Telehealth and telesupervision for ABA in Arkansas

No state license was found.

Registered Behavior Analyst (title-protected registration, not a mandatory practice license as far as the text read; this does not establish a blanket exemption from other practice or payer requirements)

Arkansas Psychology Board

Arkansas Behavior Analyst Registration Act, Act 432 of 2025 (HB1245), Ark. Code Title 17, Chapter 97, Subchapter 6 (17-97-601 to 17-97-608), as amended by Act 869 of 2025 (HB1954), which added QBA certification as an eligible credential; board rules at 17 CAR §§95-407 and 95-608 (Ark. R. 2026-118, eff. September 6, 2026)

As of 2026-10-21: application fee may not exceed $200 and requires an application, evidence of a completed criminal background check, and an eligible national certification. BCBA and BCBA-D are eligible, and Act 869 of 2025 also added a qualified behavior analyst (QBA) certified by the Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis Credentialing Board, so BCBA/BCBA-D is not the complete list. Registration lasts two years; renewal fee may not exceed $150 with proof of current certification. The board rules state they do not require additional training or continuing education. Temporary registration and reciprocity are provided; the board's rules limit temporary practice to 30 days per calendar year. Unregistered persons may not hold themselves out as a 'registered behavior analyst' (fine $500-$1,000). The effective date of Act 432 itself was not confirmed; the current board rule (Ark. R. 2026-118) is cited as effective September 6, 2026. Confirm current fees and forms on the board's application page.

Sometimes. See the detail below.

As of 2026-10-21, Arkansas Medicaid allows only two ABA services by telemedicine: adaptive behavior treatment with protocol modification (delivered by an enrolled BCBA) and family adaptive behavior treatment. All other covered ABA therapy services (including direct technician treatment) must be conducted in person. Parent/guardian consent is required, the telemedicine interaction must be synchronous (real-time), and delivery must comply with the Arkansas Telemedicine Act (Ark. Code Ann. 17-80-401 to -407). Under Section 223.000(F), telemedicine ABA is reimbursed in the same manner and subject to the same limits as in-person services; Section 105.190, which Section 223.000(D) expressly incorporates, likewise provides reimbursement on the same basis as services provided in person.

We could not verify this yet - check with the state Medicaid agency or licensing board.

Direct ABA therapy treatment (e.g., by RBT) must be in person; BCBA observation thresholds (5% of hours and 1 hour every 30 days) are specified as in-person observation.

BCBA availability by telecommunication satisfies the on-call/immediately-available requirement during sessions, but the minimum observation thresholds are stated as in-person (Section 222.300(C)).