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ABA Therapy Centers in Pennsylvania

Compare ABA providers across Pennsylvania, from Philadelphia and the Main Line to Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley and Erie, and learn which county plan or insurer approves the hours.

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Philadelphia

6 ABA providers

Pittsburgh

4 ABA providers

Bethlehem

3 ABA providers

Erie

3 ABA providers

Harrisburg

3 ABA providers

Allentown

2 ABA providers

Merion Station

2 ABA providers

Reading

2 ABA providers

Scranton

2 ABA providers

Bala Cynwyd

1 ABA provider

Blue Bell

1 ABA provider

Easton

1 ABA provider

Horsham

1 ABA provider

King of Prussia

1 ABA provider

Lancaster

1 ABA provider

Langhorne

1 ABA provider

Newtown

1 ABA provider

North Wales

1 ABA provider

Villanova

1 ABA provider

York

1 ABA provider

Working in ABA?

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

ABA therapy and autism supports in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania families reach ABA through two main tracks. Children on Medical Assistance get ABA as one of three Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) categories, authorized by the behavioral health managed care organization (BH-MCO) assigned to their county. Children on private group coverage rely on Act 62, the state autism insurance law, which covers diagnosis and treatment for members under 21. When a child has both, the private plan pays first and Medical Assistance covers what remains.

Special Needs Care Network lists 38 ABA providers serving 20 cities in Pennsylvania.

Children under 21 with Pennsylvania 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
Medical Assistance covers ABA under IBHS, authorized by the BH-MCO for your county of residence.
Autism insurance law
Act 62 applies to group policies issued in Pennsylvania to employers with 51 or more employees, for members under 21.
Medicaid regardless of income
PH95 covers disabled children under 18 and excludes parental income.
Early Intervention
Birth to age five, free to families; call CONNECT at 1-800-692-7288 for a referral.
Behavior analyst license
Pennsylvania licenses behavior specialists through the State Board of Medicine; IBHS also sets its own ABA staff rules.
Waivers
ODP runs the Consolidated, Community Living and Person/Family Directed Support waivers through county MH/ID offices.

Medical Assistance ABA through IBHS

IBHS has three categories: individual services, ABA, and group services. ABA needs a written order from a licensed physician, licensed psychologist, certified registered nurse practitioner or similar prescriber. The order follows a face-to-face visit, lists a DSM or ICD diagnosis, sets maximum monthly hours and must be written within 12 months before ABA starts. Your county BH-MCO then authorizes services from an IBHS agency in its network. If a request stalls, DHS lists a help line for ABA problems the BH-MCO and county have not resolved.

  • Philadelphia: Community Behavioral Health.
  • Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh, Northampton, Bedford, Cambria and Somerset: Magellan Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania.
  • Dauphin, Lancaster, Cumberland, Lebanon, Franklin, Fulton and Perry: PerformCare.
  • Allegheny, Erie, Delaware, Chester, York, Berks, Lackawanna and Luzerne, plus most other counties: Community Care Behavioral Health. Eleven western counties, including Butler, Washington and Westmoreland, use Carelon Health of PA.

Act 62 and private insurance

Act 62 (40 P.S. § 764h) requires group health policies issued in Pennsylvania to employers with 51 or more employees to cover autism diagnosis and treatment, including ABA, for members under 21. The statutory annual maximum started at $36,000 and is adjusted each year for inflation: the Insurance Department set it at $53,310 for policies issued or renewed in 2027, up from $51,908, and expects federal mental health parity rules to keep plans from applying a cap. Self-funded employer plans and policies issued outside Pennsylvania fall outside Act 62.

ODP waivers and PH95 Medicaid

The Office of Developmental Programs runs the Consolidated, Community Living and Person/Family Directed Support waivers. All three serve people with autism or intellectual disability, and families register with the county MH/ID office before applying. These waivers fund community supports, not IBHS clinical ABA. Separately, PH95 (Medicaid for Children with Special Needs) gives full Medical Assistance to disabled children under 18 whose countable income stays at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. It excludes parental income and is the category of last resort.

Early Intervention from birth to five

Pennsylvania Early Intervention serves children from birth to age five who have developmental delays or disabilities, at no cost to families. You do not need a diagnosis. Call Pennsylvania Statewide CONNECT at 1-800-692-7288, email help@connectpa.net or submit the online referral form. CONNECT refers your family to the local Early Intervention program for a developmental screening and, if appropriate, an evaluation.

Behavior specialists and who can deliver IBHS ABA

Pennsylvania licenses behavior specialists through the State Board of Medicine under Act 62. The license requires a graduate degree, 1 year of supervised work history and 90 hours of coursework, with no exam. IBHS ABA adds its own rules: behavior analytic services must come from a licensed professional (such as a psychologist, counselor, social worker or behavior specialist) who also holds a BCBA or similar graduate-level certification. Ask any agency for its IBHS license and your clinician's Pennsylvania license number.

Where Pennsylvania families find ABA

ABA supply clusters around Philadelphia and its suburbs, Pittsburgh and the Lehigh Valley, with smaller markets in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Reading, Scranton and Erie. Medical Assistance behavioral health is managed county by county, so a child on MA needs an IBHS agency in the network of the county where the child lives, even when the office sits across a county line.

Where to start in Pennsylvania

  1. Ask a licensed physician, psychologist or CRNP for a written ABA order after a face-to-face visit; it must be dated within 12 months before ABA starts.
  2. Find your county BH-MCO (Medical Assistance) or call your insurer (Act 62) and ask for in-network ABA agencies and the authorization steps.
  3. For a child under five, call CONNECT at 1-800-692-7288 while you wait for a clinic intake.
  4. If a BH-MCO or county has not resolved an ABA request, call the DHS IBHS help line at 717-772-7646.

Pennsylvania ABA therapy questions

How do you get ABA therapy through Medical Assistance in Pennsylvania?

Ask a licensed physician, psychologist or CRNP for a written ABA order after a face-to-face visit. The order must list a diagnosis and monthly hours, and it must be dated within 12 months before ABA starts. Then call the BH-MCO for your county of residence and ask for in-network IBHS agencies that offer ABA. The agency completes an assessment within 30 days of starting and an individual treatment plan within 45 days.

Can a child with autism get Medical Assistance in Pennsylvania if family income is too high?

Often, yes. PH95 covers disabled children under 18 who meet Social Security disability standards. Parental income is verified but excluded; only the child's own income counts, and it must be at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. PH95 is the category of last resort, so the county assistance office checks other categories first. Apply through COMPASS, by phone at 1-866-550-4355, by mail or at your county assistance office.

Which plan pays first when a Pennsylvania child has private insurance and Medical Assistance?

The private plan pays first. DHS tells Medicaid-enrolled providers to bill a child's private health insurer before submitting a claim for autism diagnosis or treatment. Medical Assistance can then cover costs the private plan does not, including services beyond the Act 62 annual maximum. Give every ABA agency both cards at intake so it bills in the right order.

Does Act 62 cover ABA on every Pennsylvania employer plan?

No. Act 62 reaches employer group policies issued in Pennsylvania to groups of 51 or more employees. DHS says it does not apply to small groups of 50 or fewer, self-funded (ERISA) plans or policies bought outside Pennsylvania, though some of those plans cover autism treatment anyway. Ask HR whether your plan is fully insured in Pennsylvania, then request the written autism benefit. The Insurance Department consumer line is 1-877-881-6388.

Can my insurer stop ABA because my child has stopped making progress?

Not on that basis alone. The Act 62 FAQ says the law requires coverage of services meant to prevent a child's condition from worsening and services meant to build progress. Insurers can review a treatment plan every six months, and an autism diagnosis stays valid for at least 12 months unless a physician or psychologist reassesses. If the plan denies care, you can file an internal appeal, then an external review through the Insurance Department.

Who do you call for Early Intervention in Pennsylvania?

Call Pennsylvania Statewide CONNECT at 1-800-692-7288. CONNECT refers your family to the local Early Intervention program for a developmental screening and, if appropriate, an evaluation. Services are free and cover children from birth to age five. You can also email help@connectpa.net or submit the online referral form on the DHS Early Intervention page.

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 Pennsylvania.

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 Pennsylvania

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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