Intensive and early
behavioral intervention with autism:
The UCLA Young Autism Project.

Level I - Staff therapists are trained to implement programs that have been selected and demonstrated by senior staff but they are not trained to design a child’s curriculum or supervise other therapists.

Level II - Supervising therapists are trained in curriculum design and supervision and thus able to serve as a consultant to families wishing to implement the UCLA program.

Since the Level II therapists will have only received training in the UCLA model of treatment, they will need to be supervised by a doctoral-level professional with broader experience in the area of autism and behavior analysis.

Criteria for certification as a Level I therapist are:

1. minimum of 60 hours of experience in 1:1 treatment under the supervision of a Level II therapist.
2. passing mark in the UCLA course, “Fieldwork in Behavior Modification” or its videotaped version.
3. proficiency in 1:1 instruction. Senior staff objectively rate a 15-minute videotape of the applicant working with a client with whom the applicant has worked for a minimum of 10 hours.

Criteria for certification as a Level II therapist are:

1. completion of a 9-month full time internship supervised by a level II therapist, including a minimum of 3 months duration which the applicant engaged in training novice therapist:
2. attainment of level 1 certification;
3. satisfactory ratings from the level II supervisor and from the novice therapists trained by the applicant
4. passing grade on written examination covering assigned reading on diagnosis of autism, research on alternative forms of intervention, basic and applied research within ABA
5. proficiency in designing and implementing new programs, as demonstrated in objective ratings of a 20-min videotape of the applicant conducting 1:1 treatment with clients previously unfamiliar to the applicant. Protocols for the proficiency examinations are available from either author

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