Last Updated September 2023
This Fact Sheet is available for download in the following languages:
- English: Resources while on an ABA Waiting List
- Spanish Español: Recursos para personas con IDD mientras está en una lista de espera
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- What can you be doing while searching for a Medicaid ABA provider?
- General Resources for Special Education Information
- Related Fact Sheets and Information
If your child has health insurance through All Kids (Illinois Medicaid) you may have called your Medicaid Managed Care Plan to find an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) provider after getting a prescription from you child’s pediatrician or specialist.
ABA therapy is a listed Medicaid benefit prescribed for children of all ages who have a diagnosis of autism.
Currently, ABA therapy coverage through any of the State’s Medicaid Managed Care companies may be difficult to locate and may involve waiting lists but this should be changing as Advocates passed state legislation that will now require Illinois Medicaid (HFS) to allow Behavior Analysts (BCBA or Board Certified Behavior Analysts) to practice ABA therapy without a licensed supervisor to oversee their work. This supervision requirement was the biggest barrier families faced when trying to access ABA because there were not enough supervisors to meet the demand.
What can you be doing while searching for a Medicaid ABA provider?
Work with your child’s school to ensure that the communication, social and behavioral concerns that may impact your child’s education are addressed and included in the IEP.
Discuss alternative options with your child’s pediatrician, primary care physician, speech and language professional while looking for a Medicaid ABA provider or on a waiting list with a provider. For example, you may find social skills groups, special recreation programs via a local park district, picture exchange systems, and/or social stories are helpful:
- https://echoautism.org/challenging-behavior/
- https://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/resources/
- https://challengingbehavior.org/docs/PEP_Tips-responding-challenging-behavior.pdf
- https://cfl.uic.edu/overview/rcadd/ or 312-746-5447; Resource Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).
- https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/afirm-modules – ABA modules anyone can access and implement
- https://autismnavigator.com/ U of FLA Family Resource at early skill building
You may want to appeal if your child has a Medicaid MCO and you are unable to locate an ABA provider in network for your child See: https://ilasd.com/ and: https://ilasd.com/medicaid-access-copy-3/
Contact your legislator regarding the limited or insufficient options for ABA services for children covered by Medicaid (All Kids). You can locate your state representative and state senator here: https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/DistrictLocator/AddressFinder.aspx?T=637535664882677338
General Resources for Special Education Information
- Illinois State Board of Education Parent Rights Guide: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Special-Education-Programs.aspx
- Family Matters Parent Training and Information Center (outside of Chicago (all counties not listed as covered by Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD) below: www.fmptic.org
- Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD) (Chicago-Cook county and DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties): www.frcd.org
- Equip for Equality Special Education Help Line: 866-543-7046; https://www.equipforequality.org/issues/special-education/
- CPS Office of Diverse Learners: https://www.cps.edu/services-and-supports/special-education/
- Raise Your Hand Illinois: Special Education Toolkit for CPS families: https://www.ilraiseyourhand.org/spedcovid
Related Fact Sheets and Information
- Family Guide to Medicaid Managed Care Appeals [English and Spanish]
- What’s next after an Autism Diagnosis? [English and Spanish]
- Special Education Resources [English, Spanish, Arabic, Polish, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Tagalog, and Urdu]
- PUNS, The Basics [English, Spanish, Arabic, Polish, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Tagalog, and Urdu]
- Medicaid Waivers in Illinois for Children with Disabilities [English and Spanish]