Practice requirements for ABA providers in Washington

Last researched October 21, 2026

The internal processes a practice in Washington has to run before and after a technician starts. A practice, not MeetAllo, remains responsible for compliance.

Requirements for practices

Medium confidence: reputable secondary source

Facility or agency license: As of 2026-10-21, facility-based day treatment programs must be agency-approved by HCA, including a signed ABA Day Program Capacity Attestation (HCA 13-0007) on file. Whether any separate state agency license applies to a given provider is unknown: no separate license was identified in the sources read, but this is not an exemption. WAC 182-531A-0800 expressly requires outpatient hospital facilities to meet DOH licensure requirements under chapter 246-320 WAC.
Background checks: We could not verify this yet - check with the state health or licensing department.
Staff training: Day programs must employ or contract with a lead behavior analysis therapist (LBAT), and direct-service providers must hold the applicable credentials. Per the billing guide, CBTs in the program must meet WAC 182-531A-0800. The exact adult-to-child ratio (previously stated as 1:1) and the rules on whether students/trainees may serve as paid program staff and whether their time is billable could not be verified in this review and should be confirmed against the current HCA billing guide.
Other requirements: ABA services follow a three-stage pathway: stage one is a Center of Excellence (COE) evaluation and prescription, and stage two is functional assessment and treatment plan development (WAC 182-531A-0500 and 182-531A-0600). Authorization is required from HCA or the applicable managed care organization (MCO) process before treatment-plan implementation; not every evaluation-stage service has been shown to require HCA authorization (see WAC 182-531A-0700). Providers generally enroll with HCA, with servicing providers enrolled under an organization's agreement rather than necessarily holding an individual core provider agreement (CPA). Background-check requirements were not verified in this review; the null value means unverified, not that none exist.

Sources (5)

Medicaid supervision and enrollment

Medium confidence: reputable secondary source

Provider enrollment: We could not verify this yet - check with Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA).
Supervision requirements: LBAT supervises a minimum of five percent of total direct care per week provided by the CBT (e.g., one hour per twenty hours of care) per WAC 182-531A-0800; day treatment programs use the same 5 percent minimum with LBAT on site (per the HCA bulletin).

Sources (6)

National baseline for onboarding a technician

Items below are supported by BACB or regulator sources. Your state may add more.

Verify RBT status on the BACB Certificant Registry (status, expiration, listed supervisor; red text means may not practice) or via portal verification report / $25 written verification.
Ensure a qualified BCBA/BCaBA supervisor (with completed supervisor training 2.0) or RBT Requirements Coordinator lists the RBT as supervisee in their BACB portal before the RBT provides services as an RBT.
Assign a supervisor/Coordinator for every client the RBT serves; no relation, employer-superior or multiple relationship with the RBT.
Plan supervision: 5% of monthly service hours, at least two real-time contacts per month, one individual, one observation of services; document dates, durations, format, observations; retain 7 years.
Criminal background check and abuse registry check comparable to those for home health aides/child care/teachers, within 180 days before the application is paid; fingerprinting may be required by state or organization.
For applicants: have a BCBA/BCaBA Responsible Assessor (with 8-hour supervision training, same organization as applicant and clients, not related/subordinate/employed by the applicant at the time of assessment) complete the ICA after the 40-hour training; keep assessment records 7 years.
Attesting Certificant for the application attestation must not be related to, subordinate to, or employed by the applicant.
Correct worker classification (employee vs contractor) for RBTs; BACB may ask for a tax professional's written opinion in an ethics matter.
For TRICARE ACD enrollment: RBT/ABAT/BCAT or state certification, current BLS/CPR, authorized ABA supervisor named, 10-year federal/state/county criminal and sex-offender history check.
For Medicaid/commercial payers: confirm state Medicaid or payer definition of technician qualifications, enrollment and credentialing before billing (state-specific).

Verify any certified technician on the BACB certificant registry.

Related guides for Washington

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