When most people think about where BCBAs® work, they picture schools, clinics, or in-home therapy sessions. But for Arthur Hairston, BCBA and entrepreneur, the most meaningful work has happened somewhere far less common: group homes for youth in foster care.
In a recent episode of In the Field: The ABA Podcast, I sat down with Arthur to talk about what it really looks like to bring behavior analysis into residential settings, the practical and financial realities of running a group home, and why he believes this is a space more BCBAs should consider.
Arthur's path into residential care did not begin as a calculated business move. Most of his supervision hours on the way to becoming a BCBA were completed in a group home serving teenagers with autism, Down syndrome, and and related diagnoses. That early experience, combined with a background in teaching, shaped how he approached behavior support: always with a plan and always looking for what was meaningful to work on that day.
When he later launched his own ABA company, his focus was on kids in foster care, accepting Medicaid at a time when many providers in his area avoided it. For Arthur, that was never a hesitation. It was simply where the need was.
The most obvious difference between a traditional ABA model and a residential one is this: the kids live there. Arthur describes it as working in a home where not everyone is related, where "temporary" might mean two or more years, and where the relationships between youth and staff are long-term and directly shape clinical outcomes.
Other key differences include:
No insurance billing. Arthur's group home is licensed through the Department of Children and Families and funded through a mix of state and federal dollars. Without the insurance billing model, he has significantly more flexibility in what he can target clinically. If it makes sense to work on, he works on it, without needing to justify medical necessity to a funder.
Trauma is always in the room. The youth who come into Arthur's program have histories that are, in his words, sometimes too difficult to read all the way through. Compassionate care is not a buzzword in this context; it is a daily operational requirement.
The business never stops. A 24/7 model means staffing, overtime, and scheduling are constant considerations in a way that traditional ABA businesses rarely have to deal with. Arthur notes that staff reaching 40 hours in a week happens easily in this model, which means overtime costs are something every group home operator has to plan for carefully.
In many foster care settings, a BCBA on staff is not required and is rarely present. Arthur sees this as both a gap and an opportunity.
For the youth he serves, many of whom have been on waitlists for ABA services for years, having ABA built directly into the program means they can access support immediately when they arrive. For placement agencies deciding where to send a child, seeing ABA services already built into the program stands out.
Beyond direct service, Arthur's clinical background helps him navigate the broader system more effectively. He already knows which providers accept Medicaid, what evaluations are required, how to interpret insurance requirements, and who to call when a child needs a higher level of support. That knowledge is not something most group home operators come in with, and it makes a measurable difference in how quickly and appropriately kids get the help they need.
Arthur pushes back on the idea that group homes are inherently negative placements. For many kids with complex needs, a well-run group home is a better fit than a family setting that may not be equipped to meet those needs. His approach is deliberate. He describes wanting the experience to feel like Disney World, not because every moment is fun, but because the focus is always on giving kids experiences, building skills, and making sure their needs are met. That has looked like a Jacksonville Jaguars game with a private cabana, bowling alley outings, trips to the store where youth practice using their own money, a visiting yoga instructor, and summer grant funding to expand what is possible.
ABA principles run throughout. Routine is a clinical priority, and when staff break it, things get harder. Arthur tracks antecedents carefully when new youth arrive and shares what he observes so staff are prepared. He also keeps practical tools on hand, including headphones, as something so simple can change how a child moves through the space.
Arthur is candid about what the process involves and what people do not anticipate. Licensing took approximately eight to nine months both times, and paperwork errors can add weeks. Six months of operating funds must be held in an account under the business name. Physical requirements go further than most expect: furniture must withstand real physical demands, beds are tested for stability by inspectors, and food menus require nutritionist approval.
Smaller details carry real operational weight too. Wood chairs do not hold up when a child rocks aggressively over time. A standard water heater runs out when multiple youth need showers in sequence. Arthur has created a checklist of items to have in place before opening, available at go.ghleadership.com, and offers consulting for BCBAs and others moving into this space.
One of the harder lessons from Arthur's first ABA business was waiting too long to delegate. Now, delegation is part of the design. His wife handles paperwork and administrative tasks, and a house manager covers grocery runs, school registration, medical appointments, and medication pickup, all of which add up quickly when managing up to 12 youth across two homes. The mental barrier he describes will be familiar to many business owners: the belief that it has to be done your way. His answer now is that others usually do it better, and getting things done matters more than getting them done exactly as he would have.
For staff consistency across shifts, his approach is deliberate repetition. Some staff need to hear the same information three or four times before it shapes how they respond in the moment. When a new youth arrives with challenging behavior, Arthur shares what he has observed about antecedents so staff are not encountering those situations cold.
Arthur's advice is straightforward: get experience in the setting first. Search for BCBA group home positions on any job board. Working in that environment before deciding to open your own program gives you a grounded sense of what the work actually involves. Then find someone who has done it and ask real questions: How long did licensing take? What surprised you? What would you do differently?
For BCBAs who have already built and run an ABA business, Arthur sees a particular fit. Clinical knowledge transfers directly, business experience means you already understand funding and staffing, and the financial position that can come from years in practice may provide exactly the capital needed to get started. The need is significant, the clinical expertise of a BCBA is rare in this space, and for the youth in these programs, having both makes a real difference.
BCBAs bring rare and valuable expertise to residential and foster care settings, where clinical oversight is often not required but makes a measurable difference.
The group home model operates differently from insurance-based ABA, with more clinical flexibility, a 24/7 staffing structure, and state and federal funding rather than insurance billing.
Licensing a group home is a lengthy process, often eight to nine months, with strict financial and physical requirements that catch many first-time operators off guard.
Trauma-informed, compassionate care is not separate from ABA, especially in this setting; it is the context in which all clinical work happens.
Delegation, over-communication with staff, and a consistent routine are essential operational tools in residential care.
BCBAs interested in this space should seek direct experience first and connect with others who have navigated the licensing and opening process.
LinkedIn: Arthur Hairston
Website and Free Group Home Checklist: go.ghleadership.com
The need for behavior analytic expertise in residential and foster care settings is significant, and the practitioners willing to step into that space can make a real difference. To hear the full conversation with Arthur Hairston, listen to this episode of In the Field: The ABA Podcast.
For more resources on onboarding, supervision, and staff development, visit Sidekick Learning.