How to Get ABA Therapy for Your Child
Clinically reviewed by Ruth Gluck, MSEd, BCBA
To get ABA therapy, most families need three things: an autism diagnosis, a referral or prescription for ABA from a doctor, and confirmed insurance coverage. Then a BCBA assesses your child and writes a plan, the plan is approved by your insurance, and sessions begin — at home, at daycare or by video.
Step 1: Get an autism diagnosis (or start the process)
Most insurance plans cover ABA therapy only after a child has an autism diagnosis. Diagnoses usually come from a developmental pediatrician, a child psychologist, a child psychiatrist or a pediatric neurologist, after an evaluation that includes watching your child and talking with you.
If you're not there yet, start with your pediatrician: share what you're seeing and ask about a screening such as the M-CHAT. You don't have to wait for the evaluation to call us — our diagnosis help is for exactly this stage.
Can you get ABA therapy without an autism diagnosis?
Sometimes, but it's harder. ABA is used for other needs too, yet insurance coverage for it is usually tied to an autism diagnosis, and paying privately is expensive. For most families the faster route is to get the evaluation moving while everything else is prepared in parallel — so therapy can start soon after the diagnosis arrives.
Step 2: Get a referral for ABA
Many plans also want a doctor's referral or prescription for ABA therapy. Often the clinician who diagnoses your child includes an ABA recommendation in the report; if not, your pediatrician can usually write the referral. Keep a copy with the diagnostic report — you'll be asked for both.
Step 3: Check your insurance coverage for ABA
Coverage depends on your specific plan, whether it's through work or Medicaid. The quickest way to know is a benefit check: we contact your plan directly and give you a plain-English answer about coverage and cost, usually within a business day. It's free — send a photo of your insurance card on our insurance page. More background in paying for ABA.
Step 4: The BCBA assessment and treatment plan
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst meets your child, talks with you about what matters most to your family, and writes a treatment plan with specific goals and recommended hours. You review and approve the plan before anything is submitted. The plan then goes to your insurance for authorization — we handle that paperwork and follow up until it's approved.
Step 5: Start sessions at home, at daycare or by video
Once the plan is approved, sessions begin where your child's life happens: in your home, at daycare, or with telehealth coaching. Here's what to expect at the first session.