Information for Parents & Guardians in Illinois

As a parent of a child with autism in Chicago, you may be able to get financial assistance for your child’s ABA therapy through various programs. Pre-authorization is required before a health insurance company will cover the total cost of an examination and associated treatments. An administrator at the clinic will check with your insurance company to see if ABA services are covered.

The BCBA will recommend therapy hours, session frequency, and possible referrals to other experts based on your child’s examination results. The BCBA will design a protocol and data log for therapists to collect information and track progress toward each child’s goals once they have received service approval from your child’s provider.

 

Both you and your child will be supported by a BCBA and a group of RBTs (or other competent personnel). A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will develop your child’s treatment plan and guide the other therapists on the team. While ABA can take anywhere from ten to thirty hours per week, the BCBA does not work directly with your child daily. Your child’s sessions will mainly include interacting with RBTs.

The BCBA keeps meticulous records of client activity to monitor development and fine-tune instruction as needed. The BCBA is there to help you navigate the therapy system for your child and answer any questions you may have.

Standard practice is shifting toward actively engaging families of autistic children in their treatment. The autism literature and research indicate the link between family engagement in therapeutic ABA treatments and healthy growth and development in children with autism. Family training is provided weekly on a 1:1 basis between the clinical team and the family and will focus on the specific treatment of your child. Additionally, monthly group training will be offered to all families that focuses on teaching more ABA concepts and principles. Parent training is crucial since it facilitates the transfer of your child’s skills from the clinic or ABA sessions to real-world settings.

Online Resources

100 Days Kit – Autism Speaks

A Parent’s Guide to Evidence-Based Practice and Autism – National Autism Center

Autism Source – Autism Society of America

Autism NOW – The Arc and The Administration on Developmental Disabilities

OSERS – U.S. Department of Education

Life Journey Through Autism Series – Organization for Autism Research (OAR)

Sound Advice on Autism – American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)