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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Behavior Intervention Specialist

💰 $45,000 - $70,000

Behavioral HealthEducationSpecial EducationClinical Services

🎯 Role Definition

A Behavior Intervention Specialist (BIS) is a skilled practitioner who assesses, designs, implements, and monitors individualized behavior supports and interventions for children, adolescents, or adults with challenging behaviors or special needs. The BIS integrates applied behavior analysis (ABA) principles, functional behavior assessments (FBAs), and evidence-based positive behavior support strategies to reduce behavioral barriers to learning and daily functioning. This role collaborates closely with teachers, families, therapists, and multidisciplinary teams to create behavior intervention plans (BIPs), ensure fidelity of implementation, collect and analyze behavioral data, and provide training and coaching to stakeholders to achieve measurable, sustainable outcomes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
  • Special Education Teacher or Paraprofessional
  • Mental Health Technician / Behavior Technician

Advancement To:

  • Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
  • Lead Behavior Specialist / Behavior Program Manager
  • Special Education or Clinical Program Supervisor / Director

Lateral Moves:

  • School Counselor or Social Worker
  • Therapeutic Foster Care Coordinator
  • Behavioral Health Clinician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Conduct comprehensive Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) using direct observation, interviews with caregivers and staff, records review, and data analysis to identify antecedents, functions, and patterns of challenging behavior.
  • Design individualized Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) and positive behavior support strategies grounded in ABA principles that clearly define prevention strategies, teaching objectives, replacement skills, and reactive strategies for escalation.
  • Implement evidence-based behavioral interventions directly with clients including skill-building sessions, prompting hierarchies, reinforcement systems, naturalistic teaching, and task analysis for adaptive behaviors.
  • Monitor and maintain high-fidelity implementation of BIPs across settings (home, classroom, community) by coaching and modeling strategies for teachers, paraprofessionals, family members, and caregivers.
  • Collect, manage, and analyze behavioral data (frequency, duration, ABC data, partial interval, momentary time sampling) to measure progress toward behavior goals and to inform iterative plan adjustments.
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (teachers, school psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, school administrators, and medical providers) to integrate behavior supports with IEPs, 504 plans, and treatment goals.
  • Provide parent and caregiver training and coaching that builds skills for generalization of adaptive behaviors, maintenance of gains, and consistent use of reinforcement strategies across environments.
  • Deliver crisis prevention and intervention services using approved strategies (e.g., CPI, de-escalation techniques) and ensure safety plans are in place and followed when risk of harm is present.
  • Create and maintain clear, timely documentation including FBAs, BIPs, progress monitoring reports, session notes, incident reports, and compliance documentation aligned with district, agency, and legal standards.
  • Lead functional communication training and replacement skill instruction to reduce problem behavior by teaching alternative communication systems, social skills, coping strategies, and self-regulation techniques.
  • Design and manage individualized reinforcement systems, token economies, and behavior charts with measurable criteria and fading plans to increase pro-social behavior and task engagement.
  • Facilitate classroom-based behavior support via co-teaching, classroom management consultation, environmental modification recommendations, and universal behavior supports (PBIS) to increase instructional time and decrease disruptions.
  • Provide staff development, in-service trainings, and competency-based coaching to school staff and provider teams on behavior analytic practices, data-driven decision making, crisis response, and culturally responsive behavior supports.
  • Review and interpret behavioral and academic data to prepare clear progress summaries for IEP meetings, multidisciplinary conferences, and stakeholder updates, and make evidence-based recommendations.
  • Ensure compliance with ethical and legal requirements related to confidentiality, mandatory reporting, special education law, IEP procedures, and credentialing requirements for behavior support services.
  • Adapt behavioral interventions to meet the developmental, cultural, linguistic, and sensory needs of diverse learners, ensuring individualized supports that respect family values and student dignity.
  • Coordinate transitions and supports across environments (e.g., home-to-school, school-to-community, post-secondary transitions) and assist in developing generalization plans for sustained behavior change.
  • Conduct periodic program evaluations and fidelity checks, using observation tools and inter-rater reliability methods, to measure implementation quality and outcomes and to recommend programmatic improvements.
  • Participate in initial and ongoing eligibility determinations, IEP/504 meetings, and case conferences, presenting behavioral data, intervention rationales, progress, and recommended next steps to stakeholders.
  • Develop crisis prevention and safety materials such as individualized crisis response plans, risk assessments, and staff quick-reference guides, and ensure staff are trained on their application.
  • Advocate for student-centered behavioral supports and reasonable accommodations within educational and community systems to reduce exclusionary discipline and increase access to instruction.

Secondary Functions

  • Maintain and update electronic health records (EHR) or educational data systems with accurate session notes, behavioral data, and outcome measures.
  • Support program-level quality improvement initiatives by contributing behavioral outcome data and recommendations for practice and policy changes.
  • Assist with caseload management tasks such as scheduling, progress report timelines, and communication logs to ensure timely service delivery.
  • Participate in staff meetings, child study teams, and professional learning communities to align behavior services with district or agency priorities.
  • Serve as a resource for procurement of classroom materials, visual supports, social stories, and assistive technology that facilitate behavioral and communication goals.
  • Build and maintain community partnerships for wraparound services, including mental health referrals, family support resources, and community-based programs.
  • Mentor and provide supervision to junior staff or practicum students under the supervision of a BCBA or licensed clinician, ensuring ethical practice and documentation standards are met.
  • Contribute to grant proposals, program descriptions, and service outcome reports to support funding and program sustainability.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) design, execution, and interpretation
  • Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) development and measurable goal writing
  • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies: discrete trial training, natural environment teaching, chaining, task analysis
  • Data collection methods: ABC charts, frequency/duration recording, interval sampling, graphing and basic statistical interpretation
  • Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) frameworks and tiered support design
  • Crisis prevention and de-escalation techniques (e.g., CPI, trauma-informed approaches) and safety plan development
  • IEP and 504 plan integration, special education compliance, and IEP goal alignment
  • Use of electronic documentation systems (EHR, student information systems) and proficiency with Excel/Google Sheets for data tracking
  • Behavior support training design and competency-based staff coaching
  • Knowledge of functional communication training (FCT), augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) basics, and social skills curricula
  • Risk assessment and individualized safety/crisis planning
  • Experience conducting fidelity checks and implementation monitoring tools

Soft Skills

  • Strong observational skills and attention to detail for accurate data collection and analysis
  • Clear, empathetic verbal and written communication with families, educators, and clinicians
  • Coaching and mentoring ability to transfer skills and build capacity among staff and caregivers
  • Collaborative, team-oriented mindset in multidisciplinary service delivery
  • Patience, resilience, and emotional regulation when working with high-needs behaviors
  • Cultural humility and the ability to adapt interventions to diverse family values and contexts
  • Problem-solving and critical thinking to modify intervention strategies based on data trends
  • Time management and organizational skills for caseload prioritization and documentation deadlines
  • Professionalism and ethical decision-making consistent with confidentiality and mandated reporting
  • Conflict resolution and diplomacy when navigating challenging stakeholder dynamics

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Special Education, Social Work, Applied Behavior Analysis, Counseling, or related human services field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, Special Education, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or related field; or BCBA certification (Board Certified Behavior Analyst).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
  • Special Education
  • Psychology
  • Social Work
  • Counseling
  • Human Services

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–5 years working in educational, clinical, or community settings providing behavior support; most roles require at least 1–2 years of direct experience with behavior intervention.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years of experience performing FBAs and writing/implementing BIPs, experience in school-based special education settings or behavioral health programs, and documented experience coaching staff/caregivers.
  • Preferred certifications: RBT (Registered Behavior Technician), CPI or equivalent crisis intervention training, or progress toward BCBA certification.
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