Comprehensive Assessment in Aurora, CO
An ABA assessment in Aurora, CO is the first step of therapy: a BCBA measures your child’s skills and writes the plan. It is not an autism diagnosis. Health First Colorado (Medicaid) covers medically necessary ABA without one, but most private plans ask for it.
- Who it’s forChildren starting or restarting ABA
- InsuranceMedicaid and major plans
- WhereAurora and nearby
- Wait timeNo waitlist
What comprehensive assessment is
An ABA assessment measures what your child can do now and which behaviors get in the way of learning. A BCBA reviews your child’s history, observes them in everyday settings and may use tools such as the VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R or Vineland. Results become measurable goals, a recommended number of hours each week and the report your insurer needs to approve therapy.
Inside a comprehensive assessment session
Conversation
Your BCBA asks about development, strengths, challenges, medical history and what matters most to your family.
Observation
Your BCBA watches your child play and go through routines to see how they communicate and handle demands.
Short tasks
Play-based tasks measure communication, social, play and daily living skills.
Plan review
You read through the goals and hours with the BCBA before anything goes to your insurer.
Why families choose ABA Therapy Aurora for Comprehensive Assessment
No waitlist
Your child does not join a waitlist. Most families begin within 2 weeks of insurance approval.
Medicaid and all major plans
Health First Colorado (Medicaid) and all major plans are accepted, and we look up your benefits at no cost before therapy starts.
Certified BCBAs and RBTs
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst writes every plan. Registered Behavior Technicians are certified, background-checked and CPR-trained.
A BCBA who stays involved
Your child’s BCBA oversees sessions, reads the data and changes the plan when progress slows down.
Parent coaching built in
Each treatment plan includes caregiver coaching, so you know what to do between sessions.
Flexible hours
Sessions after school, in the evening and on weekends, to fit around school and work.
Four settings
Home, clinic, school and community sessions let your child practice where skills are needed. Many children mix settings.
Toddlers to age 21
Our clients range from toddlers to young adults up to age 21.
Help with a diagnosis
No diagnosis yet? We help you find an evaluation referral and talk through your options while you wait.
Learning through play
Therapists build lessons from games and your child’s interests, and you help pick the goals.
- Real reviews from local families
- 5 years of working with Aurora families
- Locally owned, not part of a national chain
Who benefits from comprehensive assessment
- Children with a new autism diagnosis
- Families switching ABA providers who want a fresh plan
- Children whose needs have changed since the last plan
- Families who want to see what ABA would target before committing
What the assessment covers
- Speech and language
- Play and social skills
- Self-care and daily living
- Behavior that gets in the way of learning
Steps for Comprehensive Assessment with us
- 1
Talk with you
We go over your child’s history, your worries and the goals that matter most to your family.
- 2
Watch and test
A BCBA observes your child and uses standard assessment tools for communication, social and daily living skills.
- 3
Write the plan
Findings become measurable goals and a recommended number of weekly hours.
- 4
Go over it together
We explain the plan, answer questions and send what your insurance needs to approve it.
Comprehensive Assessment in Aurora: local things to know
How Medicaid approval works
With Health First Colorado, the provider assesses your child, writes a treatment plan and asks for prior authorization. Approvals last up to 6 months. Paperwork not returned within 4 business days can lead to a denial, so reply quickly.
Private plans need an order from a physician or psychologist
Under Colorado’s autism insurance law, covered ABA must be prescribed or ordered by a licensed physician or licensed psychologist. Keep your child’s diagnostic report handy.
Where to get a diagnosis near Aurora
Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Developmental Pediatrics program provides care for children with developmental delays and autism, and JFK Partners offers team-based autism evaluations at CU Anschutz. Both are on the Aurora campus.
Source: Children’s Hospital Colorado, Developmental Pediatrics
Waiting for an evaluation?
Local news has reported Colorado families waiting months, sometimes longer, for a diagnosis. Joining a diagnostic waitlist while you request early intervention or Child Find keeps things moving.
Source: KKTV, April 2026
Reading for Aurora parents
ABA Assessment in Aurora: What to Expect and How to Prepare
ABA assessment in Aurora: what happens at the intake, which tools (VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, Vineland) are used, how the treatment plan and insurance approval work.
Read the guide Parent guideABA Without an Autism Diagnosis in Aurora, CO: Your Options
ABA without an autism diagnosis in Aurora, CO: what Health First Colorado, private plans and TRICARE require, and what to do while you wait for an evaluation.
Read the guide Parent guideDoes Medicaid Cover ABA in Aurora? Health First Colorado
Does Health First Colorado (Medicaid) cover ABA in Aurora? Eligibility, prior authorization, the December 2026 InterQual change, rate cuts and the Buy-In.
Read the guideWhere we offer comprehensive assessment
Comprehensive Assessment is available to families in Aurora and the towns around it.
- Comprehensive Assessment in Aurora
- Comprehensive Assessment in Centennial
- Comprehensive Assessment in Parker
- Comprehensive Assessment in Greenwood Village
- Comprehensive Assessment in Lone Tree
- Comprehensive Assessment in Commerce City
- Comprehensive Assessment in Brighton
- Comprehensive Assessment in Englewood
Comprehensive Assessment FAQs
Is an ABA assessment a diagnosis?
No. A physician or psychologist diagnoses autism. A BCBA does the ABA assessment to measure skills and write a plan. Private plans usually want the diagnosis first. Health First Colorado (Medicaid) can approve behavioral therapy without one when it is medically necessary.
What happens during it?
The BCBA talks with you, watches your child and may use tools such as the VB-MAPP or ABLLS-R to measure communication, social, play and daily living skills.
Will insurance cover it?
Most plans that cover ABA also cover the first assessment. We check your benefits and handle the approval paperwork.
Where can I get ABA assessments around Aurora?
We offer ABA assessments in Aurora, Centennial, Parker, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Commerce City, Brighton and Englewood.
Is there a waitlist for ABA assessments?
No. Comprehensive Assessment has no waitlist in the Aurora area. Most families begin within 2 weeks of insurance approval.
How do we get started?
Send the short request form. We look up your insurance benefits at no cost, book your child’s assessment and write the plan with you. If your child has no diagnosis yet, we help you find a referral for an evaluation.
Do you offer evening or weekend sessions?
Yes. Sessions are available after school, in the evening and on weekends, so therapy can fit around school and work.
What insurance do you accept?
We work with Medicaid and all major insurance plans, including Health First Colorado (Medicaid), Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Kaiser Permanente, TRICARE, Rocky Mountain Health Plans. Health First Colorado (Medicaid) pays for medically necessary ABA for members under 21, and state-regulated private plans in Colorado must cover it too. We look up your benefits before therapy starts.
Is comprehensive assessment right for your child?
A good match if
- Your child has an autism diagnosis and you are ready for ABA.
- You want to know your child’s strengths and needs before therapy starts.
- Your insurance wants a written treatment plan before approving hours.
Keep in mind
- An ABA assessment is not a diagnosis. Diagnoses come from a physician or psychologist.
- Most private plans want the diagnosis before covering the assessment. Health First Colorado (Medicaid) does not when therapy is medically necessary.
- Set aside time to talk with the BCBA and to have your child observed.
- The recommended hours are a starting point and get reviewed as your child progresses.
Want to start ABA in Aurora?
Tell us about your child. Our intake team will look up your insurance and explain what happens next.