Resources for Chicagoland Families

Plain-language guides to ABA therapy, insurance, autism diagnosis in Illinois, and supporting your child at home. Written by our clinical team. No sales pitch.

• ABA basics · 7 min read

  What Is ABA Therapy? A Plain-Language Guide for Parents

  What ABA is, what a session looks like, who delivers it, and the criticism parents should ask any provider about.

• Insurance and cost · 7 min read

  How Much Does ABA Therapy Cost With and Without Insurance in Illinois?

  How the Illinois mandate works, why self-funded plans differ, and the exact questions to ask your insurer before you commit.

• Therapies compared · 6 min read

  ABA Therapy vs. Speech Therapy vs. Occupational Therapy: What Does What

  What each discipline focuses on, the credentials behind them, where they overlap, and how to tell whether a child needs more than one.

• Diagnosis · 8 min read

  Getting an Autism Diagnosis in Illinois: Where to Start

  Who can diagnose, how Early Intervention and school district evaluations differ, and what families can do during a long wait.

• ABA basics · 7 min read

  How Many Hours of ABA Therapy Does a Child Actually Need?

  Why there is no standard hour count, what should drive a recommendation, and the questions to ask when you are given one.

• Choosing a provider · 8 min read

  20 Questions to Ask Before Choosing an ABA Provider

  A question-by-question guide to comparing providers, including the questions a large clinic may answer better than we can.

• Starting therapy · 6 min read

  What to Expect During Your First In-Home ABA Session

  Who comes, what the first session is really for, what to do with siblings and pets, and why nobody is judging your kitchen.

• School and IEP · 8 min read

  ABA Therapy and Your Child's IEP: How They Work Together

  Why school and private ABA are separate systems, how their goals can reinforce or contradict each other, and how to prepare for a meeting.