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Frequently Asked Questions
About ABA Services at ABI New England
A typical ABA session at ABI New England is a dynamic blend of structured learning and play-based intervention. Each session is led by a Behavior Technician (BT) or Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) who follows a customized Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP). The session involves working on specific goals such as communication, social skills, and daily living skills using positive reinforcement. Our clinicians alternate between focused “table-top” work and natural play to keep the child engaged and motivated throughout the duration of the visit.
ABI New England specializes in providing comprehensive ABA services to a wide range of age groups, with a primary focus on early learners and school-aged children. We support toddlers (starting at age 2), preschoolers, and adolescents. Our clinical programs are developmentally adapted to meet the unique needs of each stage of life, ensuring that the skills we teach are socially significant and age-appropriate for the individual.
While ABI New England focuses specifically on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), we believe in the power of a multidisciplinary approach. We do not provide speech or occupational therapy directly, but we actively collaborate with your child’s external SLP and OT providers. By sharing data and aligning our clinical goals, we ensure that your child receives a cohesive and well-rounded treatment experience across all therapeutic disciplines.
For our youngest learners, therapy is designed to look and feel like play. We utilize Natural Environment Teaching (NET) to embed learning opportunities into favorite activities like blocks, bubbles, or pretend play. This approach focuses on “pivotal” developmental skills such as joint attention, imitation, and functional communication in a way that is gentle, naturalistic, and highly reinforcing for toddlers and preschoolers
Yes, we provide intensive early intervention programs specifically designed for toddlers who have recently received an autism diagnosis. These programs capitalize on the brain’s high level of plasticity during the early years. By providing a high frequency of 1:1 hours, we aim to build a strong foundation in language and social readiness, which significantly improves long-term outcomes and school success.
At ABI, we are entirely data-driven. Behavior Technicians use specialized digital software to record every success and challenge during a session. This data is reviewed weekly by a supervising BCBA to track trends. We provide parents with regular progress reports and hold formal meetings to review graphs and data, ensuring that families and healthcare providers have a clear, transparent view of the child’s developmental trajectory.
The recommended number of hours is based on a clinical assessment of your child’s specific needs and goals. “Comprehensive” ABA programs, which target multiple developmental areas, typically range from 20 to 40 hours per week. “Focused” programs, which address specific behaviors or skills, may require 10 to 20 hours per week. Our goal is to find the right intensity to ensure your child makes meaningful, lasting progress.
Discrete Trial Training (DTT) is a structured approach where skills are broken down into small steps and taught through repetitive trials in a controlled setting. Natural Environment Teaching (NET) involves teaching those same skills within the context of real-life activities and play. ABI utilizes a balanced blend of both: DTT helps master new skills quickly, while NET ensures the child can actually use those skills in the real world with different people and in different places.
Caregiver involvement is a cornerstone of the ABI New England model. We provide regular Parent Guidance sessions where a BCBA works directly with you to share strategies and techniques. By involving parents in the treatment plan, we ensure that the skills your child learns during therapy sessions carry over into your daily routines at home and in the community, leading to more sustainable success.
Our team uses proactive, function-based strategies to address challenging behaviors. Before intervening, we determine the “function” of the behavior. Whether the child is trying to communicate a need, escape a task, or seek attention. We then teach the child a safer, more effective replacement behavior. Our priority is always to maintain a safe, supportive, and positive environment using the least restrictive methods possible. We like to approach this as the putting the “fun” in function.
Our philosophy is built on the belief that therapy should be a positive and affirming experience for every child. It also means respecting the parent’s wishes and priorities. Compassionate Care at ABI means leading with empathy, respecting the child’s autonomy, and prioritizing their emotional well-being over simple compliance. We utilize “Assent-Based” practices, meaning we constantly monitor the child’s engagement and willingness to participate, ensuring a respectful and dignity-focused therapeutic relationship.
While our clinical team reviews session data on a frequent basis to make minor adjustments, formal treatment plans are updated every six months. These updates involve a comprehensive review of the data to see which goals have been mastered and which need to be modified. This ensures that the Individualized Treatment Plan remains current and continues to challenge the child as they grow.
All ABI programs are designed and supervised by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), who hold Master’s or Doctoral degrees and are licensed in Massachusetts (LABA). Direct 1:1 therapy is provided by Behavior Technicians, many of whom have earned the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) credential. All staff undergo rigorous background checks and receive ongoing training in clinical best practices and safety protocols.
We focus heavily on “school readiness” skills to ensure a smooth transition into the classroom with our “Ready for School” Program. This includes practicing group-learning behaviors, such as following a teacher’s instructions, participating in circle time, and transitioning between subjects. Our BCBAs can also consult with school teams and provide data-backed recommendations to help support the child’s success in a preschool or kindergarten environment.
Families choose ABI because of our intentional, clinician-led culture. Unlike large national corporations, we focus on a mentorship-driven model that ensures our staff are highly trained and personally invested in every child’s success. We prioritize the quality of our clinical oversight and the compassion of our care, creating a supportive community that feels like a partnership rather than just a service.
ABI New England offers a flexible service model tailored to your family’s needs. We provide home-based therapy for naturalistic learning, center-based therapy at our specialized “Ready for Life” locations, and school-based consultation. These varying approaches allow us to target different skills in the environments where they matter most, ensuring comprehensive support for your child.
Center-based therapy offers a structured, classroom-like environment that is ideal for building social skills and preparing for school. Benefits include increased opportunities for peer interaction, access to a wider variety of learning materials, and direct, on-site supervision from multiple BCBAs. It provides a focused setting that helps many children master new skills more rapidly than in a home environment alone.
We currently provide services across several key regions in Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Our reach includes communities in the Merrimack Valley, Worcester County, the North Shore, and the Greater Boston area. With our centers in locations like Allston, Bedford, Franklin, Lowell, Methuen, and Worcester, we are able to support families throughout a significant portion of the state.
Yes, community-based sessions are a vital part of our curriculum, especially for our older clients. We believe that ABA is most effective when it helps a child navigate the real world. Our technicians can accompany your child to parks, grocery stores, or libraries to work on social skills, safety awareness, and functional communication in public spaces, helping the child become more independent in their local community. We also have “mock apartments” for clients to practice with.
We take the matching process very seriously, as a strong bond between the child, their parent or guardians, and technician is essential for progress. We consider the child’s personality, the technician’s clinical experience, and the family’s schedule. We monitor these relationships closely to ensure the child feels comfortable and motivated, and we are always open to adjusting to ensure the best possible clinical fit.
Career Growth
The ABI Mentorship Program provides a structured clinical track designed to guide aspiring behavior analysts from student roles to professional leadership. We align our supervision with BACB standards, focusing on the development of strong clinical, ethical, and leadership skills through individualized oversight and real-world application.
Supervision hours are tracked and verified through a systematic internal process that ensures all BACB requirements are met. We provide consistent 1:1 and group supervision sessions, maintaining detailed documentation of supervised independent fieldwork to ensure every trainee is prepared for their eventual certification.
We provide clear professional roadmaps for Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) to grow within the organization. Leadership opportunities include roles such as Lead Registered Behavior Technician (Lead RBT) or Peer Leaders allowing experienced staff to mentor new hires and take on increased clinical responsibilities while pursuing their BCBA credentials.
ABI offers dedicated support for the BCBA exam, including access to specialized prep materials through Rethink. We focus on the BACB Task List to ensure our participants are not only prepared to pass the exam but are also ready to thrive as skilled, compassionate clinicians upon certification.
Clinical staff at ABI benefit from ongoing professional development through internal workshops and CEU opportunities. Our goal is to foster long-term growth by maximizing professional opportunities and keeping our team at the forefront of evidence-based ABA practices.
We ensure high ethical standards by integrating the BACB Ethics Code into every level of our supervision process. Our mentors emphasize ethical decision-making and professional conduct, ensuring that our future BCBAs prioritize the well-being and rights of the children and families ABI serves.
Insurance & Intake
We work with a wide range of insurance providers to ensure access to ABA therapy including Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership (MBHP), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Magellan, Optum Health, United Behavioral Health, Fallon, Beacon Value Options, Tufts Health Plan, Tufts Public Health Plans, Cigna, and Aetna. Because every plan is different, we recommend reaching out to our intake team to confirm.
The journey begins with a simple initial outreach. You can complete our online intake form or call our office to speak with a dedicated Care Coordinator. We will gather basic information about your child’s needs and your goals for therapy. From there, we move into insurance verification and scheduling a clinical assessment with one of our Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA).
Yes. To meet the “medical necessity” requirements set by most insurance companies including MassHealth and private commercial plans. A formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is required. This diagnosis must typically be provided by a licensed professional, such as a developmental pediatrician, neurologist, or psychologist, before ABA services can be authorized.
To get started, we typically need a copy of your child’s formal diagnostic report and a prescription or referral for ABA therapy from their primary doctor. Once we have these, our team handles the heavy lifting of submitting the “Prior Authorization” request to your insurance company. We also collect basic demographic and insurance card information to ensure there are no delays in funding.
Wait times can vary based on your location and the specific type of service (home, center, or community) you are requesting. However, ABI New England strives to process intakes as efficiently as possible. Once we have verified your insurance and received the necessary medical documentation, we work to schedule your child’s comprehensive functional assessment to minimize the gap between your first call and the start of ABA therapy.