Review how supervision time, contact structure, service observation and documentation fit together. Use the current BACB Handbook and your designated supervisor to resolve requirement questions.
Task F.3: Provide services under ongoing supervision meeting BACB requirements
Ongoing RBT supervision requires both enough supervision time and the required contact structure; accurate records must show what actually occurred.
Under the June 2026 BACB Handbook, supervision must cover at least 5% of monthly behavior-analytic service hours at each organization. It also requires at least two face-to-face, real-time contacts, including observation of service delivery at least once and at least one individual meeting.
Key terms
Face-to-face, real-time contact
An interactive meeting in person or by suitable live video.
What to look for
Distinction
Look for
How to decide
Amount and contacts
Percentage plus required monthly contact structure
Check the required hours, contacts, observation and meeting format separately.
Availability
A designated supervisor and coverage route
Seek clinical direction whenever it is needed, including between scheduled meetings.
Documentation
Actual service hours, supervision and contact details
Record hours, dates, format, observation and supervisors; retain required supervision records for at least seven years.
Worked examples
Hours and structure
Check the hours and contact count
An RBT provides 80 hours of behavior-analytic services at one organization in a calendar month. They receive four hours of supervision in a single individual real-time meeting that includes observation with a learner. No second contact occurs.
Relevant facts
Four hours is 5% of 80.
There is only one qualifying contact.
The four hours meet the time minimum. A second qualifying contact was also required that month.
80 × 0.05 = 4 hours; 1 contact < required 2
Track contacts separately from hours. This completed month contains a supervision gap: report noncompliance to the BACB as required and work with the responsible supervisor to resolve it. Keep the contact record accurate.
Availability and records
Identify a qualifying supervision contact
An RBT has an urgent clinical question and sends it through the designated coverage channel. Later they consider listing the email exchange as a face-to-face supervision meeting.
Relevant facts
The exchange can support communication.
It was not a face-to-face, real-time contact.
Record the message as communication and track qualifying real-time meetings separately.
Email consultation → communication record; live meeting → qualifying contact
Use the supervisor’s coverage arrangements for clinical needs and schedule qualifying contacts as required. Real-time video can meet the face-to-face requirement when the applicable conditions are met.
What changes the answer?
Keep four supervision hours for eighty service hours; change the contact structure.
The 5% time minimum is met in both cases.
All four hours occur in one contact.
A second qualifying contact was required.
The contact requirement calls for a second qualifying meeting.
They occur across two qualifying contacts with required observation and individual supervision.
The stated time and contact conditions are met.
Other applicable documentation and supervisor requirements still apply.
Check each supervision requirement separately: hours, contacts, observation and meeting format.
Remember
Hours, contacts, observation, individual meeting and records all matter.
Use the current Handbook and your designated supervisor to resolve requirement questions.