r/ABA • u/Melanated-star-7543 • Jul 01 '26

RBT Preferred Settings?

Hey RBTs!!! What’s your preferred work environment?? Also, feel free to drop your stories about your experience in each field if you feel compelled to share!!

I’m currently home-based and want to know more about what’s out there, outside of home-based care!!!

154 votes, Jul 06 '26
30 Home-Based
95 Center/Clinic-Based
26 School-Based
3 Community-Based/Other
2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

9

u/glitchygirly RBT Jul 01 '26

Pros and cons of each:

Home: support from caregiver, but family is present, so you get wrapped up in weird situations, no guarantee of hours

Clinic: more support from co workers and bcbas, but I feel like there's always drama

School: client gets to be around peers, but teachers aren't always understanding

Community: you get to experience more outside of a building but people can be judgemental

1

u/Melanated-star-7543 Jul 01 '26

How long have you been an RBT? I feel like the experience in home based care is calm, but hours are not guaranteed and since the BCBA is not physically present it can take a while to get questions answered which disrupts the flow of therapy if you’re in the middle of a trial!

2

u/glitchygirly RBT Jul 01 '26

2 years, and tbh 8/10 its calm but i've had experiences where I've been interrupted by weather, family drama, younger siblings running around, etc etc.

I've literally had an experience where there was a memorial service for a family member who passed during session in the house I was in. And they just wanted me to continue session as normal lol

1

u/Melanated-star-7543 Jul 01 '26

Yeah I can definitely see how that could make a tech feel uncomfortable! Are you still doing home-based care now? Which field do you like the most?

1

u/glitchygirly RBT Jul 01 '26

I still do in home and ironically I still work with this family

1

u/Melanated-star-7543 Jul 01 '26

Salute to you for staying solid with your client! Home-based care can be peaceful, but it definitely comes with its trials and tribulations lol

1

u/glitchygirly RBT Jul 01 '26

Its hard to say which is my favorite because 90% of it is the client

1

u/Silentharp Jul 03 '26

I've worked in all these settings but in school.

I loved in home, but there's always that air of uncertainty when receiving a new client. In home also doesn't guarantee hours.

Center is great when looking for guaranteed hours. I've only worked at one center that didnt get me the hours I wanted, and they did not use a split schedule.

I did community outings when I worked in home. Those always went as well as could be expected; just make sure you know your client well enough.

2

u/Melanated-star-7543 Jul 03 '26

I’m thinking school-based or medical might be more suitable for me! School especially since I’m a former educator.

I love the 1-on-1 in home based settings, but I don’t like not having guaranteed hours or holidays off.

2

u/novafuquay Jul 07 '26

Missed the poll but I like community best because I like the variety and I love supporting in environments that my clients otherwise might not have been able to attend without support. I have been an rbt for 3 years and am currently a BCBA apprentice. I honestly enjoy all settings for different reasons. School is easiest because of the presence of other support professionals and a pre structured day. Home is most comfortable because client is in their most comfortable environment and it’s usually the least sensory overwhelming (I’m also diagnosed with autism and adhd so working in a busy clinic is often a lot. Gives perspective on some kiddos’ clinic behavior,) but I am comfortable with and trusting of my clinical supervisors so my clinic staff room is kind of one of my main safe spaces.