BCAT Ethics and Legal Considerations 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BCAT is asked to implement a new restrictive procedure that has not been approved in the client's behavior plan. The BCAT should:
- Implement it if the supervisor requests it verbally
- Refuse to implement it until it is formally approved and documented (Correct answer)
- Try it once to assess effectiveness before raising concerns
- Implement it only in emergency situations
Correct answer: Refuse to implement it until it is formally approved and documented
Restrictive procedures must be formally approved and documented in the behavior plan before a BCAT may implement them.
Question 2: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide 'reasonable accommodations.' This means:
- Any accommodation the employee requests must be provided
- Accommodations that do not impose undue hardship on the employer (Correct answer)
- Accommodations must cost under $500 to qualify as reasonable
- Only physical accommodations such as ramps and elevators are required
Correct answer: Accommodations that do not impose undue hardship on the employer
The ADA requires reasonable accommodations unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer's operations.
Question 3: A BCAT learns that a colleague is billing for sessions that never occurred. This constitutes:
- A minor procedural error
- Healthcare fraud, which must be reported (Correct answer)
- An acceptable practice if the client made progress
- An internal scheduling matter
Correct answer: Healthcare fraud, which must be reported
Billing for services not rendered is healthcare fraud, which is illegal and must be reported through appropriate channels.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of maintaining accurate and complete session notes?
- To satisfy billing auditors only
- To provide an accountable record of services that supports client progress and legal compliance (Correct answer)
- To document technician hours for payroll
- To demonstrate high session frequency for marketing purposes
Correct answer: To provide an accountable record of services that supports client progress and legal compliance
Session notes serve as the legal and clinical record of services provided, supporting accountability, continuity of care, and compliance.
Question 5: A parent revokes consent for ABA services mid-treatment. The BCAT's obligation is to:
- Continue services until the BCBA decides to stop
- Cease services immediately and transition the client appropriately (Correct answer)
- Notify insurance and continue for 30 days
- Require the parent to submit the revocation in writing before stopping
Correct answer: Cease services immediately and transition the client appropriately
When consent is revoked, services must stop, and the team must ensure a safe transition for the client.
Question 6: Social media posts about a client's behavior, even without using their name, may violate confidentiality if:
- The post is set to private visibility
- Enough details are included that the client could be identified (Correct answer)
- The post is educational in nature
- The BCBA reviews and approves the post
Correct answer: Enough details are included that the client could be identified
Confidentiality is violated when a client can be identified from the disclosed details, even without explicit naming.
Question 7: Under the BACB Ethics Code, a BCAT who identifies a conflict of interest should:
- Proceed with the professional relationship and disclose only if asked
- Disclose the conflict and take steps to resolve or remove it (Correct answer)
- Withdraw from the case without informing anyone
- Continue working and document the conflict in personal notes
Correct answer: Disclose the conflict and take steps to resolve or remove it
Ethics codes require full disclosure of conflicts of interest and proactive steps to resolve them to protect the client.
BCAT Ethics and Legal Considerations 5
A BCAT is asked to implement a new restrictive procedure that has not been approved in the client's behavior plan.
The BCAT should: