AzABA's commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion 

AzABA Guiding Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The Arizona Association for Behavior Analysis acknowledges the existence of systemic racism and implicit bias, as well as other forms of discrimination and exclusion in our society including, but not limited to sexism, ableism, religious discrimination, and discrimination towards the LGBTQIA+ communities. Within the field of Applied Behavior Analysis and its applications, systemic racism and implicit bias impact interactions between supervisors and employees, service providers and caregivers, and practitioners and clients/recipients of services. AzABA also recognizes societal barriers to seeking graduate training in ABA, leading to lack of diversity in our certificants. AzABA acknowledges the impact of systemic discrimination in who has access to behavior analytic services and who does not.

AzABA recognizes the importance of committed action within the mission of the organization and is committed to using a behavior analytic lens to dismantle social injustice, systemic oppression, and racial inequities by specifically targeting training and education for membership, increasing diversity in membership population and leadership, improving access to services in equitable ways, and impacting and informing policy and legislation. The association works to increase awareness and understanding, discover and remove barriers to access services and training, to ultimately enrich our AzABA community by diversifying membership and raising the quality of services we provide.

AzABA Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee: A Journey of Self-Reflection and Action

Over the years, the AzABA EDI Committee has actively worked toward addressing inequities, promoting social justice, and ensuring that the field of behavior analysis becomes more inclusive and equitable. With a focus on systemic change, the committee has centered its efforts on key areas including Training and Education, Diversity in Membership and Leadership, Equal Access to Services, and Policy and Legislation Impact.

Key Milestones and Achievements

1. Mission and Vision Development:  

In September 2020, AzABA established the EDI Committee with the mission to utilize a behavior-analytic lens to dismantle social injustice, systemic oppression, and racial inequities within the ABA community. Through community feedback, the committee has prioritized actionable efforts in four major areas: 

• Training and Education: Enhancing awareness and educational opportunities to diversify the ABA workforce. 

• Diversity in Membership and Leadership: Ensuring representation and inclusivity within AzABA's membership and leadership structures. 

• Equal Access to Services: Making ABA services more accessible to underserved populations. 

• Informing and Impacting Policy: Engaging with policy changes to reflect the values of equity and inclusion. 
   

2. Public Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:  

In 2022, AzABA released a guiding statement acknowledging the existence of systemic racism, implicit bias, and other forms of discrimination within society and the field of ABA. The statement emphasizes AzABA's commitment to using behavior analysis to address these issues by targeting training, increasing diversity, improving service access, and influencing policy. 

Additionally, the Board of Directors, in partnership with the Informing and Impacting Policy workgroup, created a standard Policy on Discrimination and Harassment alignment with its guiding statement on diversity and inclusion.  

3. Strategic Actions and Internal Board Work: 

• DEI Training: The Board of Directors participated in training with DEI subject matter experts to enhance understanding and implementation of inclusive practices, reflection, and inner work.  

• Regular Assessments: Conducting regular DEI assessments to identify areas for improvement within the board and the organization. 

• Value Addition: Incorporation of the value "Integrity of Action through the Lens of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" into AzABA's mission and values statement. 

• Bylaws Revision: In 2024, the EDI Committee reviewed AzABA's bylaws to identify potential biases and ensure the use of inclusive language. 

• Board Member Application and Selection Process: Implementing a robust and transparent process to select board members who are diverse, qualified, and committed to AzABA's mission of equity and inclusion. 

• Public Statement Review Process: The Board of Directors created a decision tree and standard process for the review and approval of public statements, thus allowing the board to effectively and efficiently process and communicate to membership regarding important matters for the community.   
  
  

4. Community Engagement and Educational Initiatives: 

• EDI Continuing Education Events: Hosting free Continuing Education Unit (CEU) events focused on EDI topics, accessible to both members and non-members, featuring speakers from historically marginalized groups in topics of cultural responsiveness. 

• Content Development: The Program Committee adheres to stringent processes for the development and review of events to ensure the dissemination of inclusive and relevant content, meeting behavior analytic guidelines and requirements for CEU events. 
  
  

5. Commitment to Data Informed Decisions- Demographic Data Collection  

AzABA initiated collecting demographic data in 2020 to inform its initiatives to promote participation and diverse inclusion of practitioners serving the community.  In 2024, the Board EDI Workgroup initiated an analysis of the demographic data collected over the year.  This analysis and data was presented to the AzABA community at the annual business meeting in 2024 to ensure transparency and alignment with the needs of its members. 

6. RBT and Student Internship Program: 

• Internship Development: The Board of Directors recognized the discrepancy in demographic representation on the board.  The board created the AzABA Internship to promote inclusion of the perspective of the direct care provider community. An internship opportunity was designed and executed in 2022. 

• Internship Benefits: The internship initiatives aimed at providing practical experience for individuals from diverse backgrounds to participate on the board, share their experiences and receive mentorship.  

• Internship Stipend: AzABA’s dedication to representation includes a budgetary commitment.  Each AzABA intern receives an annual stipend to support the work they contribute to the association.
   

7. Supporting Direct Care Professionals- Scholarships: 

Conference Attendance Scholarship: AzABA has awarded over 100 scholarships across three years to support RBTs and students in attending the AzABA Annual Conference. These scholarships help to reduce financial barriers for those interested in furthering their professional development and attending events that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the field of behavior analysis. 

Community Scholarships: AzABA has established a committee to explore further scholarship opportunities in the community. 

8. Other Initiative Funding: 

The committee has also focused on allocating funds to support ongoing initiatives: 

• Training & Education- Video Dissemination Project: Aiming to finance the production of video that highlight diverse professionals in ABA, with special budget allotment. 
• Diversity in Leadership: Partnerships for mentorship and hosting four guest speakers annually, with specific budget allotment.
• Speaker Honorarium Policies and Budget Allocation:
• • The AzABA Program Committee created policies for equitable honorariums for invited speakers for the annual conference. 
  • The Board of Directors established a standard Speaker Fee and Honorarium Procedure and Budget for SIG and Committee Guest Speakers 

9. Outreach and Engagement: 

Ongoing efforts to enhance outreach included: 

• Equal Access to Care: 
• • Surveys and Data Collection: Collecting feedback from Arizona behavior analytic organizations 
  • Analysis of Data: Analyzed responses for provider/clinic locations and identified underserved areas in Arizona. 
  • Resource Guide Development: Considering the development of a resource guide and referral list for AzABA sponsor agencies. 
• Public Policy & Legislation:  
• • Self-reflection sessions and review of literature on coercion. 
  • Drafted Public Statements and Policies related to DEI to guide activities and actions of the association. 
• Educational Dissemination, Organizational Partnerships, & Dissemination Efforts 
• • Chapter Partnership with Black Applied Behavior Analysts (BABA) 
  • BABA Conference Presentation sharing EDI work at the State Chapter level to promote change management  
  • ABAI Affiliate Chapters Presentation and Discussion at Annual Meeting 
  • Partnership with the Interprofessional Behavioral Health Collaborative supporting efforts related to advocacy across disciplines

Conclusion

AzABA's EDI Committee continues to evolve its efforts, focusing on actionable change across all aspects of the organization. By addressing systemic oppression, enhancing educational access, promoting leadership diversity, and influencing policy, the committee lays the groundwork for a more inclusive future in behavior analysis. Through ongoing community engagement and strategic planning, AzABA exemplifies its commitment to equity and diversity in the field.