When my husband, Jeremy, and I formed Caprock Behavioral Solutions in 2012, ABA therapy was becoming more and more available in the areas such as Dallas and Houston, but Lubbock was getting left behind. As Lubbock natives, we found this concerning. Jeremy and I had left Lubbock in 2001 to pursue higher education and career opportunities, but in 2013 we found our calling to return to Lubbock and open Caprock Behavioral Solutions.  

In the beginning, when people asked us what we did, they would often respond “What the heck is Applied Behavior Analysis and how would that help my child?” Luckily, in the past 9 years, families in Lubbock are becoming more and more educated about the options for their children.  

Jump ahead to today, and you will now find several options in West Texas for ABA therapy. You may find yourself wondering, “Are all of these options the same?” or “How do I know who to choose for my child?” My goal of this article is to talk about choosing a provider that meets the needs of YOUR family with high quality services. Think about these questions as you tour provider offices, and hopefully, you will find the best match for your specific needs.  

How will your services be individualized to meet my child’s needs? 

ABA therapy should always be tailored to the needs of the individual receiving services. Parents should expect an initial assessment and a thorough treatment plan that addresses your child’s weaknesses and behavioral challenges.  

Where do you provide services? 

Does the organization provide clinic-based therapy only? Or do they offer services that meet you where you need help such as in the home, school, or community? If the provider only provides clinic-based services, how will they help you to generalize skills that your child is learning into other environments? Remember, while it’s great that your child is learning skills in the clinic, these skills will not be beneficial if they can’t be demonstrated in other environments.  

How often will I see my child’s Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)? 

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board that oversees BCBAs recommends a minimum of one hour of supervision for every 10 hours of therapy. In the overall picture of services that your child is going to receive, the BCBA is the person that is going to ensure the success of your child, so the importance of supervision is huge. Is the BCBA going to be onsite, or will you have to see them via telehealth? Will the BCBA be available for day-to-day concerns or questions? How often will I meet with my child’s BCBA? Answers to these questions could mean the difference between your child making significant, meaningful progress or hardly making any progress at all.  

How many children are on my BCBA’s caseload? 

It is important to know that your child will not get lost in a caseload that is too large for one BCBA to handle. With some providers requiring very high caseloads of their BCBAs, quality supervision is difficult to achieve. Ensure that your child will receive the program oversight that they need by asking the provider how many clients each BCBA supervises. If the response is 15, 20, or more, I would advise you to seek out a provider that focuses on quality by ensuring their BCBAs maintain low caseloads.  

What training is provided to my child’s therapists? 

In ABA, most direct therapy is provided by a behavioral technician. Usually, the minimum requirement for this technician is a high school diploma. This is why it will be very important to know – what are the provider’s minimum requirements for hiring, and what training will the technician have before they can independently provide therapy to my child. Also, what ongoing training will they receive? Some ABA therapy providers may require their technicians to become Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs). Requirements for this includes 40 hours of training, a competency evaluation, and a test that must be passed with a minimum score set for by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Be sure to ask if the provider has a requirement for their technicians to become RBTs.  

While the choice in providers can be overwhelming, I hope these questions can help you get started in finding the right provider for your needs. At the Lubbock Autism Academy, we always offer free consultations and tours, and we are happy to talk and answer any questions you may have. We understand that we may not always be the right fit, but we always want families to find the resources to help them be successful. There are many other questions that may be helpful, and below are resources to guide your search. Always remember though, as the parent or guardian, YOU are always the best advocate for your child, so speak up and only accept the best for your child! 

Resources 

https://www.bacb.com/ – Behavior Analyst Certification Board 

https://www.behaviorbabe.com/quality-indicators – Quality Indicators of an ABA Program 

https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/articles/what-to-consider-when-looking-for-a-qualified-aba-provider.html – Indiana Resource Center for Autism