Committee advances program to fund Board Certified Behavior Analysts and offer loan-repayment for service in high-need areas

Senator Boyd explained Senate Bill 25-24 would establish a program run by the State Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board to support Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and offer loan-repayment incentives to certificants who commit to full-time practice in designated high-need areas in Mississippi. "Applicants have to hold a certification as a board BCBA," Senator Boyd said, and the program would require a commitment "to providing full time behavioral analysis in designated high needs areas within the state of Mississippi" in exchange for loan-repayment assistance.

According to Senator Boyd, the fund for the program would consist of legislative appropriations and “any grants, donations, or other sources that might become available.” She said the program is intended to address shortages of trained behavioral analysts who work with children on the autism spectrum and with older adults (including dementia and Alzheimer's care), and to make Mississippi competitive with other states that offer loan-repayment and other incentives.

Senator McClendon asked whether salary increases elsewhere had contributed to retention problems; Boyd replied that salary raises would help and noted other efforts under consideration, including Medicaid reimbursement changes. The bill includes a three-year repealer. A motion of "title sufficient, do pass" was carried and the measure was reported out of committee.

Next steps: the bill will be placed on the calendar for further consideration; the financial-aid board would be responsible for establishing program rules if the bill becomes law.