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ABA Therapy Centers in Mississippi

Compare ABA providers across Mississippi, from Jackson and Ridgeland to the Gulf Coast, Hattiesburg and Oxford, and learn which payer approves hours: your insurer, Medicaid or First Steps.

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Gulfport

2 ABA providers

Hattiesburg

2 ABA providers

Jackson

2 ABA providers

Ocean Springs

2 ABA providers

Oxford

2 ABA providers

Ridgeland

2 ABA providers

Biloxi

1 ABA provider

Corinth

1 ABA provider

D'iberville

1 ABA provider

Laurel

1 ABA provider

Meridian

1 ABA provider

Mississippi State

1 ABA provider

Olive Branch

1 ABA provider

Southaven

1 ABA provider

Tupelo

1 ABA provider

Working in ABA?

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

ABA therapy and autism supports in Mississippi

Mississippi's autism insurance law, Section 83-9-26, covers ABA at up to 25 hours a week and does not require it past age 8, though coverage can extend when medical necessity is shown. Children on Medicaid follow a separate rule: ASD services are covered for EPSDT-eligible beneficiaries with a diagnosis when medically necessary and prior authorized. Children under three start with First Steps, the state's early intervention program.

Special Needs Care Network lists 21 ABA providers serving 15 cities in Mississippi.

Children under 21 with Mississippi 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.

Autism insurance law
Miss. Code Ann. § 83-9-26 covers ABA up to 25 hours a week and does not require it beyond age 8.
Medicaid ABA
ASD services are covered for EPSDT-eligible children with a diagnosis when medically necessary and prior authorized.
Medicaid managed care
MississippiCAN members choose Magnolia Health, TrueCare or Molina Healthcare.
Early Intervention
First Steps serves children under three; refer by calling 1-800-451-3903.
Behavior analyst license
The Mississippi Autism Board licenses behavior analysts under Miss. Code Ann. § 73-75-1 et seq.

Medicaid ASD services for children under 21

The Division of Medicaid covers Autism Spectrum Disorder services for EPSDT-eligible beneficiaries with an ASD diagnosis when the services are medically necessary and prior authorized. EPSDT reaches children and teens under 21 who qualify for full Medicaid benefits. Children who receive Medicaid through SSI or Katie Beckett can choose MississippiCAN, where you pick one plan. Ask the plan and the clinic who submits the prior authorization before the first session.

  • MississippiCAN plans: Magnolia Health, TrueCare and Molina Healthcare.
  • Member line: 1-800-421-2408.
  • Apply for Medicaid online through Access MS or by calling the same number.

Mississippi's autism insurance law, § 83-9-26

Miss. Code Ann. § 83-9-26 requires coverage for screening, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder, including ABA. The ABA benefit is limited to 25 hours a week and is not required beyond age 8, and no more than 10 of those hours may be a licensed behavior analyst's own time. An extension past those limits is available when medical necessity is shown, and the plan's appeal rights apply if you disagree. The Insurance Department lists no dollar cap. The law reaches large group plans and grandfathered individual and small group plans. It does not reach non-grandfathered individual and small group ACA plans or self-funded employer plans.

  • Autism services cannot carry a higher deductible, coinsurance or copay than other physical health care.
  • Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, UnitedHealthcare and Ambetter of Magnolia have removed the age restriction, according to the Insurance Department.

ID/DD Waiver and Katie Beckett Medicaid

The Department of Mental Health runs the ID/DD Waiver for people who would otherwise need institutional care. The first step is an evaluation at a Regional IDD Program, and eligible people go on a statewide planning list. DMH lists Behavior Support, Support Coordination and Therapies among its services. The Community Support Program is for adults 18 and older. A separate route for children is Katie Beckett Medicaid, which covers disabled children under 19 who need an institutional level of care at home, without counting parents' income.

  • IDD evaluation sites include North Mississippi Regional Center (Oxford), Hudspeth Regional Center (Pearl) and South Mississippi Regional Center (Long Beach).
  • DMH: 601-359-1288.

First Steps for children under three

First Steps is Mississippi's early intervention program under Part C of IDEA, run by the State Department of Health. It serves infants and toddlers under three with a developmental delay or a diagnosed condition likely to cause one. Call 1-800-451-3903 (or 601-576-7427 in the Jackson area) to complete the referral over the phone. The Central Referral Unit sends it to the Local Early Intervention Program where you live, and a service coordinator will try to call within 48 hours.

Mississippi Autism Board licensure

Mississippi licenses behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts through the Mississippi Autism Board, created by the 2015 Legislature and housed in the Secretary of State's office. A licensed behavior analyst meets the BCBA requirements set by the BACB, and an assistant meets the BCaBA requirements. Behavior technicians hold RBT certification and work under a licensed analyst's supervision. Verify any provider on the board's license lookup or by calling 601-359-6792.

Education Scholarship Account

The Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act, Miss. Code Ann. § 37-181-1 et seq., funds the Education Scholarship Account for children with an active IEP from a public school district. The Department of Education reimburses tuition at an eligible school and therapies from a licensed or certified practitioner. The child cannot be enrolled in a public school or homeschooled while receiving funds. Awards depend on appropriations, and eligible applicants beyond that go on a waitlist. Ask the Office of Special Education for the current IEP window.

Where Mississippi families find ABA

ABA supply in Mississippi clusters in the Jackson metro, along the Gulf Coast from Gulfport to Ocean Springs, and in Hattiesburg and Oxford. Distances are long in rural counties, so ask a clinic about in-home sessions and telehealth before you rule it out. For ID/DD Waiver evaluations, the nearest Regional IDD Program may sit in a different city from your clinic.

  • ABA therapy in Jackson

    Hudspeth Regional Center in nearby Pearl is one of the DMH evaluation sites for the ID/DD Waiver.

  • ABA therapy in Ridgeland

    A Madison County suburb of Jackson, close to Hudspeth Regional Center in Pearl for IDD evaluations.

  • ABA therapy in Gulfport

    South Mississippi Regional Center in Long Beach is the nearest Regional IDD Program evaluation site.

  • ABA therapy in Ocean Springs

    A Jackson County Gulf Coast city; South Mississippi Regional Center in Long Beach is the coast's DMH evaluation site.

  • ABA therapy in Hattiesburg

    The Forrest County hub for the Pine Belt, with Ellisville State School, an IDD evaluation site, in nearby Ellisville.

  • ABA therapy in Oxford

    North Mississippi Regional Center in Oxford is a DMH site for ID/DD Waiver evaluations.

Where to start in Mississippi

  1. Ask your insurer whether the plan is fully insured in Mississippi, then request its written ABA benefit, hour limit and prior authorization steps.
  2. If your child has Medicaid, call the member line at 1-800-421-2408 to confirm your MississippiCAN plan, then ask the clinic to submit the prior authorization.
  3. For a child under three, call First Steps at 1-800-451-3903 while you wait for a clinic intake.
  4. Confirm a provider's license through the Mississippi Autism Board at 601-359-6792 before the first session.

Mississippi ABA therapy questions

Does Mississippi insurance stop covering ABA at age 8?

Not always. Section 83-9-26 says the ABA benefit is not required beyond age 8, but coverage can extend past that limit under an ongoing treatment plan when medical necessity is shown, and the plan's appeal rights apply in a dispute. The Insurance Department also says Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, UnitedHealthcare and Ambetter of Magnolia have removed age restrictions. Confirm your own plan's rule with the carrier.

Why does my employer plan not follow Mississippi's autism law?

Self-funded employer plans do not have to follow state insurance laws under ERISA, and the Insurance Department says many are exempt from the autism law. Non-grandfathered individual and small group plans sold under the ACA are also outside Section 83-9-26. Ask your benefits office whether the plan is fully insured, and if you think your rights were violated, call the Autism Hotline at 1-833-488-6472.

How many ABA hours does Mississippi require insurers to cover?

Up to 25 hours a week, and no more than 10 of those hours can be the licensed behavior analyst's own services. The rest can be delivered by a supervised technician, but all services must be under the direction of a licensed behavior analyst or licensed psychologist. The Insurance Department lists no dollar cap. A plan can still require prior authorization and review for medical necessity.

Can a child with autism get Medicaid in Mississippi if parents earn too much?

Possibly, through the Katie Beckett category. It covers disabled children under 19 who live at home and need a level of care normally given in a hospital, nursing facility or ICF/IID. A diagnosis alone does not qualify. The Division of Medicaid bases eligibility on the child's documented institutional level of care needs from the preceding 12 months and the child's own income and assets.

How do I refer my toddler to First Steps in Mississippi?

Call 1-800-451-3903, or 601-576-7427 in the Jackson area, and complete the referral by phone. First Steps serves children under three with a developmental delay or a qualifying diagnosed condition. The referral goes to the Local Early Intervention Program for your area, and a service coordinator will try to call within 48 hours to schedule an intake visit. Your pediatrician can also send the referral form.

Does the Mississippi ESA pay for ABA therapy?

It can reimburse educational services or therapies from a licensed or certified practitioner, but only for a child not enrolled in a public school or homeschooled. The student must also have an active IEP from a public school district. The Department of Education sets the award each spring based on available funds, so ask the Office of Special Education before you plan around it.

Planning resources

Katie Beckett Medicaid explained

How the program covers disabled children when parent income is too high.

ABA therapy waitlists

What to do while you wait for a clinic opening.

In-home vs center-based ABA

Compare settings, including for rural families.

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 Mississippi.

Early intervention guide

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

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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