What to Ask an ABA Provider
15 questions for the calls you're about to make, and somewhere to write down what each agency actually said.
Open the comparison worksheet
Tell us who you are and the fillable worksheet opens on this page. What you get:
- All 15 questions in a grid, with room for three agencies side by side
- A Good / Vague / Red flag mark on every answer, and a running tally per agency
- A Print button that prints just the worksheet, and a Download button that saves your notes as a text file
- Your notes stay in your own browser. We never receive them.
We'll send you the free family resources that fit where you are. Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell ABA services and we aren't one of the agencies you're evaluating.
Your comparison worksheet
Name the agencies you're talking to, then fill in what each one said. Everything saves in this browser as you type.
| Question | Agency 1 | Agency 2 | Agency 3 |
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The 15 questions, and what a good answer sounds like
These are free to read and free to print. You don't need the worksheet to use them. The worksheet just gives you somewhere to write the answers down.
1Are your BCBAs licensed in this state?
What a good answer sounds like. They name the license and the state board, and they don't mind you checking. State licensure is required in most states, and a state board is where a complaint has teeth. Certification and a state license are two different things.
2How much supervision does the RBT working with my child actually get?
What a good answer sounds like. A real number, not a brochure number. The BACB's RBT Handbook (updated 06/2026) requires an RBT to obtain ongoing supervision for a minimum of 5% of the hours they spend providing behavior-analytic services each calendar month, including at least two face-to-face, real-time contacts per month, and the supervisor must observe the RBT providing services in at least one of those meetings. At 20 hours a week, about 86 hours a month, 5% is roughly four and a quarter hours.
3How many hours per week do you recommend, and how did you arrive at that number?
What a good answer sounds like. The answer points to your child's assessment. A fixed number quoted before anyone has assessed your child is a red flag. Be wary of a number presented as the industry standard: the main practice guidelines the field cites sit behind a licensing agreement and aren't publicly downloadable, so a number given to you that way is a claim about your child that someone should be able to justify from the assessment.
4How do you measure progress?
What a good answer sounds like. Objective data collection, graphs, and regular progress reviews. “We watch for improvement” isn't an answer. If they aren't measuring, they aren't doing ABA.
5How often will I receive progress reports?
What a good answer sounds like. Written progress reports at least quarterly. Many good agencies send monthly data summaries. You should never have to guess whether therapy is working.
6Can I observe sessions?
What a good answer sounds like. Yes, always. Any provider that restricts parent observation should be viewed with skepticism. You have the right to see what is happening with your child.
7What is your staff turnover rate?
What a good answer sounds like. A number, and what they're doing about it. RBT turnover is a real issue in the field, and high turnover means your child keeps adjusting to new therapists. If they avoid the question, the number is probably high.
8Are your behavior technicians RBT-certified?
What a good answer sounds like. Yes. The RBT credential means standardized training, a competency assessment and a national exam. Non-credentialed staff may have only internal training. Most insurers require the RBT for billing.
9What happens if my child's therapist leaves?
What a good answer sounds like. A transition plan: overlap sessions with the new therapist, detailed program notes, and BCBA continuity through the change. A bad agency assigns someone new with no overlap.
10What is your approach to challenging behavior?
What a good answer sounds like. Function-based assessment, positive behavior support, and reinforcement-based strategies. Ask directly: do you use any aversive procedures, and under what circumstances? Be cautious of an agency that leads with punishment or restraint.
11How do you involve parents in treatment?
What a good answer sounds like. Parent training as a core part of the program, not an add-on. If the agency treats therapy as “we do it, you watch,” that's a concern. You should be learning strategies to use outside sessions so skills carry over at home, at school and in the community.
12What does a typical session look like?
What a good answer sounds like. A mix of structured teaching and natural environment teaching, plus community-based skills. If it sounds like your child sits at a table for three hours, ask about their approach to naturalistic teaching.
13How do you handle insurance authorization and billing?
What a good answer sounds like. They do it. Good agencies submit authorizations, manage billing and talk to your insurer. If they expect you to handle it, factor in the time.
14What is your waitlist like?
What a good answer sounds like. A straight answer. Many agencies have waitlists of three to twelve months. Ask whether they can start with fewer hours while you wait for full authorization.
15Can you provide references from current families?
What a good answer sounds like. Yes, and they connect you. If they refuse, ask why.
Red flags
If you hear any of these, slow down.
- They recommend a specific number of hours before assessing your child. Hours should come from an assessment, not a formula. “Everyone gets 30 hours” is a billing strategy, not a clinical recommendation.
- They refuse to let you observe sessions. You have the right to see what happens with your child. No exceptions.
- Staff aren't RBT-certified. Non-credentialed staff may have only employer-provided training, which varies widely. The RBT is the minimum standard.
- They can't explain how they measure progress. ABA without data isn't ABA. If they can't show you graphs and explain what the data means, find a different provider.
- The BCBA has never met your child but signs off on the treatment plan. The BCBA must conduct or directly oversee the assessment and be involved in treatment planning. Rubber-stamping plans they didn't create is an ethical violation.
- High staff turnover with no acknowledgment or plan. Four therapists in six months isn't normal, and an agency that treats it as normal has a systemic problem.
- They pressure you to sign a long-term contract. Ethical providers don't lock families into contracts. You should be able to end services at any time.
- They use punishment-based procedures as a first line of treatment. Modern ABA emphasizes reinforcement and antecedent changes. Punishment should be a last resort, after other strategies have been tried and documented.
Before you call
Check the BCBA's certification yourself. The BACB publishes a free certificant registry at bacb.com; ask for the BCBA's name and certification number and look it up. Check whether your state licenses behavior analysts and look them up there too, because a state board is where a complaint has teeth. Our vetting checklist walks through both, and the full guide to finding and choosing a provider covers where to find providers in the first place and what happens after you choose.
Special Learning is a training and continuing education provider for behavior analysts and behavior technicians. We don't provide direct ABA therapy to children, and we have no financial interest in which agency you pick.