Training Staff to Think: Building Capacity & Clinical Decision-Making in SBT

Description

Training Staff to Think: Building Capacity & Clinical Decision-Making in SBT

1 Supervision 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 training implementers to deliver SBT well by not just following a protocol, but building the decision-making capacity that makes the work effective. Participants learn a three-stage approach: setting the stage through values alignment, teaching the how through behavior skills training and scaffolded supervision, and monitoring progress through fidelity checks and reflective practice. The module covers spotting values misalignment and distinguishing a “can’t do” skill gap from a “won’t do” buy-in problem, since each calls for a different response. A substantial portion addresses implementable strategies for coaching efficiently. Throughout, the emphasis is on relationship, curiosity over confrontation, and using reflective practice to build the judgment implementers need when the supervisor isn’t there.

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

• Describe the three-stage staff-training approach: values alignment, behavior skills training with scaffolded supervision, and fidelity-based monitoring
• Identify signs of values misalignment across sessions, between sessions, and in the supervisory relationship, and distinguish a skill-based “can’t do” from a buy-in-based “won’t do”
• Diagnose coaching needs by probing the highest target step, and choose between isolated and chained BST based on whether the gap is a discrete skill, sequencing, or decision-making
• Train generalizable, in-the-moment decision-making rather than a rigid protocol, using reflective practice to build implementer judgment
• Adapt feedback and coaching to the individual implementer’s needs, leading with relationship and curiosity, especially with experienced staff who bring contradicting habits

Presenter Bios:
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.