Procedures and Policies for Regulating Field-Based Behavioral Technology

Discussions of policy development and regulation within the human service professions usually begin with statements of principle and basic philosophy. These in turn generally focus upon issues of accountability and client rights—indeed, the reconciliation of accountable professional practices with an enlightened view of individual rights would seem to be the ultimate objective of any internal or external body which seeks to regulate the helping professional. This paper specifically addresses efforts which have been made to monitor and control the applications of behavioral technology. It begins with a brief review of accountability from a behavioral perspective. Following this, the viewpoints of writers on the rights of clients who are subject to behavioral interventions are presented. Finally, three state/provincial efforts at creating policy and guidelines are examined from the above perspective. Strengths and shortcomings of the existing regulation machinery, in light of current knowledge, are then highlighted.