Telehealth and telesupervision for ABA in Hawaii

Yes.

Licensed Behavior Analyst

No separate board. Behavior Analyst Program, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, administered by the Director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (HRS §465D-3).

HRS chapter 465D. §465D-4 (license required beginning January 1, 2016; protected titles "licensed behavior analyst" and "behavior analyst"; fine up to $1,000 per offense, each day a separate offense; amended L 2018, c 205, §4). §465D-8 (must have passed the BCBA examination, maintain active BACB status as a BCBA or BCBA-D, and pay fees). §465D-9 (endorsement if another state's license is current, unencumbered, and equivalent or higher). §465D-10 (two-year license; renew within 60 days before expiration; forfeited license restorable for one year, then terminated). Fees in HAR §16-53-14.5 (Title 16, chapter 53; section added and chapter compiled October 10, 2016). The June 30, 2021 sunset was deleted by Act 80, SLH 2021 (H.B. 471; approved June 24, 2021; effective June 29, 2021), amending HRS §26H-4. The program's laws page also cites HRS chapter 436B and does not link a behavior-analyst practice-standards chapter.

Form BA-00 0824R (August 2024), still the posted requirements form: file in an even-numbered year, $260 ($50 application + $50 license + $100 compliance-resolution fund + $60 one-half renewal); file in an odd-numbered year, $150 ($50 application + $50 license + $50 compliance-resolution fund). As of 2026-10-21 an initial applicant is in an even year ($260). Application fee is nonrefundable (HRS §465D-6(b)); a dishonored payment draws a $25 service charge. Applicant must be at least 18 and a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or alien authorized to work in the United States. BACB certificant printout is attached, and a BACB verification letter is sent to ba@dcca.hawaii.gov; the form states BACB charges $25 for that letter. HAR §16-53-14.5: application $50, original license $50, first year of the biennium $110 (original license plus one-half renewal), second year $50, biennial renewal $120, inactive and reactivation $12, restoration penalty $100, biennial compliance-resolution fund $100 (annual $50). DCCA posts renewal by December 31 of every odd-numbered year. The displayed cycle is January 1, 2026–December 31, 2027; on-time renewal was accepted November 3, 2025–December 31, 2025. On-time renewal: active $220, inactive $12. Restoration within one year of expiration: active $320, inactive $112; after one year the person must apply as a new applicant. An incomplete application is abandoned after one year (HRS §436B-9). The November 2015 DCCA FAQ states there is no state continuing-education requirement for renewal and that a complete application is reviewed for completeness in about 15–20 business days.

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

As of 2026-10-21, the general insurance telehealth statute (HRS 431:10A-116.3) bars requiring in-person contact as a prerequisite for payment for services appropriately provided through telehealth and provides that reimbursement for telehealth services shall be equivalent to in-person services via interactive telecommunications. For audio-only services, the 80% reimbursement applies only to the diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of a mental-health disorder for a patient at home. The statute does not mention ABA specifically, and the autism mandate (HRS 431:10A-133) excludes services provided outside the State. For Medicaid/Med-QUEST, memo QI-2527/FFS 25-12 (dated December 8, 2025) provides current general Medicaid telehealth guidance: eligible providers are those eligible to bill Hawai‘i Medicaid, and services provided by telehealth must be appropriate for the telehealth modality. The official index lists an ABA memo, QI-2431/FFS 24-13, but that PDF could not be opened successfully, so its ABA-specific conditions and remote-supervision provisions remain unverified. These sources do not establish blanket telehealth authorization for every ABA service or independent technician billing.

HRS 431:10A-116.3 (sections marked for repeal and reenactment on December 31, 2027 per L 2025, c 217).

For audio-only mental-health services at the 80% rate, an in-person or non-audio-only telehealth visit must precede the initial audio-only visit within six months, and a prior such visit must occur within twelve months before any subsequent audio-only visit. The general statute otherwise bars requiring in-person contact as a prerequisite for payment for services appropriately provided through telehealth. ABA-specific in-person requirements were not verified.

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