Questions? 866-352-5010
Questions? 866-352-5010
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Getting started with ABA therapy with Applied ABC is easy! First, we gather the necessary information needed to submit your application to your insurance company. Once approved, we begin developing a unique treatment plan for your child with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. This plan also needs approval from your insurance provider, and on approval, we locate a local ABA therapist to begin delivering services.
When first suspecting that your child may have autism, you may visit a doctor who can use a screening tool to determine if your child should see a specialist for further evaluation. While this isn’t a referral, speaking to a doctor can help you understand if your child is on track developmentally.
During the initial assessment process, specialists will examine your child’s developmental history, administer tests such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, and test for other mental health conditions.
Each child’s journey with autism is unique, and commitment to ABA therapy requires anywhere from 15-40 hours per week. Children may need years of therapy to reach their personal objectives.
After the initial assessment, there are still a few steps that may take some time to finalize. First, we must send your child’s information to your insurance provider. Once approved, a BCBA creates a development plan that the insurance carrier also needs to approve. When complete, we locate a therapist that can administer the plan for your child.
While you may not need a diagnosis to receive ABA therapy, most states require an official diagnosis before an insurance provider is able to cover ABA services.
The path to an official diagnosis begins with a screening from your child’s healthcare provider. If they have further concerns, they will recommend seeing a pediatric neurologist, developmental pediatrician, or other early-childhood healthcare professionals for an official autism diagnosis.
Applied ABC provides autism therapy services for patients up to age 21.
A study by Kristen R. Choi, et al. determined that ABA therapy has the potential for improving communication skills, socialization, and reducing maladaptive behaviors. However, due to the varied nature of autism spectrum disorder diagnoses, results will differ on a case-by-case basis. Applied ABC has highlighted a few landmark successes in our Stories of Hope.
Applied ABC offers a variety of different services depending on the needs of patients and their guardians. We offer in-center therapy, in-home therapy, in-school services, and Social Skills Groups.
The main difference between in-home and in-center is the location where the therapy takes place. In-home therapy gives families the same quality of therapy as in-center therapy with the convenience of sessions taking place in a familiar and comforting environment.
The type of therapy that is right for you or your child can depend on the unique needs of your family and the flexibility that you need in session scheduling.
Applied ABC offers an online autism parent training center. Educational workshops are available on our official website.
Applied ABC offers in-center autism therapy in Lawrenceville, Georgia; Silver Spring, Maryland; Manchester, New Hampshire; and The Bronx, New York.
If there is not an Applied ABC autism therapy center near you, contact us to let us know! Your requests let us know where our services are needed, and they will be considered during future center construction. You can also request Applied ABC at-home services in 25 states.
Applied ABC offers a variety of Social Skills Groups (SSGs), including in-center and at-home options. With SSG Home With Me, children receive the same benefits of in-center SSGs from the convenience of a local host parent’s home. Some students can benefit from additional Social Skills Groups, which is why Applied ABC also offers SSG: Online, a virtual Social Skills Group coordinated with a behavioral therapist. If you’re interested in online social skills groups, contact your case manager to speak about options for your child.
Yes! Children with autism can receive in-school ABA therapy through our special education services. Our therapists can support single students or students in groups for in-school services. These educational programs include professional development training for the school’s staff and unique behavior support plans for students.
Your child’s ABA care team will consist of several different professional clinicians. First, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will assess your child’s medical history and create a personalized treatment plan.
The behavioral therapist will then be responsible for executing the treatment plan that the BCBA creates. The case manager that’s working with your child will keep records of your child’s progress and be available to answer any questions or concerns about the therapy your child receives.
Without insurance, ABA therapy can cost anywhere from $240 – $600 per day. However, most major insurance providers offer some form of coverage for ABA therapy.
Applied ABC accepts Cigna, Aetna, United Healthcare, Optum, and most other insurance providers throughout the United States.
When using insurance for ABA therapy payment, you may have a copay during your visit. This may vary depending on your insurance provider.
The best way to find out if your insurance benefits cover ABA therapy is to speak with your insurance provider. A representative from your provider will be able to review your policy to give you the best possible answer about your coverage.
Applied ABC accepts Medicaid insurance in many states. Get in touch to confirm if your child’s ABA services are covered by Medicaid in your area.
Applied ABC accepts some out-of-network insurance providers, and you can verify your coverage by contacting us.
ABA therapy stands for applied behavior analysis, which is a form of autism therapy to help individuals with autism specturm disorder improve independence and social skills. Each therapy session is uniquely tailored to each child to focus on their personal strengths, hone skills where they have deficiencies, and grow in their personal journey.
ABA requires a significant time commitment, with some patients receiving up to 40 hours of therapy per week. During sessions, children will work toward improvement for many daily living skills by breaking down complex tasks into basic components.
Social Skills Groups are an opportunity for children to gain experience interacting with others outside of usual therapy sessions. These gatherings are led by behavioral therapists or Registered Behavior Technicians. In addition to center-based social skills groups, Applied ABC also offers SSG Home With Me—a group therapy option for those who do not live near a therapy center.
A Behavioral Therapist (BT) provides care in group therapy and one-on-one sessions with clients while recording relevant session data for measuring children’s growth and development. RBTs have passed an additional exam to earn their Registered Behavior Technician credential.
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) assesses patients’ behaviors and creates individual behavior intervention plans that a BT or RBT will implement during therapy sessions. The BCBA will keep records of children’s progress, keep up to date with the most relevant therapy techniques, and supervise therapists providing therapy.
ABA therapy is an evidence-based treatment recognized by the United States Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association. Applied ABC has celebrated successes that we have seen through ABA therapy in our Stories of Hope series.
ABA is not a new type of therapy. The origins of ABA date back to 1960 with the work of Ivar Lovaas, but as our understanding of autism spectrum disorder continues to deepen, practices may continue to evolve in the future alongside contemporary research.
Modern ABA therapy is built on the foundations of research by psychologists such as B.F. Skinner and Ole Ivar Løvaas. While many consider Skinner to be one of the pioneers of behaviorism, the work Løvaas conducted was praised by the United States Surgeon General. Eventually, their focus on behavior modification turned toward behavior analysis and a broader understanding of the reasoning behind specific behaviors.
The tools, materials, and activities used during ABA therapy sessions may change from session to session, depending on the children’s needs. As ABA therapy is personalized for the unique goals of each individual child, the details of sessions can vary between patients. While the therapist will have a tablet with them for the recording of session data, other materials may come from the immediate surroundings as a part of Natural Environment Teaching (NET). Activities are generally geared toward the child’s interest, as therapy often appears similar to play from the outside looking in.
The first sessions of ABA therapy will focus on building a relationship and understanding your child. Then, the BCBA will incorporate your child’s specific interests into their Behavior Intervention Plan. Therapy session topics will then fluctuate with the child’s growth or regression. The BCBA will also occasionally attend the sessions virtually to supervise the therapist and check in on the child’s development. Following this, the BCBA will make changes to the intervention plan accordingly.
In select states, ABA therapy can take place in an Applied ABC autism therapy center, but for those without access to brick-and-mortar therapy centers, we also offer in-home and in-school ABA therapy under the direction of a professional behavioral therapist. Using Natural Environment Teaching, therapists are also able to administer therapy almost anywhere, using organic situations as learning opportunities.
Parents are not typically present for or participate in ABA therapy sessions. However, in some cases, the therapist may invite parents or guardians to sessions when the child would benefit from their presence. In group therapy sessions, parents may not have permission to join to preserve the privacy of other patients.
Full-time employees of Applied ABC can enjoy company-provided health insurance along with paid holidays, accrued paid time off, and a matched 401(k).
Yes, Applied ABC offers both full-time and part-time employment opportunities.
Applied ABC provides onboarding training to new employees and offers BTs the chance to earn their RBT with our 40 hour Earn Your RBT course.
Applied ABC has an “Earn Your RBT” Program that offers a no-cost solution to earning a Registered Behavior Technician credential in Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia, and Maryland. Participants can complete the program within two months and have access to study and training materials provided by Applied ABC.
To receive insurance-based treatment, students must have an autism diagnosis. A school can contract us to provide services in a home if it’s school contracted.
We can send staff members to support a single student, a group of students with similar behavioral challenges, or an entire classroom. Our goal is to understand the unique needs of your student population and offer personalized services that can help students learn, grow, and mature.
If one of our providers calls out due to an emergency or needs to take an extended leave, we will notify the school team immediately. For short-term coverage, we will attempt to locate another available provider in the area to cover the absence.
For longer-term absences, we will work to find a more permanent replacement to ensure the frequency and quality of our services remains exceptional. All costs associated with locating, onboarding, and dispatching substitute providers are our responsibility.
In some cases, our agency works with students in school on a one-to-one basis. If that student is absent, the provider would work in the classroom and help support other students as needed. They could also create useful resources for teachers and much more!
Our BCBAs create individualized programs that target students’ specific behavioral needs and/or IEP goals. Therapists collect data while providing treatment and share this information with the school team to monitor students’ progress toward reaching their target goals. Data is compiled into our proprietary mobile app, called ATrack, where authorized faculty can view charts, graphs, and other developmental information.
Our therapists receive extensive training and supervision from our BCBAs and Clinical Support teams before being placed in school settings. We provide all school-based providers with access to our 40-Hour RBT Course, an in-depth training module that prepares paraprofessionals to earn their RBT credential – an important accreditation in the ABA field that many states require.
Our agency also provides periodic Safety Care Training. If your school district has other training available, our providers would be happy to receive an invitation!
We can place the following roles at both public and private schools:
· Special Education Teacher
· Behavioral Therapist (BT)
· Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
· Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
Applied ABC primarily offers in-person ABA therapy services, either in schools, at our autism therapy centers, or in the homes of our patient families. That said, we do provide virtual Social Skills Groups to interested students and families who may not regularly attend in-person classes throughout the week.
All Applied ABC employees receive background checks prior to employment as part of our standard onboarding process. We understand that school districts have their own pre-employment and HR-related needs, and we work hard to accommodate these requirements if requested.
