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ABA Therapy Centers in Massachusetts

Compare ABA providers across Massachusetts, from Boston and Quincy to Danvers, Lawrence, Fall River and New Bedford, and learn whether MassHealth or ARICA private coverage approves the hours.

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Compare ABA care options in Massachusetts

See each provider’s location, age range, coverage, and approach before you reach out.

Boston

9 ABA providers

Southborough

3 ABA providers

Acton

2 ABA providers

Bedford

2 ABA providers

Danvers

2 ABA providers

Fall River

2 ABA providers

Gardner

2 ABA providers

Lawrence

2 ABA providers

Milford

2 ABA providers

Needham

2 ABA providers

New Bedford

2 ABA providers

Quincy

2 ABA providers

Salisbury

2 ABA providers

Taunton

2 ABA providers

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See current ABA therapy jobs in Massachusetts on Special Needs Jobs, our job board for RBTs, BCBAs, and behavior technicians.

ABA therapy and autism supports in Massachusetts

Two systems pay for most ABA in Massachusetts, and the card in your wallet decides which one. MassHealth covers ABA for children with autism through its EPSDT benefit, with prior authorization from your child's MassHealth plan. Children with private insurance rely on ARICA, the 2010 autism insurance law, which sets no age cap and bars stricter dollar and visit limits than a plan applies to physical conditions. The DDS Children's Autism Waiver adds in-home support for children through age 9, and Early Intervention covers the years before three.

Special Needs Care Network lists 23 ABA providers serving 14 cities in Massachusetts.

Children under 21 with Massachusetts 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
MassHealth covers ABA for children with autism under its EPSDT benefit, and prior authorization is required.
Autism insurance law
ARICA, M.G.L. c. 175, § 47AA, covers ABA supervised by a board certified behavior analyst with no age cap.
Waiver
The DDS Children's Autism Waiver serves children from birth through age 9 with up to three years of in-home services.
Early Intervention
Serves children under three; contact the program for your city or town to refer.
Behavior analyst license
Massachusetts licenses behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts through the Allied Mental Health board.

MassHealth ABA through EPSDT

MassHealth lists applied behavior analysis for children with autism spectrum disorder among the behavioral health services in its EPSDT benefit, which Standard and CommonHealth members younger than 21 receive. Prior authorization is required. Your child's MassHealth plan approves hours and keeps the list of in-network ABA providers, so call the number on the member card before you book an assessment. MassHealth also covers in-home behavioral support through its Children's Behavioral Health Initiative.

  • Standard and CommonHealth members younger than 21 receive the EPSDT benefit.
  • MassHealth says to contact your child's MassHealth plan for help finding ABA providers.
  • MassHealth customer service: 800-841-2900.

ARICA, the Massachusetts autism insurance law

ARICA (Chapter 207 of the Acts of 2010) is codified for individual and group policies at M.G.L. c. 175, § 47AA. It requires coverage for diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders, including ABA supervised by a board certified behavior analyst, when a licensed physician or psychologist orders the care as medically necessary. The law bars annual or lifetime dollar or unit-of-service limits stricter than the plan applies to physical conditions, and it bars visit limits. State resources report no age limit. Self-funded employer plans follow federal rules instead, so ask HR whether yours is fully insured.

DDS Children's Autism Waiver

The Department of Developmental Services runs the Children's Autism Waiver Program for children from birth through age 9 who have an autism spectrum disorder and meet the eligibility criteria. Its core service, Expanded Habilitation, Education, delivers intensive in-home support for up to three years, and ABA is one of the named approaches. Afterward a child can use supplemental services such as respite until the 10th birthday. The program is limited and takes requests only during a short annual open request period, usually in the fall.

Early Intervention for children under three

Massachusetts Early Intervention, run by the Department of Public Health, serves families with children under three who are not reaching age-appropriate milestones, have certain diagnoses, or have a medical or social history that puts them at risk for delay. Anyone can refer a child by contacting the EI program that serves the family's city or town, and the state publishes a directory of programs by town with phone numbers. Plan your coverage before the third birthday, because some options open only during set enrollment periods.

Who can deliver ABA in Massachusetts

Massachusetts licenses applied behavior analysts and assistant applied behavior analysts through the Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions, under M.G.L. c. 112, §§ 163 through 172 and 262 CMR 10.00. ARICA names the board certified behavior analyst as the supervisor of covered ABA. Ask any provider for the supervising analyst's BCBA credential and state license number, and confirm both before you start services.

Where Massachusetts families find ABA

Most ABA providers cluster in Greater Boston and its suburbs, with others on the North Shore, the South Coast and in the Merrimack Valley. Early Intervention runs on town-by-town catchment areas, so the program that serves your child depends on your address, not on where a clinic sits. For anyone on MassHealth, the plan on the member card, not the town, decides which ABA providers are in network.

  • ABA therapy in Boston

    Several EI programs serve most of Boston, while Harbor Area Early Intervention serves Charlestown and East Boston.

  • ABA therapy in Quincy

    Step One Early Intervention serves Quincy, Milton and Randolph.

  • ABA therapy in Needham

    Riverside Early Intervention in Needham serves Needham, Newton, Wellesley and Weston.

  • ABA therapy in Acton

    Minute Man Arc Early Intervention covers Acton, Bedford, Concord and nearby towns.

  • ABA therapy in Danvers

    Aspire Early Intervention in the North Shore area covers Danvers, Peabody, Salem and Lynn.

  • ABA therapy in Lawrence

    Early Intervention for Lawrence, Andover, Methuen and North Andover comes through programs such as Partners in Child Development.

  • ABA therapy in Fall River

    People Incorporated and Meeting Street Fall River run Early Intervention for Fall River, Somerset and Swansea.

  • ABA therapy in New Bedford

    Kennedy Donovan Center runs the New Bedford Early Intervention program for New Bedford, Dartmouth and Fairhaven.

Where to start in Massachusetts

  1. Get the autism diagnosis in writing and ask a licensed physician or psychologist to document ABA as medically necessary, since ARICA covers care they order.
  2. Call the MassHealth plan or private insurer on your card, ask for in-network ABA providers and the prior authorization steps, and ask HR whether an employer plan is self-funded.
  3. For a child under three, look up your town in the state's Early Intervention directory and call that program.
  4. For a child 9 or younger, file a DDS Autism Waiver open request during the yearly fall window; check Mass.gov for this year’s dates.

Massachusetts ABA therapy questions

How do you get ABA therapy through MassHealth?

Call the MassHealth plan listed on your child's member card and ask for in-network ABA providers. MassHealth covers ABA for children with autism spectrum disorder under its EPSDT benefit, and prior authorization is required, so the provider requests approval from the plan before hours begin. MassHealth directs families to their child's plan for help finding ABA providers. Standard and CommonHealth members younger than 21 receive the EPSDT benefit.

Does ARICA cover ABA on every Massachusetts employer plan?

No. ARICA reaches state-regulated private insurance, including HMOs, hospital service plans and the state employee plan. Many employers run self-funded plans that federal law regulates, so ARICA does not bind them, although the Autism Insurance Resource Center says a majority of self-funded plans in Massachusetts cover autism treatment anyway. Ask HR whether your plan is self-funded, then request the written ABA benefit.

Can a Massachusetts child use private insurance and MassHealth together for ABA?

Yes. MassHealth may cover copays and deductibles for ARICA-mandated treatment that private insurance covers. A separate MassHealth program reimburses eligible members for some or all of the cost of eligible private insurance, and you can reach it at 800-862-4840. Give the ABA provider both cards at intake so it bills the private plan first and MassHealth second.

When can you apply for the DDS Children's Autism Waiver?

DDS holds a short open request period once a year, usually in the fall, and posts the dates on Mass.gov. The waiver is a limited program that serves children from birth through age 9 with an autism spectrum disorder who meet the eligibility criteria. File the Open Request Application during the window, and ask your regional DDS Autism Support Center how the program reviews requests.

Does insurance pay for ABA at school in Massachusetts?

No. The ARICA statute states it does not affect obligations under an IFSP, IEP or individualized service plan, and it says services school personnel provide under an IEP are not reimbursable under the law. Schools also cannot require you to use private insurance for services your child is entitled to receive through school. Clinic or home ABA paid by insurance and school services under an IEP run as separate tracks.

How do you find your town's Early Intervention program in Massachusetts?

Call the Early Intervention program that serves your city or town, because Massachusetts refers children program by program. The Department of Public Health publishes a directory of programs with phone numbers and the towns each one covers. Any family with a child under three can ask for an evaluation if the child is not reaching milestones, has certain diagnoses, or has a history that raises the risk of delay.

Planning resources

ABA therapy waitlists

What to do while you wait for a clinic opening.

In-home vs center-based ABA

How each setting works and how to choose between them.

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 Massachusetts.

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.

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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