Everything You Need to Know About Applied Behavioral Analysis

What form of autism treatment do the experts recommend most?

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is the #1 recommended form of autism therapy. Almost all 50 States mandate that health insurance policies cover ABA therapy. ABA therapy is backed by decades of academic and clinical research and is a rapidly growing field in psychology.

Is co-pay assistance available to help me afford your services?

We are required by insurance to collect co-pays and co-insurance at the time of service. If you are a current regional center consumer, your local regional center may be able to help you with your co-pays. Please contact your regional center case manager for more information about co-pay assistance and whether you qualify.

How soon will services start once we start the enrollment process?

If we have staff available for your case, services will start as soon as the funding source gives us approval to begin. If we do not have staff currently available for your case, then it may take a few extra weeks for us to find a high quality therapist to work with you.

How do you ensure that the therapist providing direct treatment will do a great job?

All of our behavior technicians are provided with rigorous classroom and hands-on training. They are also required to sit for and pass the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) exam through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Your Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will work closely with both you and the RBT to ensure that high standards are met throughout the process.

How do I get my child to stop doing behavior “X"?

A clinical supervisor or assistant clinical supervisor will work with you to create a therapy plan suited to your child’s needs. This treatment plan details the actions that everyone, including parents, should take in order to reduce any problematic behaviors, or behaviors that have been identified for reduction or elimination. 

I love my treatment team and would like to give a recommendation on your website. How can I do that?

We're thrilled that you like your treatment team so much that you want to let everyone know. Parents are always welcome to leave us positive feedback through reviews on our Google My Business profile. Our profile can be found by Googling “Coachella Valley Lighthouse ABA Therapy.” Additionally, some parents choose to recommend us to other families. Your recommendation to another family in need of ABA services is the highest compliment we can receive.

I thought that you were the behavior therapist. Why am I involved in the treatment plan?

Studies show that individuals who have parents/caregivers who are actively involved in their child's ABA treatment have the best outcomes and have a better long-term prognosis than those whose parents/caregivers have a hands-off approach. Our goal is to set you up for ongoing successful, positive interactions with your child with the support of your treatment team. A hands-on approach will set you up for success when we aren't there and for when you no longer need us.

My kid stayed home sick from school today. Can we still have our session?

Unfortunately we cannot. We want to keep everyone healthy, including your family and our treatment team members. If your child is sick, we ask that you let your case supervisor know right away so that they can communicate with the treatment team. We will resume services as soon as everyone is all better. 

Will my insurance pay for this?

CVL is in network with many insurance providers for ABA services and we will be happy to assist you in finding out if your insurance plan will cover our services.

Is there a set behavior therapist on our treatment team or does it alternate?

CVL’s ABA program is designed to promote generalization of skills (i.e., the ability to do apply new skills with various people, at various times, and in various settings). We also want to make sure that your child receives the full number of treatment hours they have been prescribed. As such, there may be times where there is a new behavior technician assigned to work with you and your child.

I’m not with a regional center. Can I still enroll in services with you?

No. We do encourage you to have your child evaluated to determine if they qualify for regional center services. However, if they do not qualify for regional center services, you can still get ABA with us.

I want to switch from my current ABA provider. What is the process?

We’ll be happy to assist you. The specific steps to take will depend on your funding source. Get in touch with us for a free consultation and we’ll hold your hand through the process.

We’ve had ABA before with another company. Do we need to do the assessment?

Yes. Our assessment and interviews help us to develop a treatment plan to address your child’s and family's individual needs, which tend to change over time. In order to provide the most effective care, we need to complete a functional assessment before we begin providing ABA services.