Expanding Your ABA Career: Behavior Analysis in Residential and Foster Care Settings with Arthur Hairston

In this episode of In the Field: The ABA Podcast, I sit down with Arthur Hairston, BCBA and entrepreneur, to talk about a corner of our field that most BCBAs never get exposure to: residential services and group homes for children in foster care. Arthur has built and exited an ABA organization and is now focused on developing group homes for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. His work sits at the intersection of clinical quality, trauma-informed care, and systems leadership in an environment where care happens around the clock.Key Topics:Why BCBAs Belong in Foster Care Group Homes: BCBAs are not always part of the picture in foster care group homes, but Arthur makes the case for why they should be and what it means for kids who have spent years on waitlists.The 24/7 Business Model: Running a residential program is a fundamentally different business than a traditional ABA company. Arthur walks through what caught him off guard, from overtime costs and staffing ratios to the capital reserves required for licensure. Funding and Revenue Consistency: The group home model runs on a state and federal funding mix, creating more revenue consistency than traditional billing but a real cap on growth.Compassionate, Trauma-Informed Care: Arthur talks outings, community inclusion, and skills practice as the context in which clinical goals become achievable. Behavior is communication, and the first weeks with a new resident are about building trust.Delegation as a Business and Clinical Skill: Arthur opens up about letting go, partnering with his wife on operations, and why holding everything yourself puts your program's quality at risk.Training Staff in Residential Settings: Training in a residential setting goes well beyond behavior plans and data sheets. Arthur shares how his team prepares new staff for the emotional and relational complexity of this work, and why shadowing is a non-negotiable part of that process. Key Takeaways:BCBAs bring clinical infrastructure and systems thinking that directly benefit residents, even when it is not required. The residential model demands different business skills, including capital reserves, overtime management, and licensing timelines of six to nine months. Delegation is not optional. If you are the bottleneck, your program's sustainability is at risk. Training staff here means preparing them for the emotional and relational complexity of this work, not just the clinical tasks.Keywords: Group Home ABA, Residential Services ABA, BCBA, Foster Care Group Home, Trauma-Informed ABA, ABA Business Models, Group Home Licensing, ABA Entrepreneurship, Arthur Hairston, Med Waiver, Residential Program LeadershipConnect with Arthur Hairston: LinkedIn: Arthur HairstonWebsite and Free Group Home Checklist: go.ghleadership.comABA C.A.R.E.S. Summit: https://behaviorlive.com/conferences/abacares2026/homeDisclaimer:BCBA®, BACB® [or any other BACB® trademark used] is/are registered to the Behavior Analytic Certification Board® BACB®. This website and products are not in any way sponsored by the BACB®.All information and products are for educational purposes only.