Upgrading Your ABA Intake Interviews: Staff Skills, Systems, and Clinical Decisions with Dr. Kristen Byra

Podcast Episode: Upgrading Your ABA Intake Interviews: Staff Skills, Systems, and Clinical Decisions with Dr. Kristen Byra

In this episode of In the Field: The ABA Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Kristen Byra, seasoned clinician and founder of Upskill ABA, to dig into one of the most critical—and often overlooked—components of clinical practice: the intake assessment. Kristen shares how standardizing this process through decision models can improve both clinical outcomes and staff performance, while still honoring clinical judgment and caregiver input.

We explore how decision models support newer and experienced BCBAs alike, how they can reduce burnout by eliminating guesswork, and how they build stronger, more meaningful caregiver interviews that go beyond surface-level questions.

Key Topics:

• What Makes a Quality Intake Assessment: Kristen shares what’s often missing from our assessments and how to design interviews that lead to better treatment plans and more meaningful caregiver involvement.
• Decision Models 101: What they are, how they differ from decision trees, and how they can support—but not replace—clinical judgment.
• Bridging Research and Practice: We talk through the challenges BCBAs face in accessing and applying literature, and how tools like decision models bring curated resources and practical guides to the front lines of care.
• Training Through Tools: Kristen explains how decision models double as a training tool for newer BCBAs by prompting deeper thinking and standardizing high-quality practices.
• Caregiver Interviews with Purpose: From asking the right questions to respecting caregiver time and building rapport, we dive into strategies to gather accurate, actionable data that’s aligned with caregiver priorities.
• Scope, Fit, and Clinical Judgment: We discuss how assessments can help determine organizational fit, when to refer out, and how to avoid unintentionally overpromising services.

Key Takeaways:

• Great assessments go beyond checklists. They require intentional questions, empathy, and a clear link to treatment planning.
• Decision models can reduce variability across assessors and provide a knowledge base that supports training and quality improvement.
• Clinical judgment is enhanced—not replaced—by well-designed tools that prompt deeper consideration and offer actionable next steps.
• BCBAs must balance standardization and flexibility while prioritizing caregiver input and values.
• Refusing services when there’s a misalignment isn’t just okay—it’s ethical. But how we do it matters.

Keywords: ABA Intake Assessment, Clinical Decision Model, Supervision, ABA Tools, Caregiver Interview, Standardized Assessment, ABA Treatment Planning, Social Validity, Kristen Byra, Upskill ABA, Applied Behavior Analysis

Connect with Kristen:

• Website: www.upskillaba.com
• LinkedIn: Kristen Byra
• Beta Access: Interested in beta testing the Intake Interview Decision Model? Visit her site or connect via LinkedIn to participate.

Subscribe to the Podcast: Don’t forget to subscribe to In the Field: The ABA Podcast for more insights and interviews with experts in behavior analysis. Visit www.sidekicklearning.net for more resources on fieldwork supervision and continuing education opportunities!

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