Tier I Live Workshop Overview

This live workshop aims to provide clinicians with a strong foundation for their clinical practice of RUBI.

RUBI is a manualized parent-mediated program that guides practitioners in the teaching of tailored ABA-based behavioral strategies to families of autistic/IDD children with co-occurring challenging behaviors.

In the Tier 1 Live Workshop, led by RUBI co-developer Dr. Karen Bearss, you will become fluent in the basics of RUBI and learn how to implement it to fidelity, understanding both its theoretical underpinnings and its practical application.

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Workshop Details

Course Details

Workshop Info

Duration: 2 days (13 hours in total)

Workshop Components: Live instruction followed by a final exam and fidelity review with feedback on one submitted mock RUBI session

Level: Intermediate

Location: Virtual

Price: $495

Exam Details

What's Included

Office Hours: Upon workshop completion, learners will have access to open virtual office hours.

Title: Upon workshop completion, learners will have earned the title "RUBI Trained Practitioner."

Discount: Upon successful completion, learners will receive a discount for RUBI Tier II enrollment.

Continuing Education

Continuing Education

Credits for eligible participants:

12 APA
12.5 BACB
12 CAMFT
12.5 SLP
12.5 OT

More information

Prefer to learn at your own pace? Sign up for the on-demand RUBI Tier I Program.

Learning Objectives

Day 1 Learning Objectives

  • Identify at least two common characteristics or behaviors in autistic youth.
  • Explain the rationale for using parent training (PT) as a primary intervention for autistic youth.
  • Define the four key concepts that form the foundational framework of the RUBI program.
  • Apply the ABCs (Antecedents, Behaviors, Consequences) and functions of behaviors to develop strategies for alternate behavioral outcomes.
  • Identify the content and structure of the 11 Core and 7 Supplemental RUBI sessions.
  • Develop successful weekly assignment strategies corresponding to each RUBI session.

Day 2 Learning Objectives

  • Summarize the 11 core sessions of the RUBI program.
  • Illustrate five core aspects of RUBI in action through case examples.
  • Identify at least two characteristics of the target clinical population for RUBI.
  • Design a treatment delivery plan that is responsive to clinic demands and family needs.
  • Explain two common barriers to treatment fidelity and develop responsive solutions.

Who Should Take This Workshop?

  • Clinicians who support or are interested in supporting caregivers of neurodiverse youth who engage in challenging behaviors.
  • Clinicians who work with families of children with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual developmental disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and related neurodevelopmental disorders who wish to focus treatment on challenging behaviors.
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Prerequisites illustrated art

Prerequisites

Master's Degree or higher in a related field.

Learner must have their own copy of the RUBI Manual and Parent Workbook (available for purchase through Oxford University Press).

Watch Webinar Live

Workshop

Dates

October 23–24, 2025
8:30 am – 4:30 pm PT,
10:30 am – 6:30 pm CT,
11:30 am – 7:30 pm ET

Sign up Now

December 1–2, 2025
8:30 am – 4:30 pm PT,
10:30 am – 6:30 pm CT,
11:30 am – 7:30 pm ET

Sign up Now
Certificate illustrated art

$495

Workshop

Pricing

Individual Price: $495

Member Price: Complementary for Catalight In-Network Members

Group Price: Contact Us

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For more information on our refund, accommodation and other related policies, please see our policy page.

Workshop Instructor

Headshot of Karen Bearss

Karen Bearss, Ph.D.
Co-Developer of RUBI and RUBI Certified Trainer

Degrees/Credentials

  • Licensed Psychologist #Y60675554
  • Ph.D., Clinical Child Psychology, University of Florida
  • MS, Clinical Psychology, University of Florida
  • BS, Psychology, University of Florida

Disclosures: Dr. Bearss receives royalties from Oxford University Press and grant funding from NIMH and the Eagles Autism Foundation.

Current Position

  • Co-Creator of RUBI
  • Vice President of Caregiver Mediated Care Solutions, Catalight

About the Workshop

Enhance your learning with a Fidelity Check in RUBI Tier I. These advanced fidelity reviews, ensure RUBI therapeutic interventions are delivered as intended. Learners submit a video of themselves conducting a RUBI session which is then reviewed and assessed by an instructor. Through detailed, video reviews, learners receive precise feedback on their clinical skills and decision-making, fostering a deeper understanding of best practices and common pitfalls. This process helps identify areas for improvement, leading to more effective and confident clinical practice.

“RUBI Trained Practitioner” is a designation administered by the RUBI Autism Network for practitioners who have successfully completed Tier I training in RUBI and have demonstrated attainment of requisite knowledge about the RUBI program as well as clinical skill mastery related to implementation of a RUBI session to fidelity.

Upon completion of RUBI Tier I training, the expectation is that a RUBI Trained Practitioner is ready to deliver RUBI clinically to a diverse range of families with high fidelity. For information on RUBI Certified Practitioners, visit RUBI Tier II (link).

RUBI Trained Practitioners will be posted on the RUBInetwork.org website and can advertise themselves as having the RUBI Trained Practitioner designation.

Workshop Outcomes

  • Learners who successfully complete all programs will receive a certificate in RUBI Tier I to become a RUBI Trained Practitioner.
  • Certificate holders may refer to themselves as a "RUBI Trained Practitioner," not "RUBI Certified."
  • Certificates will be available in your Catalight Classroom accounts immediately after completing all course requirements. The certificate does not expire, however certificate holders must abide by our certificate policy.