How to Get ABA Therapy in your IEP (and making sure it’s not harmful!)

“I want my child in an ABA program.” ABA therapies are very popular (and controversial). Many parents want their child in an ABA Therapy Program at school or to receive ABA therapy during school hours. ABA is also controversial and there are claims that “All ABA is abuse” which I do not believe.

It took us over a year to get my child into an ABA therapy program at school and it has been the only way to get him to make progress. So I asked around, got some advice from those knowledgeable in the field, and put together this post.

What is ABA?

ABA stands for Applied Behavior Analysis. It is a combination of behavior modification principles to bring about positive and meaningful behavior in one’s behavior. There are many components, and you may have heard terms like “VB Mapp” or “ABLLS” which are also used in ABA programming.

When people think of ABA, they often get a picture in their head–of a child and a behaviorist sitting at a table doing “work” or discrete trials. ABA is not a narrow set of guidelines or practices, but can and should be applied to wherever or whatever the child needs.

ABA in Schools

ABA has a lot of science behind it and is data-driven. Numerous studies have been done on ABA and autism in particular, and have shown it to be effective. It’s important to remember though–it is NOT just for autism. The principles can be applied to modify any behavior for a positive change. Since it is behavior driven, it’s non-invasive. In other words, it is a way for our kids to gain positive changes in skills without medicine, surgery or something else that may have negatives to it.

Please know that ABA is controversial in some circles. I strongly urge you to read both sides of the argument and visit multiple facilities before making your decision.

As an aside, I do not feel that my son’s “flavor” of ABA is neither abusive nor ableist. He is free to make choices and refuse tasks.

How to Get the School District to Pay for ABA Therapy

ABA, when done right, takes an immense amount of training (for the behaviorist doing the therapy). It’s intense and repetitive. Each program needs to be very individualized for the child. 1:1 isn’t absolutely necessary, but at the very least it needs to be done in very small groups.

Each child in the group needs to have similar behavior needs. Best practice is 1:1 because of the immediate and appropriate reinforcement that is needed. It also is very data-driven, so to modify behavior, reward and take data–takes a lot of hands! Highly trained professionals can do small groups effectively with aides or helpers. But of course 1:1 is very expensive from a staffing standpoint.

All in all, it’s very expensive to provide good quality ABA programming. There aren’t enough qualified folks out there to meet the need. It’s not a huge moneymaker for companies, so sadly there’s not much incentive to provide it.

Is ABA just for autism?

No, no, no! That is a myth. It is a behavior modification program which can be used on any person or living creature really. Heck, I verbally prompt my husband 1000x a day, but his behavior doesn’t change. (admittedly the reinforcement is not consistent!)

Depending on the child and how long they take to learn something, it can also be lengthy. You have to find what works, make it work, then have it apply across all environments.

But isn’t ABA Abusive?

Ok, so ABA is controversial in some circles. Some ABA providers are mistreating kids under the guise of Applied Behavior Analysis. Some staff will not ever let the child not comply with the demand. They are forced to perform tasks that they do not want to do. You can see why at best this would take away a person’s autonomy, and at worst, the person would lose decision making skills and comply with anything.

That however, is not ABA. I’m of the opinion that those folks would be mistreating kids even if ABA was never invented. They’d just call it something else. Of course I want my son to have autonomy and self-determination! I/we never force him through a task.

Now, if that means that technically, we’re not doing ABA, because we don’t force 100% compliance, I’m fine with that. We use ABA therapy principles to teach him skills in the school setting and at home. I don’t abuse my son, I don’t let anyone else abuse him and really, I don’t care what you call it.

We ask him to do something and if he does it, he is rewarded. If he doesn’t, he is given choice cards to choose “all done.”

How to get ABA Therapy in your IEP

As far as getting an ABA placement or programming, you have to approach it like anything else you think your child needs. You have to document the need. In my child’s case, it was a matter of showing that he was not successful at other interventions. Technically a child is not required to fail first. But if your child has not succeeded in other ways, educate yourself on ABA to see if it can be reasonably expected that it would be successful for them.

I also had recommendations from several specialists, so you may want to consider an IEE.

You want to get the ABA defined, and then choose the placement that is best going to be able to implement ABA programming. I have known parents who have pushed to have people in their own district trained in ABA for their child because there previously were not any.

If there are no schools for out-placement, you’re going to have to create the program if the team decides it’s appropriate. Not you personally, but if the team decides the child needs ABA, then the team has to find/create an ABA therapy program for the child. Make sense?

ABA IEP Goals

ABA would not be an IEP goal. It is a support or service. ABA is a method used to teach something, any skill. You apply the ABA principles to the skill being taught. My son’s IEP says something like “Kevin’s skills and curriculum will be taught to him using ABA principles.”

I am kind of a stickler about getting programs named in an IEP. Many schools don’t want to name ABA or reading programs, for example. But I like having the added accountability. If it’s not documented that we’re using ABA, what’s to keep anyone from moving his placement to a non-ABA setting?

Where can I find an ABA program for my child?

I can only tell you what I know about PA. From my experience, there is a huge disconnect between the state, the schools, and the community as far as ABA programming. As far as I know, there are no public districts near me that offer ABA at the elementary level or above. They may apply some ABA principles to their teaching, but I haven’t seen any true, data-driven ABA programs to modify behaviors in public schools. There are, however, some of the APSs that offer this and it was the driving force as to why I wanted my son in an APS. (APS meaning Approved Private School or out of district placement)

At the preschool level, the state (PA) does run the Verbal Behavior Project in conjunction with many of the IU preschool programs to offer it. That program (from what I saw) was data-driven and used ABA principles. However, the staffing ratios were too high to provide effective feedback to all the students, all the time. “Errorless teaching” or immediate feedback is one of the key principles of ABA.

It’s also a head-scratcher for me as to why the state and Pattan would do this project, only to abandon these kids at age 6. Usually, ABA Therapy Programs are not available in public schools. I sure hope that there is a project in the works to encourage this at the elementary level and beyond, but I digress. If you do have a preschooler and live in Pennsylvania, call your IU and see if there is a location near you that is participating in the Verbal Behavior Project. Then work with your child’s team to determine if it’s an appropriate placement.

At school age, I find that the only decent ABA programs are found in the APSs. The APSs unfortunately, for the most part, are near our major cities, so if you are in rural PA you may not have access. An APS is what we call an out-of-district placement in Pennsylvania.

There are private ABA programs and businesses, you just have to find them. There are some companies that just hire behaviorists to come out to your home and work with your child. These types of programs are usually either private pay or paid for by insurance. I don’t know how you find these programs other than word of mouth and internet searches.

Side note: If your child does have autism, you may want to familiarize yourself with PA Act 62. Act 62 covers services for autism in PA, because, again, since ABA is expensive, insurance companies don’t usually just smile and gleefully pay for it. Sigh, nothing is easy.

Great, I found an ABA program, now what?

Like any other business, some are better than others. There are good ABA teachers and not-so-good ones.

First and foremost, does it pass the “eye test?” No, it’s not a formal test. But what is your gut telling you? How is your child reacting? Are they changing for the better, or for the worse?

Evaluating whether an ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) program is effective and supportive versus potentially harmful or abusive is crucial, as not all ABA programs are created equal. While ABA can be beneficial for many children, there are important factors to consider to ensure that the program is child-centered, respectful, and ethical.

Here are some ways to tell if your ABA program is decent versus abusive:

1. Focus on the Child’s Needs and Interests

• Decent: A good ABA program tailors interventions to the child’s unique strengths, interests, and needs. It considers their communication style, personality, and preferences. The therapist should work to understand what motivates the child and incorporate that into the program.
• Abusive: An abusive program often imposes rigid goals or activities with little regard for the child’s preferences. It may focus too much on compliance for compliance’s sake rather than the child’s actual development or happiness.

2. Respect for Autonomy and Consent

• Decent: A good program encourages the child’s autonomy. It provides choices during sessions, allowing the child to decide between activities or tasks when appropriate. The therapist respects the child’s signals of discomfort or frustration and adjusts the approach accordingly.
• Abusive: An abusive ABA program forces the child to comply with demands, even when they’re distressed, tired, or overwhelmed. The program may ignore the child’s attempts to communicate a need for a break, rest, or change.

3. Use of Positive Reinforcement

• Decent: A quality ABA program emphasizes positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors. Rewards and praise are given for successes, and there is minimal focus on punishment or negative consequences.
• Abusive: An abusive program may use aversive methods, such as punishments, negative reinforcement, or coercion, to discourage unwanted behaviors. It may also include techniques that cause fear or discomfort, such as withholding food, breaks, or comfort items.

4. Respect for the Child’s Dignity

• Decent: The therapist respects the child’s dignity and treats them as an individual with feelings, thoughts, and rights. The child’s communication, whether verbal or non-verbal, is respected, and they are not forced into unnatural or uncomfortable behaviors simply to conform to norms.
• Abusive: An abusive program may attempt to suppress the child’s natural behaviors (like stimming) solely to make them appear “normal,” without considering whether those behaviors are harmful or just self-soothing. Forcing eye contact or hand-over-hand physical compliance can be signs of disrespect for the child’s autonomy.

5. Collaboration with Parents and Caregivers

• Decent: In a good ABA program, parents are partners in the therapy process. The therapist regularly communicates with parents, seeks input on goals, and updates them on progress. Parents’ concerns and observations are taken seriously.
• Abusive: An abusive program keeps parents out of the loop, discourages questions, or dismisses concerns. If the therapist insists on working in isolation or refuses to explain the rationale behind their methods, that’s a red flag.

6. Adaptability and Flexibility

• Decent: A strong ABA program is flexible and adapts to the child’s changing needs. If an approach isn’t working or is causing distress, the therapist adjusts the plan. The focus is on helping the child grow, not forcing them to meet rigid benchmarks.
• Abusive: An abusive program rigidly sticks to predetermined goals or methods, even when the child is struggling. If the program emphasizes compliance over comfort, it’s a sign the child’s well-being isn’t the priority.

7. Focus on Functional Skills and Independence

• Decent: The program should focus on helping the child develop skills that enhance their independence, communication, and ability to navigate the world in a way that respects their individuality. The goal is to foster meaningful improvements in the child’s life.
• Abusive: Programs that focus excessively on reducing “problem” behaviors without building functional skills may be harmful. Suppressing behaviors like stimming, which may help the child regulate emotions or sensory input, without offering alternative coping mechanisms is a red flag.

8. Child’s Emotional Well-being

• Decent: In a good ABA program, the child is happy to attend sessions most of the time. While therapy can be hard work, a decent program will have moments of fun and engagement for the child, and they will generally be in a positive mood.
• Abusive: If the child consistently dreads going to ABA, shows signs of distress before sessions, or regresses emotionally or behaviorally outside of therapy, this could indicate that the program is too harsh or traumatic.

9. Clear, Ethical Boundaries

• Decent: The ABA program follows ethical guidelines and has clear boundaries. The therapist should never use physical restraint unless it’s for safety in a crisis, and it should never be part of the regular therapy process. There should be transparency about methods and data.
• Abusive: An abusive program may blur ethical lines by using harsh physical or emotional techniques to achieve compliance. It might also lack transparency, with therapists unwilling to explain what happens in sessions or why certain methods are used.

10. Continuous Data Monitoring and Goal Adjustment

• Decent: A good ABA program tracks the child’s progress through data and adjusts goals as the child grows. The therapist should clearly explain what is being measured and why, and make changes if certain interventions aren’t helping.
• Abusive: An abusive program might continue using ineffective strategies without assessing their impact on the child’s well-being or progress. If data is collected only to “prove” the program is working, rather than to genuinely help the child, that’s concerning.

Red Flags for Abusive ABA Programs

• Use of aversives (e.g., spraying water, shouting, forced physical positioning)
• Lack of communication or transparency with parents
• Overemphasis on compliance without consideration of the child’s emotional state
• Suppression of self-soothing behaviors (like stimming) without providing alternative strategies
• Ignoring distress signals or pushing a child through sessions when they are visibly upset

Green Flags for a Good ABA Program

• Collaboration and open communication with parents
• Respect for the child’s feelings and needs
• Emphasis on positive reinforcement and skill-building
• Adaptability and responsiveness to the child’s progress and emotional well-being

By paying attention to these factors, parents can gauge whether their child’s ABA program is truly supporting their development or potentially harmful. The ultimate goal should always be helping the child thrive in a supportive, respectful, and empowering environment.

Author’s Note: I will not be responding to any email telling me that I am abusing my child by having him in an ABA program. I’ve read all I need to read on this topic, and I’ve watched his team countless times over ten years.