Arizona Tribune - Action Behavior Centers Surpasses 1,000 BCBA Promotions Through Paid RBT-to-BCBA Everest Program

AUSTIN, TX / ACCESS Newswire / October 28, 2026 / Action Behavior Centers (ABC), a provider of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for autistic children, has promoted more than 1,000 teammates to Board Certified Behavior Analyst^® (BCBA^®) through its Everest Program. The paid RBT-to-BCBA fellowship supports Registered Behavior Technicians^® (RBTs^®) through graduate school, supervised fieldwork, and BCBA exam preparation, with experienced ABC clinicians guiding them at each step.

Because Everest participants complete their fieldwork in ABC centers, they start their BCBA roles already familiar with ABC's clinical standards, collaborative goal-setting with families, and the teams they'll supervise. Developing BCBAs from within helps ABC expand access to ABA therapy for autistic children and their families across more than 450 centers in nine states.

KEY FINDINGS: Everest Program growth since its Jan. 1, 2024, launch

• 1,000+ BCBA promotions
• 79% growth in participants from 2024 to 2025
• 921 RBTs enrolled as Everest Trainees in 2024 and 2025

"The launch of ABC's Everest program symbolized a continued commitment to trainees and responsible supervisors," said Samantha Salinas, BCBA, LBA, Vice President of Clinical Services at Action Behavior Centers. "ABC has always prioritized responsible, high-quality fieldwork experiences. The Everest program took us one step further by enhancing structure, benefits, and clear growth trajectories. The addition of NOVA once again demonstrates this commitment."

The Everest Program: A paid path from RBT to BCBA

The Everest Program provides paid RBT training and certification, no-cost restricted and unrestricted fieldwork supervision, paid study time off the schedule, and a $5,000 bonus for passing the BCBA exam on the first attempt. Teammates move through five steps before reaching BCBA: Therapist, Trainee, Nova, Rising Star, and Rising Star+.

Nova, the newest step, sits between Trainee and Rising Star. It recognizes Trainees who are expected to complete their master's degree and sit for the BCBA exam within 18 months. To qualify, teammates must be in good standing, be recommended by their supervisor and Clinical Director, and be actively accruing unrestricted fieldwork hours. At the Nova step, teammates also receive a pay increase and five additional paid hours per week for unrestricted fieldwork activities.

Quality supervision at every step for aspiring BCBAs

Becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst requires more than just completing fieldwork hours. Aspiring BCBAs need individualized mentorship, meaningful clinical experiences, and structured opportunities to develop the skills and confidence necessary to lead their own caseloads. Action Behavior Centers' Everest fieldwork program is designed to support trainees throughout every stage of their professional development.

To protect the quality of that mentorship, ABC limits each supervisor to two trainees, and Clinical Directors supervise one. Supervisors attend monthly professional development sessions led by behavior analysts Dr. Linda LeBlanc and Dr. Tyra Sellers. Additionally, ABC's internally developed apps streamline fieldwork documentation, track professional development milestones, and provide transparency around promotion eligibility to create a more organized and supportive fieldwork experience.

Trainees at the Rising Star step receive a 300-hour curriculum that prepares them to practice as BCBAs at ABC, along with exam preparation resources, dedicated study time, and financial incentives for completing curriculum requirements and passing the BCBA exam. ABC covers the cost of up to two BCBA exam attempts for all eligible trainees.

ABC is also building a 900-hour Everest Curriculum to strengthen fieldwork further. Aligned with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) sixth edition Test Content Outline, it will give trainees competency-based learning and unrestricted activities tied to day-to-day clinical work.¹ Supervision guides and feedback resources will help supervisors deliver consistent learning experiences across ABC centers.

ABC education and student loan benefits for RBTs and BCBAs

ABC pairs the Everest Program with education and student loan benefits that reduce the cost of a behavior analysis career at each stage, from enrolling in a master's degree to paying down loans after certification.

Through ABC Foundations, ABC partners with the following universities to offer teammates tuition discounts of up to 25% on graduate and doctoral degrees in behavior analysis. Discounts apply to new and currently enrolled students. Pass rates reflect each school's most recent first-time BCBA exam pass rate among ABC teammates:

• Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech): 69% pass rate
• Northeastern University: 66% pass rate
• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology: 60% pass rate
• Ball State University: 50% pass rate
• Purdue University Global: 46% pass rate
• Arizona State University Online: 44% pass rate
• Capella University: 41% pass rate
• National University: 35% pass rate

For teammates with existing student debt, ABC's partnership with SoFi^®, offers loan refinancing to all active teammates. Teammates who refinance lower their rate to around 4% on average. After six months of active employment, ABC also contributes up to $600 per year toward the loan's principal balance. ABC teammates also get access to complimentary credit score monitoring, budgeting tools, and other financial wellness resources.

To learn more about ABC's paid Everest RBT-to-BCBA fellowship, including program benefits and the path to becoming a BCBA, visit www.actionbehavior.com/career/bcba/everest.

¹ Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2022). BCBA test content outline (6th ed.). https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/BCBA-6th-Edition-Test-Content-Outline-240903-a.pdf

About Action Behavior Centers

Action Behavior Centers (ABC) provides evidence-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our services include diagnostic support, Family Guidance, school readiness programs, and Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) at 450+ locations across Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. Visit actionbehavior.com to find a center near you.

Media Contact:

Matt Stringer
Chief Marketing Officer
[email protected]

SOURCE: Action Behavior Centers

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

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