ABA Therapy in Maryland: Find a Center by City
Find providers near you, then get specific about coverage before an intake: required evaluation records, prior authorization, service setting, and the schedule a provider can actually offer.
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Where can I find ABA therapy in Maryland?
Start with the city pages below to see current directory inventory, then call two providers with the same short set of questions: which settings they offer, which ages they accept, whether they take your exact plan, and what their intake needs before they can request authorization.
Browse the full Maryland ABA directory → Estimate ABA therapy cost →
ABA therapy centers in Maryland by region
Pick a county or city below to see currently listed providers. The directory is a starting point, not proof that a provider has an opening or accepts your plan; confirm both before scheduling an intake.
Browse current ABA listings in Silver Spring, Rockville, and nearby Montgomery County cities.
Center-based and in-home ABA options spread across the city and the suburbs to the north.
Columbia and Ellicott City sit right in the gap between Baltimore and Washington.
Annapolis and Glen Burnie cover families throughout the Chesapeake region.
Browse current listings in Frederick, Harford, Charles, and western Maryland cities.
Tell us your city and what your child needs. We'll send back a shortlist of ABA providers that fit.
How much does ABA therapy cost in Maryland, and who pays?
Do not use an online hourly estimate as a quote. The amount you owe depends on the plan’s ABA benefit, network status, authorization decision, deductible, coinsurance, approved hours, and setting. Get those answers from the plan and the provider before you compare schedules.
Estimate your out-of-pocket cost
The calculator can help you frame questions, but it cannot determine your benefit. Ask for the provider’s billing codes and confirm coverage and cost sharing with your plan.
Open the ABA therapy cost toolCommercial insurance
Ask the plan whether ABA is covered, whether this provider is in network, whether authorization is required, and what deductible or coinsurance applies. Do not rely on a provider directory alone.
Maryland Medicaid
Maryland Medicaid covers medically necessary ABA for members under 21 through EPSDT. Every ABA service requires prior authorization; ask who will submit it and what evaluation records are still needed.
DDA Autism Waiver
This is a separate community-support program. DDA distinguishes the Waiting List from the Future Needs Registry, and eligibility alone does not enroll a person in a waiver.
| Code | Service | Published rate | Unit / daily maximum | Maximum at the listed daily cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97151 | Behavior identification assessment | $38.34 | 15 minutes / 32 units | $1,226.88 |
| 97152 | Behavior identification supporting assessment | $19.17 | 15 minutes / 32 units | $613.44 |
| 0362T | Exposure behavior identification supporting assessment | $52.28 | 15 minutes / 32 units | $1,672.96 |
| 97153 | Adaptive behavior treatment by protocol | $19.17 RBT/BT; $20.91 BCaBA; $24.41 BCBA | 15 minutes / 32 units | $613.44–$781.12 |
| 97154 | Group adaptive behavior treatment by protocol | $6.96 RBT/BT; $8.36 BCaBA; $10.45 BCBA | 15 minutes / 16 units; group of 2–8 | $111.36–$167.20 per participant |
| 97155 | Protocol modification / technician direction | $38.34 | 15 minutes / 24 units | $920.16 |
| 97156 | Family adaptive behavior treatment | $20.91 BCBA; $12.21 BCaBA | 15 minutes / 16 units | $195.36–$334.56 |
| 97156 U2 | Family adaptive behavior treatment with the child present | $38.34 BCBA; $20.91 BCaBA | 15 minutes / 16 units | $334.56–$613.44 |
| 97157 | Multiple-family group adaptive behavior treatment | $12.91 per family | 15 minutes / 10 units; group of 2–8 families | $129.10 per family |
| 97158 | Group adaptive behavior treatment with protocol modification | $10.45 per participant | 15 minutes / 10 units; group of 2–8 | $104.50 per participant |
| 0373T | Exposure adaptive behavior treatment with protocol modification | $52.28 | 15 minutes / 24 units | $1,254.72 |
These are the state’s provider payment rates, not a family’s bill or a promise of approved hours. They are useful when a provider gives you codes and you want to understand what it plans to request. Source: Maryland ABA Provider Manual, fee schedule.
Does Maryland require insurance to cover ABA?
Maryland requires many health plans to cover habilitative services for children, and ABA falls under that umbrella. The details below come straight from Maryland state sources. Coverage, age limits, and authorization rules do change, so always verify with the official source and your own plan.
Commercial insurance and habilitative services
Maryland's habilitative services mandate (Md. Insurance Article §15-835) requires carriers (insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and HMOs) to cover habilitative services for children, and that includes autism treatment like ABA. Coverage runs at least through the end of the month the child turns 19, and insurers can't deny ABA by calling it experimental or investigational. Exact scope, cost sharing, and authorization steps still come down to your plan and policy type.
Maryland Medicaid (Medical Assistance)
Maryland Medicaid covers medically necessary ABA for members under 21 through EPSDT. Its February 2026 provider manual says every ABA service requires prior authorization. Before authorization, the comprehensive diagnostic evaluation includes direct observation, a parent or caregiver interview, current-functioning documentation, and a confirmed autism diagnosis. An authorization lasts no more than 180 days; reassessment and reauthorization follow.
Source: Maryland Department of Health: ABA Provider Manual (effective February 1, 2026)
A current telehealth limit to confirm at intake
For the ABA services covered by Maryland’s April 1, 2026 telehealth policy, no more than 75% may be delivered by telehealth. At least 25% must be delivered in person. Ask a prospective provider which services this applies to and what the in-person schedule would be before agreeing to a plan.
Source: Maryland Medicaid Provider Transmittal 60-26 (effective April 1, 2026)
DDA Autism Waiver
The Autism Waiver is a separate program for home- and community-based supports; it is not the same decision as getting clinical ABA authorized. Maryland DDA’s current materials distinguish the Waiting List from the Future Needs Registry, and make clear that DDA eligibility does not itself enroll a person in a waiver. Use the official waiver page for current eligibility and enrollment information rather than treating an old statewide waitlist figure as a prediction for one family.
Before you rely on coverage
This page summarizes public Maryland state information. It isn't legal or medical advice. Plan rules, age limits, and authorization requirements change over time, so confirm your child's eligibility and benefits with your insurer, Maryland Medicaid, or the relevant state program before you make any decisions.
Make two calls before you book an intake
A directory search cannot tell you whether a plan will approve services or whether a provider can staff the schedule you need. Call the plan and a provider with the same questions, then write down the answers side by side.
| Ask | Why it changes the next step |
|---|---|
| “Do you take my exact plan, and are you accepting new clients in the setting I need?” | A network listing and an open appointment are different things. Confirm both before you gather records for that provider. |
| “What records are missing before you can ask for authorization?” | For Maryland Medicaid, the current manual names direct observation, a caregiver interview, current-functioning documentation, and a confirmed autism diagnosis as parts of the comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. |
| “Who submits the request, and when do we revisit the plan?” | Maryland Medicaid ABA authorization is no longer than 180 days. Knowing who owns the submission and reassessment prevents a surprise gap later. |
| “Which sessions will be in person?” | For the affected Medicaid ABA telehealth services, at least 25% must be in person. Ask for the actual weekly mix, not a general promise of telehealth. |
If one city has no fit, widen the search deliberately
If you can make the commute work, compare provider inventory across Baltimore, Columbia, Silver Spring, and Rockville and the cities closest to home. Treat travel time as part of the plan: the in-person requirement and recurring schedule matter as much as the first appointment.
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions About ABA Therapy in Maryland
How much does ABA cost in Maryland?
Does Maryland Medicaid cover ABA?
What if my ABA is denied under Maryland Medicaid?
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