ABA Therapy
ABA therapy for NYC children, at school and at home.
ABA is a structured, evidence-based method for building communication, social, and daily-living skills one measurable goal at a time, with data collected every session. We match children with Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and the trained behavior technicians they supervise, help you find the right funding path, and stay involved while the program runs.
A structured method for teaching skills
ABA looks at what helps a specific child learn, then builds a plan around it. It should be individualized, play-based where possible, and measured so everyone can see what's working.
Applied Behavior Analysis breaks broad goals ("communicate a need," "join a group activity," "handle a transition") into small, teachable steps, and reinforces progress in a way that's meaningful to the child. It's used most often with children on the autism spectrum, but the approach supports any child working on communication, social, learning, or self-help skills.
Knowledge Road doesn't diagnose and doesn't decide who needs ABA. That comes from an evaluation and, where relevant, a physician or the IEP team. Our job starts once a program is warranted: we match a BCBA to design and oversee it, place the behavior technicians who deliver the hours, and keep the documentation in order for whoever is funding it.
What the first few weeks of ABA look like
ABA begins with the BCBA getting to know the child. A written plan and the first sessions follow.
Pick any part of the sentence to see the detail.
The BCBA gathers history from the family, reviews any evaluation or IEP, and observes the child. Where appropriate they run a skills assessment (tools like the VB-MAPP or ABLLS-R) to see what the child can already do and where the gaps are.
The BCBA turns that picture into specific, measurable goals, with a recommended number of hours per week and the teaching strategies that fit this child. This plan is what a funder reviews and what every session is measured against.
- Specific, measurable goals
- Hours per week, recommended by the BCBA
- Teaching strategies chosen for this child
- The funder reviews it, and every session is measured against it
Early sessions establish a baseline and build rapport. A trained behavior technician delivers the hands-on hours under the BCBA's supervision, collecting data on each target from day one.
The BCBA reviews the data regularly and revises goals as the child masters them, so the plan stays current with the child's progress.
How many hours a week, and who delivers them
The number of hours depends on the child's goals and what the funder authorizes. There are two common models:
- Focused ABA
- Roughly 10–20 hours a week, targeting a defined set of goals: a communication skill, a safety behavior, a specific challenge. Common when a child needs support in a few clear areas.
- Comprehensive ABA
- Roughly 20–40 hours a week across many developmental domains at once. More typical for younger children where the goal is broad, early skill-building. Hours are always set by the BCBA's plan and the funder.
- The BCBA + technician model
- A Board Certified Behavior Analyst designs and supervises the program; a trained behavior technician delivers most of the direct hours. The BCBA provides clinical oversight, and the technician provides consistent day-to-day teaching.
Two ways ABA is funded
Where ABA is funded from shapes where it happens, how the hours are approved, and what paperwork is involved. Most families in New York go one of two ways, and we help you figure out which fits.
- Insurance-funded ABA
- New York's insurance law requires many plans to cover medically necessary ABA for children with an autism diagnosis. This path runs on a diagnosis, a prescription or referral, and prior authorization from the plan, and often happens at home or in a clinic. Medicaid covers medically necessary ABA for eligible children, frequently under EPSDT for those under 21. We verify your benefits and handle the authorization paperwork.
- School- or Early-Intervention-funded ABA
- When behavioral support is written into a child's IEP, or into an IFSP through Early Intervention (birth–3), it's delivered as an educational service (in school, at home, or an agreed setting) at no cost to the family. On this path the hours come from the mandate rather than a medical authorization. We deliver what the plan specifies.
Caregivers learn the same strategies the technician uses.
The BCBA works with the child and also coaches the caregivers. Parent training teaches you the strategies your technician uses, so a request for help at dinner or a transition to bed is reinforced the same way every time. This helps new skills carry over beyond the therapy hour. We build caregiver coaching into the engagement and share the data with you.
See the full education catalog
How ABA differs at ages 2, 4, and 9
The method is the same; the goals, setting, and funding route change with the child's age and the system they're in.
- Early Intervention (birth–3)
- Delivered through the IFSP under NYS Early Intervention, usually in the home, with heavy caregiver coaching and play-based goals: early communication, imitation, joint attention, and daily routines.
- Preschool / CPSE (3–5)
- Behavioral support recommended through the Committee on Preschool Special Education, often in a preschool or home setting, focused on readiness skills: following directions, group participation, and communication before kindergarten.
- School-age (5–21)
- Support tied to the IEP and/or insurance, aimed at classroom access, social skills, self-regulation, and independence. Coordinated with teachers so gains carry into the school day.
How we match a BCBA and get hours started
Once the funding path is clear, matching moves quickly. An approved program without a provider is treated as urgent, the same as an unserved mandate.
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We confirm whether you're going through insurance/Medicaid or an IEP/IFSP, and gather the authorization or mandate the funder needs.
- Insurance or Medicaid: a diagnosis, a prescription or referral, and prior authorization from the plan
- IEP or IFSP: the mandate written into the child's plan
We match a BCBA and technician to your child's age, goals, language, and setting.
We build a schedule around your week, start data collection on session one, and keep the record audit-ready for the funder and the next review.
Common questions about starting ABA
How do I know if my child is a candidate for ABA?
That's a clinical and educational determination (from a developmental evaluation, a physician, or the IEP team), not something we decide. ABA is most commonly recommended for children on the autism spectrum, but it supports a range of communication, social, and behavioral goals. If you have an evaluation or a plan that recommends ABA, we can act on it; if you're still at the question stage, we can help you arrange the evaluation that answers it.
How many hours a week will my child need?
It depends on the goals and the funder's authorization. Focused programs run roughly 10–20 hours a week for a defined set of targets; comprehensive programs run roughly 20–40 hours for broad early skill-building. The BCBA recommends the number in the treatment plan, and the funder authorizes it. We don't set hours arbitrarily.
Does insurance cover ABA in New York?
Often, yes. New York's insurance law requires many plans to cover medically necessary ABA for children with an autism diagnosis, and Medicaid covers it for eligible children (frequently under EPSDT for those under 21). Coverage runs on a diagnosis, a referral or prescription, and prior authorization. We verify your specific benefits at no charge and handle the authorization paperwork before anything starts.
What's the difference between a BCBA and the person in the room?
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is the clinician who assesses your child, writes the treatment plan, and supervises the program. Much of the direct, hands-on teaching is delivered by a trained behavior technician working under that BCBA's supervision. You get senior clinical oversight plus consistent day-to-day instruction, and every provider is credentialed for their role and cleared to work with children.
Is ABA delivered at home or at school?
Both, depending on the funding path. Insurance- and Early-Intervention-funded ABA often happens at home or in a clinic; school- or IEP-funded ABA is delivered in the classroom or at an agreed setting. We match the provider to the setting as well as the child's age and goals.
What is parent training, and do I have to participate?
Parent (or caregiver) training is the BCBA coaching you on the same strategies the technician uses, so skills generalize beyond the session. It's a core part of effective ABA and is usually built into the plan. You don't need any background: the point is to make the gains hold at home. We keep you looped in on the data throughout.
How is progress tracked and shared?
ABA is data-driven. The technician records data on each target every session, the BCBA reviews it regularly against the plan, and goals are revised as your child masters them. You get progress updates in plain language, and when a review or reauthorization comes up, the documentation is already in order.
See speech therapy, Early Intervention, or call (718) 540-8268.
If you have the diagnosis and ABA still has not started
- Every ABA agency I call has a waitlist, or never calls me back.
- Long waits usually come down to too few clinicians for the children who need them. Tell us your child's age, the setting, and the funding path, and we will tell you where a match stands. We match a BCBA and technician to your child's goals, language, and setting.
- We have the diagnosis, but I do not know what insurance needs before ABA can start.
- Insurance-funded ABA runs on three things: the diagnosis, a referral or prescription, and prior authorization from the plan. Medicaid has its own rules about who can write that referral, so it is worth checking before you book the appointment. We verify your benefits and handle the authorization paperwork.
- The plan approved fewer hours than the BCBA recommended.
- The BCBA recommends hours in the written treatment plan, and the funder decides what to authorize. The plan and the session data are what the funder looks at when hours come up for review. We keep that documentation in order, so the next review starts from a complete record.
- The diagnosis or evaluation report
- Insurance or Medicaid card, front and back
- The referral or prescription for ABA, if you have one
- The IEP or IFSP, if ABA is written into it
- Any authorization or denial letter from the plan
You can call without all of these. We will work out the rest with you.
More therapies
Starting ABA for your child
Tell us your child's age, the setting, and whether you're going through insurance or an IEP/EI plan. Our coordination team responds within 24 hours, typically within 4–6 hours, and helps you find the quickest way to start.
