What happens to start ABA services?
WHAT TO EXPECT
Enrollment
Most insurance companies require a prior authorization to assess your child’s need for ABA services. This will require you to send a copy of your child’s insurance card and autism diagnostic paperwork. Your child’s BCBA will submit this request and update you along the way. This could take a few weeks to a month, depending on the provider. Once insurance approves (if they deny the request, we can appeal) services, you will be notified about services moving forward. This is when an initial meeting and assessment date would be scheduled. Typically we schedule it within a week of getting authorization. At this time, you’ll receive an email with all the intake paperwork and a preassessment questionnaire (required by insurance) that is required for your child’s assessment. Please complete this to the best of your ability, but all questions can be answered during
the initial assessment.
Initial Meeting
We will have a face-to-face meeting to discuss everything about your child. Various checklists, assessment tools, or rating scales may be completed during this time. The purpose of this meeting is to prepare the BCBA for your child’s assessment and begin gathering information to determine the need for services. This meeting is scheduled to last 60 minutes.
Assessment
The initial meeting can occur on the same day but will depend on logistical factors. Your child will receive an assessment to determine their amazing skills, areas where they need support, and determine what behavior barriers might impact their success in a classroom setting. This assessment will be done by a BCBA who specializes in assessing your child. They will take their time and move at your child’s pace, ensuring they are comfortable. You will be welcome to be present during this assessment or you can take a minute to yourself but cannot leave during this time. If you have specific questions, you can ask them during the assessment, but please give the BCBA time and space to complete the assessment. Typically, the assessment will last 60 minutes.
Post Assessment
Your BCBA will be completing all necessary documentation and paperwork for your child behind the scenes and submitting it. This will outline their personalized goals and plan for assisting with the behaviors that might be interfering with their learning. Completing the documentation typically takes around a week, then we wait for insurance approval. Hearing back from insurance will depend on the provider and if they require more information Typically, this takes around 2-3 weeks. Insurance approves ABA services in 6-month periods. So once approved, your child is allotted services for 6 months, then a reauthorization assessment happens. Your family and BCBA will essentially repeat the assessment process over for authorization to continue services or move toward a discharge if your child is ready to graduate from ABA (yay!).
Post Assessment Meeting
After the conclusion of the assessment and insurance authorization of services, you’ll receive an email and phone call about service recommendations and a proposed service outline. Your BCBA will review your child’s support plan (the goals the BCBA targeted based off the assessment) and any behavior protocols with you, as applicable. This is your time to make any adjustments before the start of services. We WANT to make sure your goals are being worked on and you are comfortable with everything. Service recommendations are at the discretion of the assessing BCBA; however, your family’s insurance provider ultimately has the final say on the hours approved. Proposed start dates and hours of service, scheduling, etc. will be laid out at this time as well. You will receive all the company policies and procedures at this time as well. This meeting can take 30-60 minutes.
Before Your Child’s First Day
Once staffing and scheduling is laid out, your child’s first day of services can occur. Before they can start services, the family handbook is expected to be read through and signed off on. Your child’s BCBA is happy to answer any questions you may have about the policies in the meantime.
First Day
Your child’s BCBA will be present. They will be working to train and implement the support plan with your child’s direct care team. For the first few weeks, your child will work on getting to know this new routine and new expectations. We are focused on fun, playing, and relationship building. We want to get to know you, your family, and your child. You’ll also be getting comfortable with the changes as well, so we like to take it slow in the beginning.
First Month
Your child’s care team will be focused on slowly implementing services and ensuring everyone is happy with the current goals and scheduling arrangements. This is the time for any kinks to be worked out. Behind the scenes, your child’s care team will be having ongoing meetings to discuss the client’s progress. If you have any concerns, you’ll be reaching out to your child’s BCBA. They will work to resolve any questions or concerns you may have. A parent support meeting will occur 2 weeks after your child’s first day of therapy to check in with you.
Ongoing expectations
You are expected to ensure your family is meeting all therapy policies and expectations such as attendance requirements, timeliness, attending meetings, communicating schedule changes, attempting to implement goals as needed, etc. Just as we expect our staff to be reliable and attentive, we expect the same from families. Your child’s services are incredibly important and can be intensive at times, depending on their needs
We understand that life will happen and barriers to progress will arise, we just require communication with these matters. The more information you can provide when your child needs to reschedule sessions or miss therapy, the better. Insurance companies have very high expectations for family participation, so they require documented rationale on services not being rendered to expectations.
Our attendance policy and caregiver support meetings are guided by insurance company participation expectations. Failure to comply with these expectations can result in termination of services, regardless of Assent Therapy’s policies or stance on the matter. Insurance companies hold the ultimate right to approve and authorize ABA services due to being the funder of these services. As stated before, we will do everything in our power to work with your family. We appreciate your understanding, flexibility, and communication.
