# How do I write a behavior intervention plan (BIP) that people can follow?

> What a BIP includes, how to link it to the FBA, and how to write it so RBTs, teachers and caregivers can use it.

URL: https://theautismkit.com/guides/behavior-intervention-plan
By The Autism Kit team · Updated 2026-09-27

**Short answer:** A behavior intervention plan (BIP) turns FBA results into clear steps. It defines the behavior, states its function, and lists prevention strategies, replacement skills to teach, how to respond when the behavior happens, crisis steps if needed, and how data will be collected. The best BIPs are short enough that RBTs, teachers and caregivers can follow them consistently.

**Key takeaways**
- A BIP **links directly to the FBA**.
- It covers **prevention, replacement skills, responses** and **data**.
- Write it in **plain language** everyone can follow.
- Include **caregivers** and **review it with data**.

## What should a BIP include?

| Section | What to include |
| --- | --- |
| Operational definition | Observable, measurable description of the behavior |
| Function | What the behavior gets or avoids, from the FBA |
| Prevention | Antecedent changes: schedules, choices, breaks, clear expectations |
| Replacement skills | What to teach instead, like asking for a break |
| Responses | What staff do when the behavior happens, and when the new skill is used |
| Safety or crisis steps | Only if needed, following policy and consent |
| Data | What's measured, how, and how often it's reviewed |
| Caregiver training | How families will be taught and supported |

Function-based plans are more likely to work than plans aimed only at the behavior's form.[1]

## How do I make it usable?

**Try:**
- A one-page summary with the key steps
- Scripts: exactly what to say
- Visual supports built into prevention steps
- Training everyone who'll use it

**Skip:**
- Jargon without examples
- Ten strategies at once
- A plan nobody practiced before using

**Prevention often starts with predictability.** Visual schedules and first-then boards are evidence-based supports that make transitions and demands clearer.
  [3] They're easy for caregivers and teachers to use consistently.

## What about restrictive procedures?

Use the least restrictive effective approach, get informed consent, follow your organization's policies and local laws, and monitor closely. The Ethics Code applies.[2]

## How do I know the BIP is working?

- Graph the target behavior **and** the replacement skill.
- Check **procedural integrity** before changing the plan.
- Ask caregivers and teachers what they're seeing.

**Plan for other settings.** Include how the plan will work at home, at school and in the community, so skills generalize.

## What can I do this week?

- [ ] Write a one-page summary of a current BIP
- [ ] Add a script for the replacement skill
- [ ] Train one caregiver on the prevention steps

Read first: [What is a functional behavior assessment?](https://theautismkit.com/guides/functional-behavior-assessment)

## Common questions

### How long should a BIP be?

Long enough to be clear, short enough to use. Many teams keep a one-page summary for staff and caregivers alongside the full plan.

### Who needs to sign off?

It depends on setting: caregivers, the supervising BCBA, and in schools the IEP team. Always get informed consent for procedures, especially restrictive ones.

### How often should a BIP be reviewed?

Regularly, based on data. Review sooner if behavior changes a lot, there's a safety concern, or the setting changes.

## Sources

1. Hanley GP. Functional assessment of problem behavior: dispelling myths, overcoming implementation obstacles, and developing new lore. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391818
2. Behavior Analyst Certification Board: Ethics codes. https://www.bacb.com/ethics-information/ethics-codes/
3. AFIRM (UNC Frank Porter Graham): Visual supports evidence-based practice brief. https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/Visual-Supports-Brief-Packet.pdf

General guidance, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. Talk with your pediatrician or a developmental specialist about your child's care.