Frequently asked Questions
Everything you need to know so you can parent like a pro.
Is ABA covered by insurance?
Many types of private health insurance are required to cover ABA services. This depends on what kind of insurance you have, and the state in which you reside.
Please contact us for more information about insurance and coverage for autism services or if you have difficulty obtaining coverage.
Review this toolkit by Autism Speaks
As of right now, all 50 states have mandates that require some level of insurance coverage for the treatment of Autism. The U.S. Surgeon general and the American Psychological Association consider ABA to be an evidence based practice. Forty years of extensive literature have documented ABA therapy as an effective and successful practice to reduce problem behavior and increase skills for individuals with intellectual disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Therefore, ABA therapy is typically funded by most insurances when there is a medical necessity. The criteria for medical necessity may vary from insurance to insurance, so it is best to check with your carrier, however the criteria typically (though not always) include an Autism diagnosis.
Many other diagnoses do not yet have an insurance mandate for coverage and therefore, may not be covered under your existing insurance plan.
ABA therapy has not been covered by Illinois Medicaid, despite the fact that ABA therapy is covered by the Illinois Autism Insurance Mandate and is widely accepted as a "medically necessary" evidence-based intervention for individuals with ASD.
The Affordable Care Act allows young adults with autism to remain on their parents’ insurance up to age 26. (42 U.S.C. § 300gg-14).
What conditions do you treat?
ABA therapy is effective for a variety of conditions related to autism.
The therapists at Seven Carrot Learning provide customized therapy for individuals with autism and related disorders in the greater Chicagoland area. Getting the proper diagnosis can assist in achieving the most progress. Our evidence-based ABA methodologies are tailored to work with individuals across the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and these related diagnoses:
Anxiety
Apraxia
Asperger’s Syndrome
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Attention Deficit Hyper Active Disorder (ADHD)
Behavior Difficulties/Disorders
Communication Disorders
Developmental Delays
Down Syndrome
Food Selectivity/ Food Issues
Fragile X
Global Development
Learning Disabilities
Motor Skills Deficits
Multi-Systemic Disorder Syndrome
Non-Compliance
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD NOS)
Sensory Integration Disorder
Social Deficits
Social Pragmatic Disorder
*Almost all insurance companies require a formal medical diagnosis. If you do not have one for your child, click here for a Chicago Diagnostician List in Illinois.
Is there evidence that ABA works?
“Evidence based” means that ABA has passed scientific tests of its usefulness, quality, and effectiveness. ABA therapy includes many different techniques. All of these techniques focus on antecedents (what happens before a behavior occurs) and on consequences (what happens after the behavior).
Studies have established that intensive and long-term therapy using ABA principles improves outcomes for many but not all children with autism. “Intensive” and “long term” refer to programs that provide 25 to 40 hours a week of therapy for 1 to 3 years. These studies show gains in intellectual functioning, language development, daily living skills and social functioning. Studies with adults, though fewer in nummber, show similar benefits.
Over the past 40 years, an extensive body of literature has documented the successful use of ABA-based procedures to reduce problem behavior and increase appropriate skills for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), autism, and related disorders. The literature consists of numerous controlled studies employing single-case experimental designs, consecutive controlled case-series studies, controlled group studies, and some randomized controlled trials.
Check out these sites if you seek more information:
The Kennedy Krieger Institute
The Leaf Wing Center
Who will be providing ABA services?
Our board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA) provide ABA therapy services. To become a BCBA, the following is needed:
Earn a master’s or doctorate in behavior analysis from an accredited University
Complete Practicum, Intensive Practicum and Clinical Fieldwork
Pass a national certification exam
ABA therapy programs also involve therapists, or registered behavior technicians (RBTs). These therapists are trained and supervised by the BCBA. They work directly with children and adults with autism to practice skills and work toward the individual goals written by the BCBA. You may hear them referred to by a few different names: behavioral therapists, line therapists, behavior tech, etc.
To learn more, see the Behavior Analyst Certification Board website.
What should an ABA program involve?
Good ABA programs for autism are not "one size fits all." ABA should not be viewed as a canned set of drills. Rather, each program is written to meet the needs of the individual learner.
The goal of any ABA program is to help each person work on skills that will help them become more independent and successful in the short term as well as in the future.