Ascend Autism's Enrollment Process

How to Enroll Your Child in ABA Therapy

Ascend Autism offers high-quality, individualized care to children with autism and their families. Our enrollment process is as straightforward and family-friendly as possible. Here’s a look at what to expect.

Step 1: Initial Consultation

We’ll start by getting your contact information and insurance details. We work with most major insurance providers. Then, we’ll ask questions about your family and your child to understand what brought you to us, what other services you may be receiving and how we can best provide services within your schedule. After the consultation, we’ll confirm your insurance benefits, so we understand what’s covered, and we’ll provide you with an intake packet to fill out.

Step 2: Assessment and Treatment Planning

Once your insurance approves it, one of our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) will meet with you and your child in person. We’ll use 1:1 direct assessment,, and interview-based assessment to determine the best treatment plan for your child’s individualized needs. We work with you to develop a treatment plan suited for your child’s unique needs – we’re in this together. We’ll go over the results of our assessment and observations, our teaching procedures, and how we track progress during our work together.

Step 3: Begin Therapy

Once the treatment plan is authorized by your insurance and a 1:1 therapist is staffed, we’ll set a start date and begin therapy

What You Need to Enroll with Ascend Autism

We make enrollment easy – we want to get started helping your child as soon as possible. Here’s what you need to get started with us:

Insurance card
An ASD diagnostic evaluation with an ASD diagnosis provided by either a doctor or psychologist

Ascend Autism does not provide diagnostic services. We have experience with a number of clinicians who conduct an ASD evaluation and are happy to share that list with you.

ABA Enrollment FAQs

If you’re starting ABA therapy with us or still exploring options, you probably have many questions. Here are the most common ones we get asked by families:

How much does ABA therapy cost?

ABA therapy is covered by most insurance plans. The cost is based on the level of coverage for your specific insurance plan. We are happy to perform a verification of benefits where we contact your insurance company to confirm coverage and out-of-pocket costs.

What insurance covers ABA therapy?

Due to ongoing advocacy and need, most insurance plans cover ABA therapy. If for any reason insurance doesn’t cover the therapy, you have the option to pay out of pocket.

How many hours of ABA therapy are needed per week?

ABA is not a one-size-fits-all approach. There isn’t a specific number for recommended hours. Having said that, ABA is an intensive form of therapy which requires a certain level of consistency and reinforcement, so we do have minimums based on clinical evidence and it is generally accepted that the more that can be dedicated to ABA therapy, especially when a child is five years old or younger, the better.

How long does a child need to receive ABA therapy?

The length of time that a child receives ABA therapy services is unique to each child. Depending on the child’s needs and their weekly availability for sessions, the duration of ABA services can be highly variable. It is normal for a child to receive ABA services for years vs. months or weeks.

How effective is ABA therapy for autism?

ABA has proved to be effective for individuals, especially young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Medical research suggests that early intervention using the principles of ABA shows substantial improvement in skill deficits for children diagnosed with ASD.

How long does it take to start services?

The enrollment process typically takes four to seven weeks. The length of time to start services is highly dependent on geography and schedule availability for sessions. The more open a family’s schedule availability, the quicker services can start. Ascend Autism will be able to give immediate feedback regarding the timeline once geography and scheduling availability information is provided.

Do you have a waitlist?

Depending on geography and schedule availability for sessions, there may be a waitlist. Any potential waitlist in a family’s area is highly dependent on the family’s schedule availability for sessions. If a child is only available for after-school sessions, there could be a longer wait than if the child had all-day availability.

Where do we provide ABA therapy?

Ascend Autism provides therapy at our center-based locations in Hawthorne, NY and Nashville, TN. We also provide in-home ABA throughout Connecticut and Westchester County, New York.