ABA Therapy

What is ABA therapy?

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a structured, evidence-based therapy that builds everyday skills and reduces behaviors that get in the way of home, school, and community life.

A board certified behavior analyst studies how your child learns, sets clear goals, and breaks skills into small, teachable steps. Behavior technicians then practice those steps with your child during regular sessions, and progress is measured along the way so the plan keeps up with your child.

• Where: your home and community settings, in person
• Who leads care: a board certified behavior analyst
• Who delivers sessions: trained behavior technicians, under supervision
• Insurance: Maryland Medicaid
• Approval: required from Carelon Behavioral Health before sessions begin; our office requests it

Who do we serve?

Children and young adults under 21 with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis who live at home or in a community setting in Maryland.

Age

Under 21

Diagnosis

Autism spectrum disorder, from a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation

Referral

A referral for ABA from a qualified health care professional

Coverage

Maryland Medicaid, with prior approval from Carelon Behavioral Health

All 24 Maryland jurisdictions

Our team comes to you, in every Maryland county and Baltimore City.

How can ABA therapy at Hearthway benefit your child?

ABA helps children gain independence and confidence, and helps families feel more prepared day to day.

Skills we build

• Communication and language
• Daily living skills, such as dressing, eating, and hygiene
• Social and play skills
• Following routines and handling transitions
• Safety in the home and community

Behaviors we help reduce

• Tantrums and meltdowns
• Aggression
• Self-injury
• Behaviors that make outings or school difficult

Why families choose in-home ABA

• Skills are practiced in the places your child actually uses them
• No drive to a center, which matters most in rural Maryland
• Caregivers learn alongside, so progress continues between sessions

See all conditions we treat →

Who is on your child's ABA team?

Your board certified behavior analyst (BCBA)

Leads your child's care from start to finish. Your behavior analyst will:

• Complete an assessment of your child's skills and behaviors
• Write the treatment plan with you, including a behavior intervention plan and a crisis plan
• Train and supervise the behavior technicians working with your child
• Coach parents and caregivers, and write caregiver goals into the plan
• Review data and progress regularly, and update the plan
• Reassess your child before each new approval period
• Coordinate with your child's school, pediatrician, and other providers, with your permission

Your behavior technician

Works directly with your child during sessions. Your behavior technician will:

• Deliver sessions at home and in the community, following the treatment plan
• Teach and practice skills in small steps, using positive reinforcement
• Record data at every session so progress can be measured
• Work under the ongoing direction of the behavior analyst

You, the parent or caregiver

• Give written consent before treatment begins
• Take part in caregiver training, with your own goals in the plan
• Plan with us how you'll take part in sessions

What is a behavior intervention plan?

A behavior intervention plan is the part of your child's treatment plan that explains why a challenging behavior happens and exactly how everyone will respond to it.

It's built from the behavior analyst's assessment and gives the whole team, including you, the same approach.

• The behaviors being addressed, described clearly
• What tends to trigger them and what keeps them going
• Skills to teach in their place
• How to prevent and respond to the behavior, step by step
• How progress will be measured

What else is in the treatment plan

• Skill-building and behavior goals
• Caregiver goals
• A crisis plan
• Coordination with your child's other providers
• Plans for transition, fading, and discharge from the start

ABA ends when long-term goals are met, when it's no longer medically necessary, or when progress has stopped and isn't expected to improve.

What happens when you start?

1. Diagnosis and referral

   A qualified health care professional diagnoses autism and refers your child for ABA.

2. Eligibility check

   We confirm Medicaid and review the diagnosis and referral documents.

3. Assessment and plan

   A behavior analyst assesses skills and behaviors and writes a treatment plan with you.

4. Approval and sessions

   We request approval from Carelon Behavioral Health. Sessions begin once it's approved.

Approvals last up to 180 days. Your child is reassessed and the plan updated before each new approval.

What do you need to get started?

• Your child's Maryland Medicaid card
• The comprehensive diagnostic evaluation report
• The referral for ABA from a qualified health care professional
• The Clinical Confirmation Form, if your child's age and date of diagnosis require it
• Your child's IEP or 504 plan, if they have one

Who can diagnose and refer

A developmental pediatrician, pediatric neurologist, child psychiatrist, clinical psychologist or neuropsychologist, pediatrician, or nurse practitioner. We don't diagnose autism ourselves.

Not sure what you have? Call our office and we'll check what's needed.

Where and how are sessions provided?

Hands-on therapy with your child happens in person, at home and in the community.

• In person: all direct therapy sessions and assessments
• By two-way video, where Maryland Medicaid allows: parent and caregiver training, group caregiver training, and the behavior analyst's supervision of your child's sessions
• Not offered: ABA by phone, hands-on therapy by video, center- or clinic-based ABA, and autism diagnostic evaluations

Before any video services start, your child's treatment plan includes a telehealth readiness checklist, and we get approval from Carelon Behavioral Health.

Find your county →

Eligibility and approval details follow the Maryland Medical Assistance Program ABA Provider Manual (effective February 1, 2026), administered by Carelon Behavioral Health.