AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has issued an emergency order suspending the licenses of two behavior analysts in Fort Bend County because they failed to report to law enforcement that one of their employees may have sexually assaulted a child in their care.
TDLR suspended the behavior analyst licenses of Brittany Darden-Gonzales and Carina Pinto. Neither Darden-Gonzales nor Pinto may provide any behavior analysis services for two years, unless and until a judge sets aside the emergency order. A hearing will be scheduled within the next 10 days in the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH).
On July 17, a four-year-old child told his mother that the employee assigned to him had touched his genitals during a treatment session. The child’s mother reported the incident to the facility, which placed the technician on a two-week administrative leave, but the employee’s supervisors (Darden-Gonzales and Pinto) failed to report the alleged child abuse to law enforcement as required by state law.
The employee in question was working as a behavior technician who was registered with a certifying professional association. However, that job title is not regulated or licensed by the state of Texas, and TDLR is unable to enforce any order against the employee in question.
Behavior analysts provide a therapeutic environment for individuals struggling to control their behavior. They also train parents, teachers, and other professionals on how to implement support plans for challenging behavior. Applied behavior analysis interventions are based on scientific research and the direct observation and measurement of behavior and environment. Using contextual factors, motivating operations, antecedent stimuli, positive reinforcement and other procedures, behavior analysts help individuals develop new behaviors, increase or decrease existing behaviors, and elicit or evoke behaviors under specific environmental conditions.
About TDLR
TDLR provides regulatory oversight for a broad range of occupations, businesses, facilities, and equipment in Texas. The agency protects the health and safety of Texans by ensuring they are served by qualified, licensed professionals. Inspections of individuals, businesses, and equipment are done on a regular basis to safeguard the public. Currently, the agency regulates 38 business and occupational licensing programs with almost 1,000,000 licensees across the state.
Visit TDLR’s website for more information and resources. You can search the TDLR licensee database, and also find past violations in which a final order was issued against companies or individuals. TDLR’s Customer Service line is available anytime between 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1-800-803-9202. TDLR representatives are fluent in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.