NAC641.209. Scope of practice for licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst: Competency required; use of new method, service or technique; referral of certain clients; basis for rendering formal professional opinion.

A licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst:

     1. Shall limit his or her practice and supervision to the areas in which he or she has acquired competence through education, training and experience.

     2. Shall not, except in an emergency in which the life or health of a person is in danger, practice or offer to practice beyond the scope of his or her license, or perform any professional service which the licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst knows, or has reason to know, that he or she is not competent to perform.

     3. Shall not engage in conduct in the practice of applied behavior analysis which evidences moral unfitness to practice the profession.

     4. Shall maintain competence in the areas in which he or she practices through continuing education, consultation or other methods, in conformance with current standards of scientific and professional knowledge.

     5. Shall use every reasonable effort to ensure that all services provided to clients are adequate in degree and scope, and conform to the highest professional standards.

     6. Shall, if acquiring experience in a method, service or technique for treatment or evaluation that is either new to the licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst or new to the profession:

     (a) Engage in continuing consultation with other licensed behavior analysts or licensed assistant behavior analysts or relevant professionals;

     (b) Seek appropriate education and training in the new method, service or technique for treatment or evaluation; and

     (c) Inform clients of the innovative nature and known risks of the new method, service or technique for treatment or evaluation to provide the clients with the freedom of choice concerning applied behavior analysis services.

     7. Shall not claim or use any secret or special method, service or technique for treatment or evaluation not previously disclosed to the Board.

     8. Shall not, except for the purpose of research, use any method, service or technique for treatment or evaluation for which there is no adequate basis in research.

     9. If a referral is clearly in the best interest of the client or upon request of a client, shall refer or recommend referral of a client to:

     (a) Another professional; or

     (b) Appropriate technical or administrative resources.

     10. Shall not render a formal professional opinion about a person who is not a client without having had direct and substantial professional contact with the person or without having made a formal assessment of the person.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Psychological Exam’rs by R209-09, eff. 10-15-2010)