Bridging the Gap Between BCBAs and SLPs: A Conversation with Rose Griffin
Bridging the Gap Between BCBAs and SLPs: A Conversation with Rose Griffin
In the field of autism intervention, collaboration isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. Yet too often, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and behavior analysts (BCBAs) find themselves working in silos, miscommunicating, or even mistrusting each other’s intentions.
In a recent episode of
In the Field: The ABA Podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rose Griffin, founder of
ABA Speech, to talk about what true collaboration can look like, and what gets in the way. Rose is one of fewer than 500 professionals in the world who are dually certified as both an SLP and a BCBA. She’s built a platform focused on bringing these two worlds together for the benefit of the learners we support.
Why Collaboration Breaks Down
According to Rose, tension between BCBAs and SLPs is often rooted in misunderstanding. Behavior analysts may question an intervention’s evidence base. Speech therapists may feel their professional scope is being ignored or encroached upon. In some cases, it goes deeper—insurance models, training pathways, and even social media narratives have contributed to a culture of “us vs. them.”
But as Rose points out, these divides usually don’t stem from bad intentions, they stem from different backgrounds. While an SLP may have deep expertise in articulation, AAC, or apraxia, they may not have had coursework in autism. Meanwhile, a BCBA may specialize in behavior reduction and reinforcement, but lack training in speech sound development.
That’s why Rose encourages both fields to consider scope of competence, not just scope of practice. It’s not about which credential you hold, it’s about your training, your experience, and your ability to ethically support a learner’s needs.
Using Frameworks to Foster Respect
One tool that Rose and many others have found helpful is a framework published by Dr. Matt Brodhead in
Behavior Analysis in Practice (2015), titled
“Maintaining Professional Relationships in an Interdisciplinary Setting”. The article provides a visual flowchart that helps behavior analysts evaluate how to respond to non-behavioral treatment recommendations from colleagues.
The core idea? Approach conversations with curiosity, not confrontation.
Instead of asking, “Where’s the research for that?”, which can erode trust, try “Can you tell me more about that?” or “I’d love to learn more about how that’s been working for your students.”
This approach creates space for mutual learning and collaborative decision-making, without anyone needing to “win” the conversation.
What Great Collaboration Looks Like
Rose shares that in the best-case scenarios, BCBAs and SLPs are not just coexisting, but truly working together:
- Selecting communication modalities jointly
- Creating and modeling FCRs (Functional Communication Responses) together
- Sharing data and adapting programming across environments
- Recognizing each other’s expertise and staying in touch even outside the clinic walls
She reminds us that SLPs don’t “own” communication any more than BCBAs “own” behavior. And when teams are built around shared values and open dialogue, learners benefit the most.
Building a Collaborative Culture
Whether you're a clinic owner, supervisor, or solo provider, building a culture of collaboration starts with how we train and onboard our teams. Rose recommends including cross-disciplinary awareness in initial training, not as an afterthought, but as a core value.
She also encourages teams to adopt what she calls “functional communication for professionals”—scripts and phrases to help navigate tough conversations with clarity and compassion.
Because when we start with the assumption that we’re all here to help, we give each other room to grow.
Want to Learn More?
Rose offers dozens of CEUs focused on communication, AAC, and interdisciplinary teamwork through her platform,
ABA Speech. Some of her most popular topics include:
- Intro to AAC for Behavior Analysts
- Going Beyond Manding
- Collaboration around Gestalt Language Processing and Verbal Limitation
You can also follow her on Instagram at
@abaspeechbyrose for free resources and ongoing conversations.
Let’s keep the conversation going.
Subscribe to
In the Field: The ABA Podcast for more real-world insights on training, supervision, and leadership in behavior analysis. And if you’re looking to equip your team with better collaboration tools, visit
Sidekick Learning for CEUs, templates, and ready-to-use training.
