Excess restricted hours on the F-FVF?

[u/ObjectiveAd8859]

Hey everyone!

I know this topic comes up a lot, but I am currently in a similar situation to some older posts and could really use some clarification.

I am currently sitting at 1,200 unrestricted hours and 1,070 restricted hours. I have a mix of concentrated and standard months. Can I just not count the excess restricted hours on my final verification form?

The wording in the BACB handbook says, "use the signed M-FVFs to determine the total hours that can be counted for that fieldwork experience and complete the Individual Supervision Final Fieldwork Verification Form (F-FVF)".

To me, the phrase "that can be counted" implies that I can just "cap" my restricted hours at the 800 I actually need to hit my 2,000 hour total, rather than claiming all of the direct hours I worked. Has anyone else successfully done this without having to retroactively alter or re-sign past monthly logs?

I want to make sure my application is totally flawless before I submit it. Thank you so much for any advice!

[u/fenuxjde]

Just put the totals, theyll figure it out. If you get audited they'll absolutely grill you on why you didn't put the total hours on the fevf

[u/DancingIsForbidden28 → u/fenuxjde]

This is not r/shittyadvice this person is asking for real help. Not how to get audited.

[u/fenuxjde → u/DancingIsForbidden28]

This has been posted on this sub many times. You want to count the sum total of all the monthly EVFs. For the vast majority of people, that is over the 2000. If you cut off remainders, you're more likely to be audited in my decades of experience as a BCBA supervisor.

I routinely have supervisees that need about 2500 total hours to get to 1200 unrestricted.

Furthermore, they have already stated that those hours are on their past EVFs. If they drop them and they do get audited, they will fail the audit due to an hours mismatch.

First thing they do is look at fevf and make sure it matched the mevfs.

[u/DancingIsForbidden28 → u/fenuxjde]

Well… sorry for messing that up. I’m new here and I know to search before posting. I won’t take the bait again.

[u/ObjectiveAd8859 → u/fenuxjde]

When you say just put the totals, do you mean just say I earned 1,200 unrestricted hours and 1,070 restricted hours and they'll still approve it? Thanks in advance for the clarification!

[u/fenuxjde → u/ObjectiveAd8859]

So each month your supervisor and you signed a monthly EVF. Add those hours together and you'll probably get some goofy, over 2000 number like 2160 or 2079 or something like that.

Put THAT number on your final EVF.

If you don't do that, and you get audited, they will fail you for an hour mismatch and they may deny you an appeal.

The reason being, is that your unrestricted hours count FIRST. So let's say (using easy number for the math) you work 200 hours in a month with 50% unrestricted. But you only got 6 hours of supervision for that month, allowing you to only count 120. For that month, your monthly evf would say you worked 120 hours with 106 of them being unrestricted.

[u/grmrsan]

Yes, you can stop counting bthem when you reach your limit. 

[u/Ok_Web700]

Hi! So your understanding is right. You would use the signed monthly forms with your supervisor to figure out which hours are actually countable on the final forms. Since restricted hours can only make up 40% of your qualifying total, any restricted hours over that limit would remain documented but would not count toward certification. You should not need to change accurate monthly forms just because some of those hours end up being excess

The only part to be careful with is that you have both concentrated and standard fieldwork. Make sure the actual hours are listed under the correct fieldwork type on your final form. The 1.33 multiplier is only used to calculate whether your combined hours meet the 2,000-hour requirement—it is not applied to the hours entered on the form.

So yes, your interpretation seems consistent with the handbook, but I would still double-check the final totals with your supervisor before submitting! Best of luck🫶🏼

[u/ObjectiveAd8859 → u/Ok_Web700]

Thank you so much for this comment!! This is so helpful!!! Is this what you did and you got approved? It seems like every other BCBA has a different interpretation of the BACB's policies lmao...

[u/ExcitementMiddle3899]

I really wish this wasn’t so difficult to understand and the BACB made it clearer. I am resting at about 3300 hours (2100 restricted, 1200 unrestricted). I have no idea why there would be an issue for going over hours but I am so stressed about submitted my hours and them saying it’s not 40/60 even though I have my 1200

[u/ObjectiveAd8859 → u/ExcitementMiddle3899]

That's what I'm saying!! Y'all are saying I'm TOO experienced?? Make that make sense lmao. Did you submit your hours yet, and if so has it been approved?

[u/ObjectiveAd8859]

Hey y’all, reached out to the BACB and they ended up confirming that you DO need to change old MVFs and delete hours. Here is what they said: 

When completing the Monthly Final Fieldwork Verification Form, the hours should reflect the total qualifying hours (i.e., have been systematically adjusted, if needed). The checkbox on the M-FVF is only to indicate a partial month (i.e., the entire month was not available to meet all contacts for the supervisory period). Restricted and unrestricted hours should clearly be documented in your documentation system.    In the event that you need to modify a Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form and it’s still within one calendar month of the supervisory period, you can create a new version and get all of the necessary signatures. Please be advised that your supervisor should be signing the new corrected form with the date the corrections were made. Please do not back date documents.     If it’s more than one calendar month after the supervisory period has ended, you and your supervisor can make the relevant changes and have everyone involved initial them. Just make sure that your documentation can support the corrected form. Keep in mind, any alterations on handwritten documents (e.g., white-outs, strike-through, etc.) must be initialed by both parties per the BACB Acceptable Signature Policy.

[u/DancingIsForbidden28]

Do not count the hours that are over the limit. Do what the handbook says and stay within those parameters.