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ABA Therapy Centers in Louisiana

Compare ABA providers across Louisiana, from Metairie and Baton Rouge to Lafayette and Shreveport, and learn which Healthy Louisiana plan or insurer approves your child's hours.

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Metairie

4 ABA providers

Baton Rouge

1 ABA provider

Gretna

1 ABA provider

Lafayette

1 ABA provider

Prairieville

1 ABA provider

Shreveport

1 ABA provider

Slidell

1 ABA provider

Youngsville

1 ABA provider

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ABA therapy and autism supports in Louisiana

Louisiana Medicaid pays for ABA through five Healthy Louisiana plans, and the plan your child belongs to must approve hours before therapy starts. Medicaid covers members under 21 who have a diagnosis ABA treats and a written evaluation. Families with private insurance use R.S. 22:1050, the state autism law, which also covers members under 21 up to a set yearly dollar limit. Children under three can start with EarlySteps, the state's early intervention program, while they wait for a clinic opening.

Special Needs Care Network lists 11 ABA providers serving 8 cities in Louisiana.

Children under 21 with Louisiana Medicaid can get ABA through EPSDT when the state finds it medically necessary, but each clinic has to accept your child's specific plan. Our guide to finding ABA therapy that accepts your Medicaid plan covers what to ask before you book an intake.

Medicaid ABA
Covered for members under 21 through Healthy Louisiana plans, with approval from the plan before services begin.
Autism insurance law
R.S. 22:1050 covers autism treatment, including ABA, for members under 21, up to $36,000 per year.
Plan approvals
Medicaid approves ABA for no more than 180 days at a time and requires a new assessment at least every six months.
Early Intervention
EarlySteps serves children from birth through age 3 (35 months); anyone can refer through the regional office.
Behavior analyst license
The Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board licenses behavior analysts and certifies assistant behavior analysts.

Healthy Louisiana ABA for Medicaid members

Medicaid members under 21 can get ABA when they have behaviors that interfere in a major way with home or community activities, a diagnosis such as autism, and an evaluation by a qualified health care professional. The state calls it a CDE. Your Healthy Louisiana plan must approve ABA before services start. Louisiana Medicaid does not require specific tests such as the ADOS or the Vineland for coverage.

  • Five plans cover ABA: Aetna Better Health, AmeriHealth Caritas, Healthy Blue, Humana Healthy Horizons and Louisiana Healthcare Connections.
  • You must pick an ABA provider from your plan's provider list.
  • Questions the plan cannot answer go to the LDH ABA staff at 1-844-423-4762.

R.S. 22:1050 and private insurance

R.S. 22:1050 requires covered health plans issued or renewed in Louisiana on or after January 1, 2014 to cover diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders for people under 21. The yearly maximum benefit is $36,000, with no limit on the number of visits. Individually underwritten, guaranteed renewable policies and limited benefit policies are excluded. Self-funded employer plans follow federal ERISA rules, so ask HR whether your plan is insured in Louisiana.

  • Plans may charge copayments, deductibles and coinsurance like other medical services.
  • ABA providers must be certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board or show equivalent training.

Children's Choice, NOW and the Request for Services Registry

Louisiana's developmental disability waivers start with the Request for Services Registry. Children's Choice supports families who care for a child at home, and the New Opportunities Waiver (NOW) offers broader community supports such as personal care attendants and respite. A child certified for Children's Choice also gets a Medicaid card that covers ABA. To find your child's registry date, call 1-866-783-5553 or contact your local human services authority or district.

EarlySteps from birth to age 3

EarlySteps serves infants and toddlers from birth through age 3 (35 months) who have developmental delays or a medical condition likely to cause one. Anyone can make a referral. You call the System Point of Entry office for the child's region, and that office contacts you to start the eligibility process. Services take place in the child's natural environment, such as home or child care.

Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board licensing

Louisiana licenses behavior analysts through the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board, created within the Department of Health by the Behavior Analyst Practice Act (R.S. 37:3701 and following). A licensed behavior analyst practices independently and needs a graduate degree and a passing score on a national exam and the state jurisprudence exam. State-certified assistant behavior analysts work under a licensed analyst's supervision. Ask any provider for the supervising analyst's license.

Where Louisiana families find ABA

Louisiana's ABA supply clusters around New Orleans and its Jefferson Parish suburbs, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Shreveport. Healthy Louisiana plans operate statewide, so the question that narrows your search is which ABA centers are in your plan's provider list, not which parish you live in. EarlySteps referrals do change by location: each region has its own System Point of Entry office.

Where to start in Louisiana

  1. Ask your child's pediatrician for a CDE (diagnostic evaluation), or a referral to a psychologist or developmental pediatrician who can write one.
  2. Call the member number on your Healthy Louisiana card and ask for in-network ABA providers; call the LDH ABA staff at 1-844-423-4762 if the plan stalls.
  3. For a child under three, call your region's EarlySteps point of entry office while you wait for a clinic opening.
  4. Call 1-866-783-5553 to check or request a place on the Request for Services Registry for waiver supports.

Louisiana ABA therapy questions

How do you get Medicaid to cover ABA therapy in Louisiana?

Get a diagnostic evaluation from a qualified professional such as your child's pediatrician, a psychologist or a developmental pediatrician. Then choose an ABA provider from your Healthy Louisiana plan's list and cooperate with its assessment. The provider submits both to your plan for approval. If the plan denies hours, it must give clear reasons, and you can appeal.

How long does a Healthy Louisiana ABA approval last?

Initial approval runs no more than 180 days. The ABA provider must reassess at least every six months, and the plan renews approval when the hours stay medically necessary. You can change ABA providers every 180 days when an approval expires, or sooner for good cause such as a lack of progress.

What is the Louisiana autism insurance limit for ABA?

R.S. 22:1050 sets a maximum benefit of $36,000 per year for autism spectrum disorder coverage, for people under 21. Payments for care unrelated to autism do not count toward that maximum. The law bars visit limits, but plans can still apply copayments, deductibles and coinsurance, so ask your insurer how much of the cap remains.

Does Louisiana Medicaid require an ADOS before ABA?

No. Louisiana Medicaid does not require specific tests such as the ADOS or the Vineland for ABA coverage. The evaluation report needs a clinical history, direct observation, a DSM-5 diagnosis and a reason for referring your child to ABA. If results are inconclusive, the plan may approve extra testing.

What if my private insurance denied ABA but my child has Medicaid?

The ABA provider can still ask your Healthy Louisiana plan for approval. If private insurance already approved ABA, the provider sends proof of that approval to the Medicaid plan. Medicaid also covers ABA for some conditions beyond autism, so ask the provider to submit the request.

How do I refer my toddler to EarlySteps in Louisiana?

Find your child's parish on the EarlySteps referral map and call that region's System Point of Entry office. Jefferson Parish uses the Region 10 office at 504-496-0165. The office gathers information, discusses your concerns, and arranges the evaluation. If your child qualifies, the team writes an individualized family service plan.

Planning resources

Choose an autism therapy center

Questions to use when comparing clinical fit, staffing, and services.

ABA intake checklist

Bring the right coverage and clinical questions to an intake call.

ABA insurance appeal templates

Templates for requesting a clear coverage decision or review.

ABA therapy cost by state

Compare cost context and coverage questions for Louisiana.

Early intervention guide

How IDEA Part C services differ from clinic treatment and school services.

ABA first 30 days checklist

A practical record-keeping and communication checklist.

Autism rates by state

Federal autism-identification data by state.

Special needs schools in Louisiana

Explore school and educational-program options separately from therapy.

Primary sources

Last reviewed against the linked primary sources on October 18, 2026. Medicaid, CHIP, commercial insurance, self-funded employer plans, military coverage, waiver programs, and school services follow different rules. This page is general information, not legal, medical, or benefits advice.

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