When you have finally decided to start ABA, waiting is hard. Two of the questions parents ask us most are: is there a waitlist, and how long until my child starts? This page answers both, honestly, with each step from your first call to your child's first session, and what makes the timeline shorter or longer.
Is there a waitlist at Hope Center?
No. Hope Center for Behavior Change has no waitlist at any of our locations. That does not mean therapy starts the day you call. Insurance-funded ABA has required steps, and some of them depend on your insurance company and on paperwork. What "no waitlist" means is that once your child's treatment plan is approved, you are not put in a line behind other families. Services usually begin 3 to 5 business days after insurance approves the plan.
How long does it take from first call to first session?
From the first call to the first session can be as little as three weeks when everything moves quickly. When documents come back slowly, or the insurance company asks for more information, it can stretch to four or five months or longer. Most of the difference comes from two things: how fast paperwork comes back, and how fast your plan reviews the request.
| Step | What happens | How long it takes | What you can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. First call or form | You call 561-337-8865 or send the contact form. Our team asks about your child, insurance, diagnosis, location and how soon you want to start. | One conversation | Have your insurance card and diagnosis report nearby. |
| 2. Documents and intake | We send the intake package, including our privacy statement. You return the initial documents and complete intake. | Depends on you; this is the step families control most | Return everything in one go, the same day if you can. |
| 3. Benefits check | We verify your benefits with your insurer: whether ABA is covered, prior authorization rules and your likely share of cost. The check is free. | Depends on the insurer | Tell us about any second insurance plan. |
| 4. Parent questionnaires | You complete online diagnostic questionnaires about your child. | Depends on you | Set aside quiet time to finish them in one sitting. |
| 5. Initial assessment | A BCBA meets your child at home or at a center. The assessment takes 2 to 4 hours, in one or two sessions. | One or two visits | Pick the earliest slot offered. |
| 6. Treatment plan | The BCBA writes the plan. Our clinical director reviews every plan before it goes to insurance. | Up to two weeks | Answer follow-up questions quickly. |
| 7. Parent signature and submission | You review and sign the plan, and we submit it to your insurer. | As soon as you sign | Sign the day you receive it, after asking any questions. |
| 8. Insurance approval | Your plan reviews the request for medical necessity and authorizes hours. | Set by your insurer; varies by plan | Respond to any request from the plan right away. |
| 9. First session | Your child's RBT and BCBA begin services. | Usually 3 to 5 business days after approval | Ask to meet the assigned staff first if you like. |
What does a fast start look like?
Here is an example of a quick path, to show how the steps fit together. It is not a promise; your plan's review time is outside our control.
- Week 1: You call on Monday. You return the intake documents and insurance details within a day or two. We start the benefits check, and you complete the online questionnaires.
- Week 2: The BCBA completes the 2 to 4 hour assessment, in one or two sessions, at your home or one of our centers. The BCBA begins writing the plan.
- Week 3: The clinical director reviews the plan, you sign it, and we submit it to your insurer. If the plan approves quickly, services begin 3 to 5 business days later.
Each day a document sits on the kitchen counter adds a day to that timeline. Each request from the insurer adds more.
What speeds up the start?
- Your child's diagnosis report. Insurance-funded ABA usually requires a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or Down syndrome. Send us the full report, not just a summary page. Some plans have their own rules; for example, UMR's ABA documentation form says IEPs and school evaluations are not acceptable as the only proof of diagnosis, and asks for current documentation if the diagnostic report is more than four years old.
- A doctor's prescription or order, if your plan needs one. Under Florida's autism insurance law, fully insured plans can limit coverage to treatment prescribed by the child's treating physician under a treatment plan. Ask your pediatrician early. See does ABA need a doctor's prescription.
- Both sides of every insurance card, including any secondary plan.
- Quick replies. Returning calls, texts and forms the same day saves more time than anything else.
- Flexibility for the assessment. We can assess at home or at a center, so take whichever is sooner.
Our checklist of documents to start ABA lists everything in one place.
What can slow it down?
- Missing or old diagnosis paperwork. If your child does not yet have a diagnosis, or the report is old, the insurer may not approve until it is updated.
- Paperwork that comes back in pieces. Intake cannot move to the assessment until the initial documents are in.
- Insurer requests for more information. Plans can ask for more detail before approving, which adds time to their review. Cigna's (Evernorth) ABA authorization form, for example, requires prior authorization for ongoing ABA treatment and lists the clinical information the plan needs.
- Plan changes. A new job, a new plan year or a change in coverage can mean a new benefits check and a new authorization.
- Plans that are not in our network. Our network status affects what your plan will pay. We work with Blue Cross Blue Shield (Florida Blue), Aetna, Cigna (Evernorth), UMR, Personify Health and TRICARE East (Humana Military). For Optum, we are onboarding and not yet in network; see what Optum onboarding means for you.
We do not accept Medicaid or Medicare. If your child has Medicaid only, we will tell you that on the first call so you do not lose time.
What if my child does not have a diagnosis yet?
You still have options. Self-pay is available for all of our services, and a diagnosis is not required to self-pay. If you want insurance to pay for ABA, the plan will usually require a diagnosis first. Hope Center offers diagnostic evaluations, done by our clinical director with a supervising licensed psychologist. BCBAs do not diagnose. Ask about evaluation timing on your first call, and see how evaluations at Hope Center work.
What does the benefits check tell me?
The benefits check, also called verification of benefits, is free. We ask your plan whether ABA is covered for your child, whether prior authorization is required, and what your deductible, copay or coinsurance looks like. Your costs depend on your plan, and we cannot promise a number until the plan answers. If cost is a worry, we offer a sliding scale to help with deductibles and copays, and self-pay for all services. Read what happens during your benefits check for the details.
Where can my child start?
Children can start ABA at home, at school, at daycare, in the community, or at one of our centers:
- West Palm Beach: 750 S Military Trail, Suite D-E
- Temple Terrace (Tampa): 9385 N 56th St, Suite 211
- Port Charlotte: 4055 N Tamiami Trail, Suite 24
- Jacksonville: 7751 Belfort Parkway, Suite 200
- Sebring: 228 N Ridgewood Rd, Suite 102
We also serve Fort Lauderdale and Broward, St. Lucie, Orlando, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Plant City and Apollo Beach in homes, schools, daycares and the community. If you live somewhere else, call to ask whether we can staff your area. We offer services in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Bengali and Russian.
What happens after the first session?
Your child's sessions are delivered by an RBT and supervised weekly by a BCBA. Parent training happens every week, and that is where you and the BCBA talk about goals and progress. You can text or call the RBT, the BCBA or the front desk with questions. Our approach is trauma-informed, assent-based and play-based, and we do not use restraint. Our new families page explains the first weeks in more detail.
Ready to start the clock?
The fastest way to shorten the timeline is to start step one today. Request a free consultation and benefits check, call 561-337-8865, or email office@hopecenteraba.com. Tell us your child's insurance, diagnosis, location and how soon you want to start, and we will tell you the next step.