Home-Based ABA Therapy

ABA therapy can be provided in several different care settings including a client’s home, a client’s school, or a dedicated Autism center. Therapy services conducted at a client’s home may be referred to as “home-based services” or “in-home services”.

Through this care delivery model, the family works with a Master’s level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to develop an individualized treatment plan (ITP). A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) is then dispatched to the family’s home at pre-determined appointment times to provide 1:1 services based on the ITP.

Program Eligibility

Home-based therapy services are currently available through our Iowa offices for children ages 5+ with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Home-based care is considered a “focused-therapy” model and best suited to children who need fewer than 20 therapy hours per week. Please note that at least one parent or caregiver must be present during all in-home therapy sessions.

Benefits of Home-Based Therapy

As a parent or caregiver, it’s important to decide which care setting is best suited to your child’s needs. To help you understand if home-based Autism therapy is the right fit, check out a few of the main benefits below:

Scheduling Flexibility: In-home ABA therapy is an excellent alternative for families with busy schedules because clinicians can book appointments while working around existing obligations (i.e. school, work, other therapy services, etc.).
Convenience: Unlike intensive center-based services, children do not need to be transported to a Midwest office in order to receive care. With home-based services, clinicians come to you at pre-set appointment times to provide therapy. This also means that families who live in rural communities or who are too far from a Midwest office to provide daily transportation can receive care.
Hands-On/Collaborative: While parents do receive hands-on training through a center-based program, this is typically offered on a weekly or monthly basis. When services are provided in the family home, at least one caregiver is present for the duration of the therapy session allowing for additional opportunities to learn.
Continuum of Care: With standard center-based early intervention programs, children typically “graduate” from their center between the ages of 5 and 6. At this time, the child is transferred into a traditional school environment and families may need to find another therapy service provider who can work with their growing child. This could involve lengthy waitlists, new insurance authorizations, and other hurdles that prevent consistent, ongoing care. At Midwest, when a child graduates from our center-based program, they can continue working with their existing care team through their young adult years.