Your child has autism, and you want to set them up for success. ABA (applied behavior analysis) is scientifically proven to help children with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) learn and achieve. It encourages appropriate behaviors and decreases inappropriate behaviors so children feel included in social settings and with peers.
If your child just received a diagnosis of ASD, you might be wondering how to work with kids with autism. Getting started with ABA can be overwhelming, and you don’t know what to expect.
How do you get ABA for your child? Is it covered by insurance? What comes next? This guide will walk you through the steps of getting ABA treatment. We’ll break down the Circle Care Services intake process, so you know exactly what to expect.
Your first step is to reach out. Call us or submit an online form to tell us about your child, what they need, and what state you’re in. That information is important — it will help us determine what kind of services your child is covered for since different states offer different ABA therapy insurance plans.
A representative from our intake team will call you within 24 hours. If you’re not available when they call, no worries — they’ll follow up again if they don’t get through. You’ll also get an email asking you to share any additional information that we need.
From this point, it typically takes 6-8 weeks until your child meets their provider for their first ABA therapy session.
Your designated intake coordinator will help you get started, walk you through the process, and answer all your questions. She'll contact you for documents like a formal ASD diagnosis, a referral for services, and your insurance information.
Here are the documents you’ll need to submit:
In order to receive therapy, your child needs to have a diagnosis of autism. If you think your child might have ASD, reach out to your doctor to learn how you can set up an evaluation.
If you don’t have a referral from your child’s doctor, reach out to ask them for one. You’ll need a referral to have services authorized by insurance.
We’ll need a copy of your child’s insurance cards to confirm their benefits and how much of the services are covered, so make sure you have it on hand.
Your intake coordinator will reach out to your child’s insurance to request authorization for an assessment. It can take up to 3 weeks to receive it — and she’ll keep you updated on information about your coverage options for ABA therapy.
If there are any out-of-pocket costs, we’ll let you know what that would be. Our representatives are 100% transparent and upfront, and there are no surprise fees or unexpected costs.
As soon as your insurance approves your child for an assessment, we get you started with a formal assessment.
We’ll send a BCBA to meet you and your child and conduct a behavioral therapy consultation. This usually takes place in your home, and we’ll work out a time that works well for you.
At the assessment meeting, the BCBA will estimate how many hours of therapy your child should receive per week. They’ll also assess what goals are ideal for your child to work on. The BCBA will also discuss your weekly schedule to determine what time would work to schedule a therapy appointment.
Within 1 week, the BCBA will write up a detailed report of your child’s needs and what they recommend. We’ll use this report to get your services covered by insurance and to ensure that your child receives the right services from a provider who’s a good fit.
Your rep will reach out to your insurance to make sure they’ll cover the recommended number of hours, and our hiring team handpicks a therapist to perfectly match your and your child’s needs. We firmly believe that the provider needs to click with your child, and our process reflects that. This can take up to 2 weeks.
Once the team finds the right therapist, a care coordinator will reach out. Your care coordinator is your personal contact for child ABA therapy services. They'll be there to hold your hand every step of the way, and you can always reach out to them with any questions.
Your care coordinator will schedule a therapy appointment at a time that works for you — and you’ll be on your way to watching your child achieve.
Your child’s BT (behavioral technician) and BCBA will collaborate with you to work on targeted, specific goals. ABA is a process, and it may take some time to see concrete results. Slowly but surely, you will watch your child reach one goal after the next and gain skills for life.
We’re here to support you through every step of your journey, and to help you and your child thrive.
In our experiences working with children with autism, we’ve seen ABA transform lives. It can help your child improve their social skills, reading, academics, and communication as well as skills like grooming, hygiene, and fine motor dexterity. ABA can even help with simple things like a child keeping his room clean.
Set your child up for success with the scientifically proven behavioral approach and a dedicated support team behind you.
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