ASSOCIATION FOR POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT

What ASSOCIATION FOR POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT does

The Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS) is a US-headquartered nonprofit professional membership organization headquartered in Mt. Royal, New Jersey, dedicated to advancing Positive Behavior Support (PBS) across school, family, community, and systems settings. Its membership spans educators, school psychologists, applied behavior analysts (BCBAs), healthcare and behavioral health professionals, researchers, families, and early career practitioners, with international reach including Canada. APBS generates revenue through membership dues, conference registration, and continuing education (CEU) programs, and is governed by an elected Board of Directors with a small paid executive team led by Executive Director Cheretta Clerkley.

APBS's core offerings include the Annual International Conference (24th edition scheduled for 2027 in San Diego), the peer-reviewed Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI) co-published with the Hammill Institute on Disabilities and SAGE Publications, the 2023 APBS Practice Guidelines, member webinars earning BCBA and NASP CEUs, a Digital Library Hub, and an awards program. Supporting infrastructure includes a network of regional, topical, and international networks (Student Network, Early Career Network, International Networks, Midwest PBIS, California Network, Mid-Atlantic PBIS, Home & Community PBIS, IDD Committee), and a committee/workgroup system. New 2025 product additions include microcredentials with digital badges, an All-Access Webinar Subscription, and Signature Interest Groups (SIGs).

The organization's go-to-market motion is community-led: acquisition occurs through website presence, conference attendance, webinar programming, and member referrals, with heavy reliance on volunteer committees and networks for organic distribution. Strategic partnerships with SAGE Publications, the Hammill Institute on Disabilities, BMBA, BWIBAAD, BILD, and a nascent Coalition of Behavioral Science Organizations extend reach. APBS does not have disclosed funding rounds, external investors, or a parent entity, operating instead on membership and program revenue.

Name

ASSOCIATION FOR POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT

Legal name

The Association for Positive Behavior Support

Website

https://apbs.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS) is a US nonprofit professional membership organization that advances Positive Behavior Support through membership, the annual International Conference, the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI), practice guidelines, and continuing education serving educators, BCBAs, researchers, families, and early career professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Behavioral Health Education

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavior Intervention Planning (BIP) & Positive Behavior Support (PBS) (EDAKAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

Keywords

• Positive behavior support
• Professional membership association
• Behavioral interventions training
• Continuing education webinars
• Special education conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Mt. Royal

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to member resources, journal access (JPBI), conference discounts, webinars, and professional network communities.
2. Conference Revenue: Annual international conference with registration fees, including sessions, workshops, and networking events. APBS 2025 in St. Louis, MO; APBS 2026 in Minneapolis, MN; APBS 2027 in San Diego, CA.
3. Continuing Education Units (CEUs): APBS provides BCBA continuing education credits for conference attendance and webinars. Partnerships with organizations like BMBA and BWIBAAD offer CEU-earning opportunities to members.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

APBS is a nonprofit professional membership association that advances the field of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) through its annual International Conference, the peer-reviewed Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI), the 2023 Practice Guidelines, continuing education webinars, a digital library, regional and topic-specific networks, awards programs, and emerging offerings such as microcredentials and an All-Access Webinar Subscription. Members include educators, BCBAs, researchers, healthcare professionals, families, and students who access resources, CEUs, and networking opportunities in exchange for annual dues and conference fees.

Product overview

APBS is a professional membership association offering a platform of interconnected services centered on Positive Behavior Support (PBS). The core offerings include the Annual International Conference for education and networking, the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI) for peer-reviewed research, and Member Webinars providing BCBA/NASP CEUs. Supporting services include APBS Practice Guidelines as evidence-based standards, a Digital Library Hub for archived resources, APBS Awards for recognition (Leadership Award, Ted Carr Awards, 40 Under 40), and Network Membership for regional/topic-specific collaboration. Leadership programs include Board of Directors and Committee/Workgroup participation. New additions include Microcredentials with digital badges, All-Access Webinar Subscription for on-demand CEUs, and Signature Interest Groups (SIGs) for small-group networking. Student and Early Career Networks support emerging professionals, while the Virtual Community provides an online platform for member collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JPBI (Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions): The official journal of APBS, published by the Hammill Institute on Disabilities and SAGE, focusing on effective behavioral support in school, home, and community settings.

Products and services

• Annual International Conference Annual international conference bringing together practitioners, researchers, families, and professionals in positive behavior support for education, networking, and professional development across school, home, community, and systems settings. BCBA CEUs are awarded.
• Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI) Peer-reviewed academic journal published by Hammill Institute on Disabilities and SAGE in association with APBS, focusing on effective behavioral support in school, home, and community settings with empirical research, literature reviews, and practice innovations. Members access issues through the APBS Member Resources portal.
• APBS 2023 Practice Guidelines Comprehensive evidence-based guidelines adopted in 2023 serving as guideposts for positive behavior support practice across school, home, and community settings and diverse populations, covering six primary domains at the individual, family, and systems levels.
• Member Webinars with BCBA / NASP CEUs Ongoing webinar series offering BCBA and NASP continuing education credits for professional development, covering topics such as social emotional competencies, family partnerships, and mental health.
• Digital Library Hub Online repository providing members access to exclusive digital resources including archived conference presentations, webinars, and research materials.
• APBS Awards Program Annual awards including the Leadership Award, E.G. Ted Carr Initial Research Award, E.G. Ted Carr Practitioner Award, and 40 Under 40 to Watch in PBS recognizing contributions to the positive behavior support field.
• APBS Networks (Regional, International, Topic-Specific) Access to APBS networks including state/regional networks (e.g., Midwest PBIS, California Network, Mid-Atlantic PBIS), topical networks (e.g., Home & Community PBIS, IDD Committee), and international networks for collaboration and knowledge sharing among professionals in positive behavior support.
• Microcredentials with Digital Badges New educational microcredentials offering short courses in topics such as classroom management, family and community partnerships, de-escalation, collaboration, and justice/restorative practices, with digital badges awarded upon completion.
• All-Access Webinar Subscription Subscription service providing on-demand access to CEU-earning webinars for a full year, with unlimited course completion and additional educational resources.
• Signature Interest Groups (SIGs) Small group networking opportunities organized by specific interest areas within positive behavior support for members to connect, share, and problem-solve together.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SAGE PublicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPBS partners with SAGE in association to publish the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (JPBI). SAGE handles publication, distribution, and indexing while APBS maintains editorial oversight. This partnership provides APBS members and the broader research community access to peer-reviewed PBS research.
• Hammill Institute on DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJPBI is published by the Hammill Institute on Disabilities in partnership with SAGE and APBS. The institute serves as a co-publisher providing institutional support for the journal.
• Black Men in Behavior Analysis (BMBA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBMBA offers APBS members exclusive 40% discount on conference registration and panel events using promo code APBS@BMBA40. Partnership provides CEU-earning opportunities for APBS members while BMBA gains access to APBS membership base.
• Black Women in Behavior Analysis (BWIBAAD)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBWIBAAD offers APBS members 40% discount on their conference registration (Orlando, FL, Feb 2025) and panel events. Partnership expands CEU opportunities for APBS members and cross-promotes both organizations.
• Coalition of Behavioral Science OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPBS is actively engaged with kindred behavioral science organizations to establish a formal Coalition. This coalition aims to advance shared values and guiding principles across behavioral science disciplines.
• British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeme Hieneman, former Home & Community PBIS Network leader, initiated dialogue with BILD in the UK to identify common areas of practice and collaborative needs in positive behavior support internationally.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• TASH: National disability advocacy organization focused on equity, inclusion, and human rights for people with significant disabilities; shares APBS's lifespan disability support mission but operates as advocacy rather than a PBS-specific professional association.
• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP): Professional association for school psychologists that co-develops behavioral and MTSS frameworks schools use alongside PBS; provides overlapping CEUs, practice standards, and convention programming for educators serving children with behavioral needs.
• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): Large US professional association for special educators serving individuals with disabilities and/or gifted needs; offers overlapping special education and behavioral support resources, conferences, and CEUs at greater scale than APBS.
• Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE): Professional association for special education administrators; serves a related decision-maker segment that procures PBS training and PBIS frameworks for schools, making it a peer in the broader special education ecosystem.
• National Education Association (NEA): Largest US professional employee organization representing teachers and educators; provides overlapping professional development, training, and advocacy channels for school staff who are core APBS members implementing classroom-level PBS.

Direct peers

• Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI): The primary international scientific society for behavior analysis; directly comparable as a professional membership association serving researchers and practitioners in behavioral science with conferences, journals, and CEU programs — overlapping membership with APBS.

Emerging players

• Society for Behavioral Medicine (SBM): Multidisciplinary scientific society focused on behavior change and health; has overlapping interest in PBS research and policy coalitions, but operates more broadly across health behaviors rather than APBS's education/disability focus.
• National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI): National training and technical assistance center promoting the Pyramid Model for young children's social-emotional development; operates as a federally funded center (not an association), but addresses a closely related behavioral support framework with overlapping practitioner audiences.
• International Society for Autism Research (INSAR): Scientific professional society for autism researchers with overlapping member base (APBS leadership includes autism-focused researchers like Ted Carr); serves as an adjacent rather than directly competing organization within the broader PBS/ABA ecosystem.

Regional players

• International Association for Positive Behavioural Support (IAPBS): UK-headquartered sister organization promoting Positive Behavioural Support internationally; shares the same PBS methodology focus as APBS and serves overlapping practitioner communities, but operates primarily in the UK/Ireland rather than the US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-for-positive-behavior-support

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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