John M. Guercio
Benchmark Human Services
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Dr. John M. Guercio, Ph.D., BCBA-D, CBIST, LBA, has spent much of his career researching effective staff training protocols and behavior intervention strategies for staff and clients in settings where severe aggression is present. Since obtaining his master’s and doctoral degrees in behavior analysis and therapy from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Dr. Guercio has worked in settings serving as Director of Behavioral Services for the Missouri Department of Mental Health, and as Vice President of Clinical Services and Research at the Judevine Center for Autism/TouchPoint Autism Services in St. Louis. He also serves as adjunct faculty in the behavior analysis department at Washington University and Central Missouri University. He has also given more than 100 presentations at behavioral conferences and authored and/or co-authored over 40 articles in peer reviewed journals as well as written several book chapters related to the treatment of intensive behavioral issues. Dr. Guercio serves on the Board of Editors of Behavior Analysis Research and Practice and a guest reviewer for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. In his career, Dr. Guercio has helped design and run a program for individuals with sexually deviant behavior and substance abuse issues and has developed an entire treatment protocol based upon that program. In his current role at Benchmark Human Services, Dr. Guercio serves as the Clinical Director. He develops and delivers behavioral services for clients with significant aggression and high risk behavioral needs, many of whom have been institutionalized for more than 15 years, often under restraints and heavy medication. Through Dr. Guercio’s leadership, many clients’ medication dosages have decreased and, they have developed positive compensatory behaviors and are being integrated into the community. Dr. Guercio is currently the President of the Missouri Association for Behavior Analysis and serves as the Coordinator for the Practice Track of the annual ABAI conference.