SBT Branch Planning: Moving from Conceptual Framework to Clinical Design

Description

SBT Branch Planning: Moving from Conceptual Framework to Clinical Design

1 General CEU

*This is a self-contained module from the “Beyond the Protocol” workshop, a comprehensive workshop on PFA and SBT.

Course Abstract:This module covers SBT branch planning, walking through what makes something a branch (and what doesn’t), how to move from a family’s broad goals down to specific, measurable terminal goals, and how to build the shaping steps that lead there. Participants learn to design branches that target meaningful, real-world contexts rather than isolated skills, to think creatively beyond the common academic/ADL/leisure defaults, and to sequence and rotate multiple branches within treatment. A substantial portion addresses the individualization and judgment this requires, along with common branch-design mistakes and how to treat a branch design as a hypothesis to be adjusted with data.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, participants will be able to…

• Distinguish a branch from an individual skill program, and identify what makes a context an appropriate branch
• Move from a family’s broad goals through relevant settings, skill domains, and activities to a specific, measurable terminal goal for each branch
• Design the shaping steps toward a terminal goal by starting with the end in mind, and individualize branches to a learner’s needs and contexts
• Sequence and rotate multiple branches within treatment, including when to add, modify, pause, or retire a branch
• Recognize common branch-design mistakes and how to correct them

Presenter Bios:
Hillary Laney, MA, BCBA, LBA spearheaded a company-wide transformation to assent-based care at one of the largest ABA organizations in the country. She built the mentorship infrastructure, data systems, and implementation frameworks that resulted in hundreds of clinicians and clinical leaders being trained and thousands of clients benefiting from PFA/SBT and assent-based care practices. She currently works as a Senior VP of Clinical Services at Centria Autism.

Liisa Podosek, MSW, M.Ed, BCBA, LBA built and delivered mentorship programs that transformed how hundreds of practitioners implement PFA/SBT and assent-based care, guiding clinicians from “I read about this” to “I can do this confidently.” She brings a trauma-informed lens to mentorship, helping practitioners navigate difficult cases and develop authentic caregiver partnerships. She currently leads the development and coordination of educational offerings through PFA & SBT Community.

Dr. Edward Sanabria, Ph.D, BCBA, LBA designed and implemented large-scale PFA/SBT mentorship systems that trained clinicians across the country in assessment and treatment approaches that prioritize client safety, dignity, and assent. His research interests in interdisciplinary collaboration, reflective practice, and the large-scale adoption of behavioral interventions inform his approach to helping practitioners develop humility-driven clinical practices that build strong therapeutic relationships. He currently serves as Senior Director of Functional Analysis and Treatment Implementation at Centria Autism, where he oversees national assent-based care training initiatives and PFA/SBT mentorship.

**Purchase includes 6 months of access to this course.

Published October 2026

The PFA & SBT Community is an Authorized Continuing Education Provider for the BACB® and IBAO®. Our BACB® provider ID is OP-23-10256.