Oregon ABA
By Amanda Johnstone
ORABA has continued to experience growth in membership and BACB certificants in the state over the last year despite being amid a pandemic. In 2020, ORABA hosted its annual conference virtually and continued to provide continuing education to members across the state.
Oregon’s growing population of practicing behavior analysts is continuing to grow. However, the number of Registered Behavior Analysis Interventionists has slowed this year, which is likely attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic. As of the beginning of 2021, there are 285 active Licensed Behavior Analysts, 27 active Licensed Assistant Behavior Analysts, and 1477 active Registered Behavior Analysis Interventionists in Oregon. ORABA has closely followed the activities of the Behavior Analyst Regulatory Board this year and is proud to have members serving on the board in 2020.
ORABA’s annual conference, Lessons Learned and Future Directions, occurred in October. The conference was held virtually. ORABA’s keynote speaker, Ellie Kazemi, Ph.D., BCBA-D, presented to members on the topic of creating a culture of care. Shawn Capell, MS, BCBA, LBA discussed fulfilling the promises of applied behavior analysis. Several of our local behavior analysts presented on a variety of topics.
Oregon’s higher education system saw additional opportunities for students to engage in behavior analytic studies. Portland State University, University of Oregon, and Oregon Institute of Technology all provide course sequences for certification in Applied Behavior Analysis.