Indiana has been a trailblazer for autism rights since 2001, when it became the first state in the nation to require health insurers to cover autism therapy. It’s no surprise, then, that the Hoosier State is also home to one of the highest concentrations of autism-focused therapists in the nation.
Over the past decade, states like Indiana have seen a dramatic increase in the use of ABA to help persons with autism live happy and productive lives thanks, in part, to endorsements by many state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Surgeon General.
Behavior analysis focuses on how learning takes place. Applied behavior analysis involves applying techniques to promote and encourage productive, socially acceptable behaviors and reduce behaviors that could interfere with learning or cause harm. The goal of ABA is to bring about meaningful and positive change in behavior.
Earning a Master’s Degree and Qualifying for the BCBA® Credential and State Licensure in Indiana
In 2021, the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency announced it was establishing a Behavior Analyst Committee and begin licensing behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts at the state level. As of February 2025, the committee was in the process of finalizing the administrative rules that provide for the licensing of behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts. The completion of all rulemaking is expected in 2025. Check here for important updates.
The Iowa Behavior Analyst Committee will oversee the competent practice of behavior analysts, the renewal of licenses, continuing education requirements, and the approval of continuing education providers, programs, courses, fees, and proof of course completion.
Similar to many other states, Iowa licensure as a behavior analyst will be predicated on certification as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Other requirements for state licensure are expected to include submitting to a national criminal history background check; providing proof of no disciplinary action by a licensing or certification agency in another state or jurisdiction; applying for licensure; and paying an associated fee.
To earn your BCBA®, you must meet the following requirements: (1) Earn a graduate-level degree and graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis; (2) Complete a practicum or field experience; and (3) Pass the national BCBA® examination.
Education Requirements
Eligible candidates for BCBA® certification must hold a master’s degree or higher in behavior analysis or in a similar field such as education or psychology and complete a set of qualifying graduate-level courses in behavior analysis.
The easiest way to meet the educational requirements for BCBA® certification is by earning a master’s degree from an Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA)-accredited program or an Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)-accredited or recognized behavior analysis master’s or doctoral degree.
You can also meet the requirements by earning a master’s or doctoral degree and completing at least 315 hours of graduate coursework in behavior analysis, which must include:
- BACB Ethics Code and Code-Enforcement System; Professionalism: 45 hours
- Philosophical Underpinnings; Concepts and Principles: 90 hours
- Measurement, Data Display and Interpretation; Experimental Design: 45 hours
- Behavior Assessment: 45 hours
- Behavior-Change Procedures; Selecting and Implementing Interventions: 60 hours
- Personnel Supervision and Management: 60 hours
If you earned your master’s or doctoral degree from an institution that isn’t accredited by the ABAI or APBA, you must provide proof to the BACB that you have earned the required graduate-level courses in behavior analysis. You can accomplish this in one of two ways:
- Complete a Verified Course Sequence (VCS): The ABAI maintains a list of programs (usually graduate certificate programs) offered by colleges and universities that satisfy the above graduate coursework called Verified Course Sequences (VCS).
- Show proof of a course-by-course review: You can also complete the required courses and have your department chair, dean, or BCBA-certified VCS Coordinator complete a Non-Verified Course Content Attestation that signifies that they have conducted a course-by-course review of the required courses.
Note: The ABAI announced that it is ending the VCS system on December 31, 2025. As of 2026, if you complete a program that is not accredited/approved by the ABAI or accredited by the APBA, you must submit a Non-Verified Content Attestation to the BACB to demonstrate that the coursework standards have been met.
Qualifying accredited programs may be offered on-campus or online. Online programs have become a popular choice for many students, thanks to their convenience and flexibility. Professionals with demanding work schedules and individuals not residing near an institution with a BACB-approved program find online programs not just beneficial but necessary. Students of online programs work with their program advisor to find local placement for their practicum.
Experience Requirements
Candidates for BCBA® certification must complete a period of supervised fieldwork totaling between 1,500 and 2,000 hours. The number of required hours is dependent upon the amount of supervision you receive from a qualified supervisor (qualified supervisors include BCBAs®; licensed, registered psychologists certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology, or ABAI-verified instructors).
During each supervisory month, you must complete between 20 and 150 hours of fieldwork. You’ll have five years to complete all required fieldwork.
You can begin earning the required fieldwork hours as soon as you begin taking graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis. If you complete an ABAI-accredited/recognized program or APBA-accredited program, it will likely include a practicum where you can begin accruing the required fieldwork hours. Your department chair will help you secure a qualified supervisor and site where you can begin earning your hours.
In Indiana, you may be able to complete your practicum/field experience through ABA providers such as:
- Arc BRIDGES, Gary
- Behavior Development Group, Indianapolis
- Behavior Specialists of Indiana, South Bend
- Adaptive ABA, Inc., Fort Wayne
- Disabilities Autism Services of Indiana, Saint Paul
- Life Strategies LLC, Schererville, Porter
- Logan Autism Learning Center, South Bend and Granger
- Partnership for Behavioral Change, South Bend
- Positive Pathways, Carmel
Exam Requirements
After you complete the required fieldwork requirements, you must apply to the BACB to receive authorization to take the BCBA® exam. Pearson VUE administers the BCBA® exam at testing sites throughout the country.
You can take the exam at one of the following Pearson VUE testing sites in Indiana:
- Muncie
- Fort Wayne
- Kokomo
- Indianapolis
- South Bend
- Goshen
- Plainfield
- Lafayette
- Bloomington
- Crown Point
- Terre Haute
Click here for detailed step-by-step instructions on the BCBA® credentialing process.
Indiana’s ABA Providers
A sampling of Indiana ABA providers reveals the wide range of services for Indiana’s children and adults with autism and other developmental disorders:
Integrity Behavioral Solutions: Plainfield
Integrity Behavioral Solutions provides early intervention services using the science behind ABA. Services are provided for children up to age seven. This ABA provider offers intensive, one-on-one personalized therapy in the community, in the home, and in school, as needed.
Just a few of the disorders treated here include autism, Down syndrome, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, and behavioral challenges.
Little Star ABA Therapy: Carmel, Lafayette, West Lafayette, Bloomington, Clarksville and Newburgh
Little Star Center applied behavioral centers provide ABA therapy for children, teens, and young adults. Founded in 2002, it was the first ABA facility in the State of Indiana. In addition to center-based care, Little Star Center also offers home-based, community-based, and transition-to-school ABA services.
Indiana ABA Institute: Fort Wayne
The Indiana ABA Institute provides individualized ABA therapy to children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities and behavioral issues. Both in-clinic and at-home treatment is available here.
The Indiana ABA Institute offers early intensive behavioral intervention to children with autism and other language/learning delays. The individualized plans are designed to increase skills and decrease problem behaviors. Consultation for IEP development is also available. Other services include behavior supports, parent and caregiver training, and professional development training.
Unlocking the Spectrum: Bloomington, Indianapolis, Seymour, and Terre Haute
Unlocking the Spectrum was created to make ABA therapy accessible to all children with autism. ABA services include:
- Individualized plans
- Skills assessments
- In-home consultations
- Functional analyses
Additional Resources for Applied Behavior Analysts in Indiana
The ABA field in Indiana remains strong, thanks to a variety of resources and ABA providers that support those with autism and other developmental disorders.
Autism Society of Indiana: The Autism Society of Indiana connects people who live with autism and those who care about them. It also strives to create communities throughout the state for people on the autism spectrum and their families.
It is a clearinghouse for a variety of services related to career and work readiness, individual and family support, direct care, and community outreach.
Indiana Resource Center for Autism: The Indiana Resource Center for Autism, housed in the Indiana University of Bloomington, conducts training and consultations, engages in research, and disseminates information to build local community capacity to support children and adults on the autism spectrum.