and reduces bias (n.d.).”
• The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) provides a 6 hour certification in DEI for its certificants, a DEI toolkit, and the organization has a published DEI Action Plan (n.d.). 

Although these organizations still have work to do, they have not abandoned DEI. In contrast, the BACB®, already one of the last to implement DEI standards, is now the first to eliminate them. That distinction makes their actions especially alarming.

The response from the BACB® in light of the 12/6/24 meeting, should have been to rally its credentialed members, share the impact these individuals make in Texas, and boldly declare that they stand behind their DEI requirements, only announced three years prior. Their response should have included an analysis of other organizations recognized by the Texas licensing board and the DEI requirements of those organizations for their certificate holders. Instead, the BACB® opted for a cowardice path, one that chose palatability over principle. 

This makes it all the more glaring that the very group who benefits most from DEI protections in the workplace, white women, is also the most represented among BACB certificants, yet the organization still chose to fold under pressure (LeanIn.org, 2022).

BABA’s 6 Point Plan to Move Forward with Community First

For decades, organizations such as the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) (founded September 2, 1968) and the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) (founded May 29, 1968) have led the fight against professional organizations that actively uphold white supremacist structures. ABPsi was founded after Black psychologists walked out of the American Psychological Association (APA) in protest of its inaction on racial justice. Similarly, NABSW was created in response to the harmful, racist policies embedded in mainstream social work that disproportionately impacted Black communities.

These organizations have shown us that we do not need to depend on professional bodies that do not prioritize justice, liberation, and the well-being of Black people. BABA follows in their longstanding legacy, refusing to allow institutions to erase our communities, contributions, labor, and advocacy.

BABA rejects the BACB®’s decision and remains committed to embedding equity-centered frameworks into our practice, education, and advocacy. And let’s be honest: the BACB®’s DEI standards were already minimal. Requiring two CEUs over a two-year certification cycle was never a bold or transformative move. And now, by shifting language, they erode the legitimacy and value of even that.

We must also understand that the BACB® does not speak for the majority of its certificants, nor can it be trusted to lead the way forward when it refuses to protect the most marginalized. As a field deeply involved in public health, education, and care, we must do more than checkbox cultural responsiveness. We must actively resist ableism, bias, and systemic injustice.

We will not settle for the lowest standard. Here’s how we move forward:

1. Continue Offering and Attending DEI and Liberation-Focused Training

• The removal of DEI from BACB®’s CEU requirements does not mean it is irrelevant to ethical and effective practice. BABA will continue to offer CEUs that center liberation, justice, and culturally responsive practice. The duty to provide anti-bias training, recognize social determinants of health, and mitigate health disparities remains a necessity to appropriately serve vulnerable communities. 
• We encourage other organizations to do the same.
  

2. Strengthen Liberation-Centered Approaches in Your Own Work

• Employers should require training for their staff that ensures anti-discrimination laws are followed. They should also recognize that many of the current Executive Orders are facing legal ramifications and have not been effectively passed into law. 
• Academic institutions and supervisors should be intentional about teaching their students on topics related to health care disparities, social determinants of health, and bias. 
• Individual behavior analysts should take responsibility for their learning and refuse to operate from a deficit mindset when serving marginalized clients.

3. Support and Promote DEI & Liberation Advocates in the Field

• Follow, cite, and amplify the work of Black, Indigenous, Disabled, Neurodivergent, LGBTQIA2S+, and other marginalized behavior analysts who continue to push for justice in our field.
• Continue to push conference organizations to promote speakers and conference proposals, workshops, and training sessions that prioritize equity, justice, and liberation. Do not support conference line ups that reflect no or minimal commitment to equity. 
• Donate to organizations who are unafraid and refuse to make equity centered practices negotiable.
  

4. Leverage Alternative Certification and Accreditation Bodies

• Uplift and seek out certification and accreditation bodies that do not erase DEI and complement your skillset and passions. 
• Advocate for professional organizations, universities, and employers to maintain training related to health care disparities, social determinants of health, and bias.

5. Build Collective Power and Coalition

• Partner with organizations such as BABA, ABPsi, NABSW, and other groups that center equity in applied sciences. Identify organizations that are not performative even if they represent a marginalized group. 
• Attend community meetings, webinars, and advocacy efforts focused on DEI, liberation, and justice in behavior analysis.
  

6. Organize and Mobilize Against Anti-DEI Policies

• Monitor legislation and policies that impact DEI and liberation-based practices.
• Advocate against anti-DEI measures that limit access to culturally responsive education and services.
• Encourage funding and support for liberation-centered research and initiatives that amplify the voices of marginalized communities.
  

The removal of explicit DEI requirements does not change the reality that bias, discrimination, and systemic barriers exist within behavior analysis, it simply allows practitioners to ignore them. BABA refuses to participate in this erasure.

We need professional associations that do not shrink in the face of political pressure or financial risk. We need organizations that do not make space for cowardice at the expense of ethical practice.

BABA will continue to push for liberation, beyond the limitations of DEI, beyond the fear-based decisions of governing bodies, and beyond what this field has been willing to accept. We will follow in the footsteps of allied Black organizations who have modeled how to persevere in the face of injustices to Black practitioners, families, and children. Our ancestors did not settle for “inclusion”, they fought for justice. And so will we.

ORGANIZATIONAL SOLIDARITY

The following Associations publicly and boldly support this statement:

PUBLIC SUPPORTERS

A total of 1550 people (and counting) publicly and boldly support this statement

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References:

American Medical Association. (n.d.). Equity, diversity, and belonging in medical education.

https://www.ama-assn.org/education/changemeded-initiative/equity-diversity-and-belonging-medical-education

American Medical Association. (n.d.). Press releases & statements.

https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases

American Physical Therapy Association. (n.d.). Diversity, equity, and inclusion.

https://www.apta.org/apta-and-you/diversity-equity-and-inclusion

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Equity, diversity, and inclusion.

https://www.apa.org/about/apa/equity-diversity-inclusion

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Maintain your certification.

https://www.asha.org/certification/maintain-ccc

Association of Black Psychologists. (2025, March 19). The APA apology is unacceptable [Official

statement]. https://abpsi.org/official-statement-the-apa-apology-unacceptable/

Baumann, S. E., II, Schonberger, M., Tom-Quinn, R. E., & Schreiber, P. M. (2025, March 18). DEI in

flux: Fourth Circuit’s decision resuscitates DEI executive orders. Holland & Knight.

https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2025/03/dei-in-flux-fourth-circuits-decision-resscitates-dei-executive-orders

Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2025, March). BACB newsletter – March 2025.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/BACB_March2025_Newsletter-250319-2-apdf

British Psychological Society. (n.d.). Be the best version of yourself: That’s what African psychology

does for me – A stolen legacy. The Psychologist.

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/be-best-version-yourself-thats-what-african-psychology-dos-me

Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. (n.d.). Diversity in

the curriculum. https://caa.asha.org/ask-the-caa/diversity-in-the-curriculum/

Diverse Issues in Higher Education. (2025, March 19). Higher ed leaders rally to protect DEI initiatives.

https://www.diverseeducation.com/institutions/article/15739408/higher-ed-leaders-rally-to-protect-dei-initiatives

Heritage Foundation. (2021, March 17). Housing redlining and its lingering effects on education

opportunity (Backgrounder No. 3594).

https://www.heritage.org/education/report/housing-redlining-and-its-lingering-effects-education-opportunity

Kratz, J. (2025, March 16). How to do impactful inclusion work legally and effectively. Forbes.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliekratz/2025/03/16/how-to-do-impactful-inclusion-work-legally-and-effectively/

LeanIn.Org & McKinsey & Company. (2022). Women in the workplace 2022.

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DEI in the federal government [Press release]. https://www.socialworkers.org/News/News-Releases/ID/3153/NASWs-Appalled-by-Executive-Order-Ending-DEI-In-Federal-Government

National Association of Social Workers. (2025, March 5). NASW responds to Trump administration executive orders [Press release]. https://www.socialworkers.org/News/News-Releases/ID/3145/NASW-responds-to-Trump-Administration-Executive-Orders