FAQs About Autism, ABA Therapy & Behavior TLC

Does Texas Medicaid cover ABA Therapy?

Hopefully soon! In the summer of 2019, Governor Abbott signed into law Texas Medicaid funding for ABA therapy. BUT, clinics such as Behavior TLC are still not able to provide services through Medicaid as they have not established a contracting process. Once there is a contracting process, we will apply to become credentialed with Texas State Medicaid. Then, as soon as we are able to provide ABA services through Medicaid we will be sure to announce it! Here is the link to the Texas ABA Public Policy Group.

Will insurance pay for ABA therapy treatment?

Yes, most major insurance companies will offer ABA coverage for those children who have an ASD diagnosis. Many insurance companies are also covering in-house and telehealth ABA therapies during COVID-19 concerns. Every plan is different, please contact us today and we can verify your insurance coverage for you.

Should I continue supplemental therapies?

BTLC’s comprehensive program will cover the skill sets other therapies such as speech and occupational/physical therapy will cover. However, it is the families’ decision whether to continue with supplemental therapies or not. If you choose to continue supplemental therapies we encourage communication between all therapists to ensure continuity.

What about school?

All children in the state of Texas with an ASD diagnosis are excused from public school to attend ABA therapy with a school excuse note from the clinic.

What are the credentials of ABA staff?

All Behavior TLC employees are credentialed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, the international governing body of behavior analysts.

BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst)-therapist must complete a master’s degree, 1500 hours of supervised experience, and pass an exam

BCaBA (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst)-therapist must complete a bachelor’s degree, 1000 hours of supervised experience, and pass an exam

RBT (Registered Behavior Technician)-therapist must have a high school diploma, complete 40 hour training course with BCBA supervision, and pass an exam.

What behavior intervention techniques can I expect to be used?

Behavior TLC follows the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s code of Ethics. Accordingly, positive reinforcement will always be the first form of intervention. We do not use nor condone any harmful punishment techniques.

What environment is better, home-based or clinic-based?

Behavior TLC recommends clinic-based intervention whenever possible. Of course, there are cases where the child is not appropriate for the clinic due to behavior, medical fragility, or age. The clinic-based program offers greater supervision for the child as well as staff, better opportunities for generalization of skills, and more frequent progress tracking which results in a higher learning rate.

What is the best age to start Applied Behavior Analysis?

Research shows that the earlier the intervention begins, the better the results. Starting before their 5th birthday provides the greatest gains. However, behavioral interventions have been shown to be effective for all individuals with autism, no matter the age. It is never too late or too early to begin making progress.

What FAQs Are Best To Ask When Looking For An ABA Therapy Provider or Clinic?

Many questions arise when a family receives a diagnosis of Autism or a referral to receive ABA services. How do I find an ABA therapy provider and program? Who’s going to work with my child? What are my expectations? Am I going to be involved in this program? What is my child going to work on? We want to help you with what questions are good to ask and in general what a good answer to those would be when looking for an ABA provider.

Click Here for a list of FAQ and things to look for when looking to find an ABA therapy provider and services for your loved one.