How to Choose an ABA Provider: What to Look For, and What to Question

Guest Post

A note from Anya:

Families navigating an autism diagnosis often find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of provider options and decisions ahead of them. For families who are considering ABA, we brought in someone who knows this space inside and out. Brigid McCormick, MA, BCBA, LBA is the Founder and Clinical Director of Precision ABA and the Founder of The Institute for Clinical Excellence, both based here in Naperville. She has a lot worth saying.

Brigid's content begins here...

When you’re choosing an ABA provider, it’s easy to be drawn to programs that offer everything in one place, ABA, speech, and occupational therapy, all under one roof.

On the surface, that sounds ideal. It feels efficient. Coordinated. Comprehensive.

But the most important question when deciding a provider isn’t how many services are offered in one location, it’s how those services are being delivered, and by whom.

I’m a BCBA who collaborates closely with speech and occupational therapists. I’ve seen what strong, aligned care looks like, and I’ve also seen what happens when programs prioritize volume, high hours, and large caseloads, over thoughtful, individualized care.

ABA is a powerful science. In the right hands, it can support communication, independence, and meaningful progress across all areas of development. But there's been a trend as our field has expanded that has led to an increase in providers working outside of their depth, attempting to support a wide range of needs without the necessary expertise, which is a disservice to the children they support.

Families deserve to know the difference.

What ABA Should Be Doing At its core, ABA is meant to help children build meaningful skills and reduce barriers that get in the way of their daily lives.

When it’s done well, it looks like:

• communication that is functional and effective for the child

• improved confidence

• increased independence in daily routines

• social connection that feels authentic

• reduced frustration through better ways to communicate

• skills that carry over into real life, not just therapy sessions

It is:

• individualized

• data-informed

• responsive to the child

And importantly, it is not about forcing compliance or making a child appear “typical"

Where Things Can Go Off Track Not all ABA is implemented the same way. There are patterns that should lead to questions.

There is a strong emphasis on high hours without a clear rationale

More is not always better. Hours should be based on your child’s needs, not a preset model. While there is research to support high-intensity service delivery on length of time in therapy, clinical recommendations should be based on the child in front of us, not based on company policy or age.

Staff are undertrained or inconsistently supported

If the people working most closely with your child are not well trained, receive quality supervision, and are supported, the quality of care will reflect that. The concern about technicians running direct therapy sessions with minimal training is well-documented, and companies should be prioritizing the training of direct-service providers. Beyond that, many BCBAs themselves are under-prepared for the job. Companies with a revolving-door of employees should be evaluated critically.

Sensory supports must be earned 

Some providers consider access to sensory supports as a reinforcer break, and not as a regulation tool. While sensory activities like swinging, movement, and tactile experiences are super fun and may function as a reinforcer, access to fun things should be considered proactively, and built into the day to ensure learners stay regulated and are available to learn. When a child is dysregulated, they must regulate first instead of "waiting them out"

Therapies exist side by side, but not in alignment

Offering multiple services does not automatically mean they are coordinated. If providers are not clearly working toward shared goals, they may be working in parallel.

The focus feels heavily on compliance

If sessions center on “do this” and “stop that,” rather than understanding, connection, and communication, that’s worth questioning.

Decisions feel standardized rather than individualized

If recommendations sound the same across children, or driven by a program model, your child may not be at the center of decision-making.

What Strong, Aligned Care Looks Like

As a parent, trust yourself. You don’t need a clinical background to recognize quality.

Strong ABA should look like:

• communication is supported throughout the day

• skills are meaningful and connected to your child’s life

• providers across disciplines are reinforcing the same goals

• your child is engaged, not consistently distressed

• decisions are explained clearly and make sense for your child

And importantly: ABA should not replace or work around other therapies. It should actively support them.

Questions to Ask If you’re evaluating an ABA provider, a few questions can tell you a lot:

• How do you determine the number of hours recommended?

• How are your therapists trained and supervised?

• How do you support communication throughout the day?

• How do you collaborate with speech and occupational therapy providers?

• How do you ensure consistency across staff?

• How do you respond when a child refuses or avoids something?

• How do you make sure you’re not just teaching compliance?

Pay attention not just to the answers, but how clearly and confidently they are given.

A Final Thought It’s understandable to be drawn to programs that offer everything in one place, but it's also critical to ensure that they provide the right things, done well, by people who are thoughtful, well trained, and aligned in how they see and support them.

If something feels off, you’re allowed to ask more questions, pause, or choose a different path. If it feels difficult to get clear answers, that’s information. The right provider will make that easier, not harder.

Brigid McCormick, MA, BCBA, LBA

Founder and Clinical Director, Precision ABA

Founder, The Institute for Clinical Excellence

Naperville, Illinois