First, we are a nonprofit ABA practice. The “bottom line” is important to keep going and help us grow so that we can provide high quality ABA to more people and produce more qualified staff to serve people living with autism across the lifespan. We aren’t here to simply make money. We make money so we can serve more people and generate high quality clincians. Second, we were built by parents, BCBAs, and RBTs. In other words-we get it. Our program fosters a community of support. Everyone here is here because they believe strongly in the mission. Third, our turnover rate sits at zero. Yes, zero. We are very selective with who we invite to join our team. We want people that WANT to be here and that are proud and happy to be here. Finally, we believe in your child as much as you do. We see them. We know they are smarter than people think. We know they are capable of more. And, we know they deserve happy. We are here because we want to help them build the skills they need to live their happiest most autonomous lives.

Getting started is easy! Insurance companies require a letter of diagnosis from a PhD or higher. You’ll need that. You will also need a copy of your child’s most recent history and physical or “school camp form”. We will also need a copy of the front and back of your insurance card(s). Click HERE to complete the intake inquiry form and provide preliminary information online. Call us at: 781.996.0044, if you have questions. We can also schedule an in person “meet and greet” to answer any questions you may have.

1. Step one is for us to answer any questions that you have. If you have just received a diagnosis of autism, you probably have a bunch! If you are switching providers, you probably have even more! 
2. Step two is to verify insurance information and coverage. 
3. Step three is for you to complete an intake packet. (That can be done online.) 
4. Step four is to have a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) also called a LABA (licensed behavior analyst in Massachusetts) assess and evaluate your child. 
5. Step five is the BCBA/LABA writes an individualized “treatment plan” that we review with you and submit to your insurance company. 
6. Step six is for us to get going with getting your team in place at your home or our center. 
7. Ongoing communication and collaboration will be the key to success! We may know ABA, but you know your child best.

There is an extensive wait list for our afterschool progams. We are working to build more afterschool capacity right now. We do not currently have a wait list for any of the services that we provide during “school hours”. Start times from assessment to the provision of services is generally between 2-4 weeks. We do take great care in making sure we are a good match for your family’s needs and in making sure we put qualified, long-term staff in place. This is, generally, the hardest part. Our goal is to complete an assessment within two weeks of intake and begin ongoing services within two weeks of the completion of the initial treatment plan. It can, however, take up to four weeks to accomplish this. Afternoon only staff is more challenging to place. If your child’s availability is limited to afterschool hours, keep in mind that putting your team together may take us a bit of time. We will keep you informed every step of the way. Always

We do not currently have a wait list for any of the services that we provide. We do take great care in making sure we are a good match for your family’s needs and in making sure we put qualified, long-term staff in place. This is, generally, the hardest part. Our goal is to complete an assessment within two weeks of intake and begin ongoing services within two weeks of the completion of the initial treatment plan. Afternoon only staff is more challenging to place. If your child’s availability is limited to afterschool hours, keep in mind that putting your team together may take us a bit of time. We will keep you informed every step of the way. Always

This is absolutely not true! ABA is implemented with people of all ages quite successfully. In fact, the first part of our founder’s career was spent implementing the principles and practices of applied behavior analysis with adults, some of them well into their 90s!

We sure do! We offer center-based services for kids and young adults at our 5600 sf Weymouth, MA location. Our team provides medically necessary ABA in our center, at home, and in the community. We generally like to see a mix of all three settings, whenever possible, to be sure skills can easily generalize across settings.

We contract with independent SLPs and OTs to provide services at our center. They operate their own practices, but see clients in our sapce. We do this because we specialize in ABA. We rely on the clinical skills of SLPs and OTs to help meet the specialized needs of the kids, adolescents, and young adults that we serve. Having SLPS and OTs within our space helps us easily coordinate care and bring their clinical recommendations into our treatment plans.

We specialize in autism. Although ABA can be used to address many different diagnoses and challenges, at elemental ABA, our scope of practice is limited to autism. Our team is able to work with people diagnosed with autism aged 0-26, at present.

This is a significant controversy right now. There are some people that have had very real experiences with ABA that were not beneficial and, in some cases harmful. It is somewhat of an “elephant in the room” and many people avoid the discussion because it is so emotionally charged. The people that have had bad experiences should not be discounted. Ever. That being said, high quality ABA implemented by skilled clinicians with proper training and oversight produces remarkable outcomes. There are countless anectdotal stories that speak to this and an immense treasury of scientific data that show this to be true. ABA, like many other medical interventions, has evolved over time. So has the way that we consider people living with autism. We believe, for the better. Many of the beliefs and strategies used 20 years ago are not even considered today. The science; however, remains the same. What we advise is that you ask questions of the ABA provider that you are considering and look for a good match. ABA is ABA; however, the people that implement it can vary vastly in their presentation and philosophies. At elemental ABA, we believe in happy and fun and believe strongly that when people are happy and feeling succesful and fulfilled, they are more likley to work a bit harder on things that help them to achieve those feelings. In sum, we like to have fun-even when we are working on things that may be challenging. And, if the kids we care for are not looking forward to seeing us-that’s a concern. Additionally, nobody should ever try and change who you are. Who you are is perfect.

We accept, and will work with, all major forms of insurance. Some of those we are in network with are: BCBS, MassHealth, MBHP, WellSense, Carelon, Tufts, Fallon, Aetna, Optum, Cigna/Evernorth.

The primary reason is that most ABA providers work hard to market to “little guys”. Reasons for this are two fold: little guys are generally easier to work with and little guys are available for more hours. That makes kids of that age group easier and more desirable to serve. These providers often don’t have the skills, staff, or desire to provide services to “afternoon only” kids and will often “discharge” these kids when they move to school and are available for less hours. Providing shorter afternoon services is also challenging to staff, as behavior therapists often don’t want just short shifts. They prefer a more comprehensive full time schedule. (We make full time schedules for our team by creating schedules that include both daytime hours and afternoon hours.) Shorter sessions also produce very minimal revenue, if any, and require a similar amount of effort from a supervising behavior analyst. For providers that are highly motivated by profit, this can be problematic. Lack of desire or ability to provide afternoon sessions creates an incredibly complex problem for kids and families. Providers like us are working hard to meet the needs of this enormous group of kids and families. The key to being able to serve those “afternoon only” kids is a balance of serving both little guys and afternoon kids. When we do that, we can create desirable schedules for the most talented and loyal behavior technicians, serve kids across ages and stages of development, and create a financially sustainable business model. If all of the little guys go to one place that discharges them when they turn five or six, we create a problem bigger than we realize. Not only are these kids left without the essential ABA they need to continue to develop necessary skills, we fail to train behavior analysts and behavior therapists to meet the needs of older kids. This is creating a problem of enormous proportions for our kids. When you meet a potential new provider, it is critical to ask them what will happen when your child moves to school. Will the provider be there to continue to work with your child through the next stage of development? Ask them what happens to these kids and how do they receive the services that they will likely need after school. When your kiddo is itty bitty, it’s generally not something you think about…but, if you ask a child of an older kid, they will tell you that it is critical that you do.