Having a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder can be overwhelming, frustrating, and difficult to navigate. However, there are many resources available to help, even if you are low income and don’t think that you can afford therapy. If you currently have Medicaid, your child’s ABA therapy will be covered. If you do not have Medicaid, you should explore your eligibility to see if you are able to get it.
Where can I find ABA therapy that accepts Medicaid in Indianapolis?
Mindful and Modern ABA Therapies accepts Medicaid, as do most ABA therapy providers. All traditional and managed Medicaid carriers are required to cover medically necessary autism treatment, including ABA therapy. At MMAT, our goal is to provide children with ASD with effective, thoughtful treatment so that their families can reap the benefits together. We encourage all families with an autistic child to explore their options with us and enroll in Medicaid for ABA therapy if possible.
Contact us to schedule an appointment.
Who administers ABA therapy that accepts Medicaid in Indianapolis?
At Mindful and Modern ABA Therapies, all of our therapy is administered by extremely qualified professionals– Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs)– who work one-on-one with children in a calm, consistent, and safe environment. These are the professional certifications required for any autism therapy covered by Medicaid. We don’t make any distinction between private insurance and Medicaid when it comes to the quality of care we provide. All children’s treatment plans are developed with purpose in our inclusive, natural environment. Each child receives constant one-on-one attention and therapy that shifts to accommodate their specific learning style.
Is there financial assistance available for ABA therapy that accepts Medicaid in Indianapolis?
If you are unable to qualify for Medicaid, there may still be assistance available to help you get your child enrolled in ABA therapy. Look into the Indiana Resource Center for Autism (IRCA) or explore the resources available through The Arc Indiana to see what sorts of grants and other types of assistance may be available for your child’s therapy.
Get started with ABA therapy that accepts Medicaid in Indianapolis
The first step towards enrolling your child in an ABA therapy program is to take a tour of the facility and get a feel for it. We invite you to tour Mindful and Modern ABA Therapies to see if our center is a good fit for your child. If, after visiting, you determine that our staff and program is right for your family, then you must schedule an assessment with our clinical specialist to attain a clinical diagnosis for your child. During the assessment, a BCBA will spend 60-120 minutes working with and observing your child in order to determine whether they have ASD. Once your child has been diagnosed, the process of being approved by your insurance company begins, and once you are approved, you may enroll your child in therapy. Once your child is enrolled, the BCBA will create a treatment plan specific to your child, and they will be paired with an RBT for their treatment.
Step 1:
Take a tour of our facility
Step 2:
Schedule an assessment with our clinical specialist
Step 4:
After approval from the insurance company, enroll your child at Mindful and Modern ABA Therapies
Step 5:
Our Board Certified Behavior Analyst will create a treatment plan specific to your child and a Registered Behavior Technician will be pair with our child.
What to expect from Mindful and Modern Therapies
At Mindful and Modern ABA Therapies, we provide a special needs Montessori environment that welcomes children of all abilities with a sense of kindness and acceptance. Because children learn and grow at their own pace, there is no pressure to “catch up” or fear of “falling behind. All therapy is advanced by the child’s prompting, which builds responsibility and independence.
Our environment is carefully designed for order and organization and our days are scheduled so that there is consistency and routine. Children are allowed to learn new concepts by observing other children performing tasks and exercises, and are at their liberty to participate when and if they desire to do so. Practical activities will help your child to practice various tasks that improve motor skills and coordination until they are confident enough to do them easily.
How is autism behavioral therapy used in Montessori?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is an excellent fit with Montessori. Special needs children are observed daily in a classroom setting where their skills are observed and noted by their RBT. The group setting provides an opportunity for socialization, while the ability to retreat to a more private setting helps children with ASD feel safe and comfortable.
Unlike a traditional therapeutic setting where children are instructed to perform tasks and do activities, in a special needs Montessori the child initiates activities. Autistic children prefer not to do activities that are forced upon them, so this style of learning and doing is easier and more productive for them. As they initiate and complete tasks, they are learning as well as fostering inner motivation and independence.
Answers to common questions about Autism Therapy and Montessori
ABA therapy works on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. That means that therapy is one-on-one, with a strong, ongoing emphasis on “pairing” the child with one dedicated therapist so that they develop a secure, long term relationship. ABA therapy methods are data-driven, meaning that they are highly individualized to fit with the needs of each child on a case-by-case basis.
Our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) perform assessments and create personalized therapy plans for each child that match their ability levels. On a day-to-day basis, each child is paired with their own Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), who is with them throughout the day. All of our therapy providers have years of experience and love what they do.
A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT®) is a paraprofessional certification in behavior analysis. All RBTs have undergone 40 hours of training, taken and passed an exam, and must renew their certification annually.
Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBA®) possess an undergraduate-level certification in behavior analysis. BCaBAs are required to complete continuing education and apply for recertification every two years.
Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®) possess a graduate-level certification in behavior analysis. BCBAs are also required to complete continuing education and apply for recertification every two years.
There is no prescribed duration of time for a child to receive ABA therapy. While our technicians love watching your kids learn and grow, they understand that the ultimate goal of therapy is to prepare children for moving on to school successfully. Most children spend 2-3 years with a therapist.
MMAT is for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) whose families want them in an environment that cultivates social skills, language development, and increased independence. Because we are a sister institution to Maria Montessori International, we are able to provide one-on-one therapy for children right alongside their typical developing peers. This allows children to interact socially in a typical setting, make friends, and build a solid foundation for success when they transition to school.
Many people know Maria Montessori as a pioneer in the education field, but her revolutionary education style began after working with children who had various disabilities. The Montessori focus on personalization in education coupled with natural approaches lends itself to teaching children of all abilities. Mindful and Modern Therapies was inspired by seeing many of our students with ASD flourishing in Montessori education. By bridging the gap we saw in connecting traditional therapy to learning, we found an effective way to treat students with ASD in a natural environment.
For us, we see Montessori as bringing purpose to therapy.
A natural environment includes objects such as real dishes that children learn how to use, clean, and put away. These small details prepare them for functioning in the world. A garden area allows children to learn about nature and how they fit into the picture, as well as helping a child to see beyond their immediate surroundings. A natural environment for your child helps them to learn the skills they need to become life-long learners. This follows the principles of Montessori education, and encourages your child to develop their whole self – physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
Yes! We believe children of all abilities can learn together and from one another. We create an environment where everyone can learn at their own pace, and benefit from their peers, regardless of ability.
The Mindful and Modern therapies we use are suitable for children from as young as birth to as old as 9 years old.
While the number of children in ABA therapy sessions varies from day to day and session to session, each child is always paired with their therapist. The therapy facility is separate from the Maria Montessori by a door. On the Montessori side, there may be as many as 25 children at a time, but children receiving ABA therapy will be accompanied when they visit and join the Montessori students.
We have three options for sessions for therapy work: a Full-Day and two (2) Half-Day programs.
Our Full Day program is from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, while our half-day programs are either 8:30 am – 12:30 pm or 1:30 am-5:30 pm.
Our lunch is from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to ABA therapy, as each child is different. We approach every child on a case-by-case basis and make recommendations accordingly. Some of our children attend a half-day session in combination with a half-day at school.
To ensure lasting benefits for the whole family unit, we encourage family participation in therapy. By continuing therapeutic practices in the home, children can adopt new habits and behaviors more easily. Our Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) work with parents to guide them through how to mirror therapy methods at home. Additionally, we host interactive events that are open to both parents and children.
If you believe your child may be autistic, we can help by providing ADOS testing– the first step in obtaining an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. In 60-120 minutes, we can observe your child in a series of social interactions to determine whether they may have ASD. This test may be covered by your insurance, please check with us beforehand.
The first step we suggest is a visit to our facilities to see for yourself whether it is a good fit for you and your child. After a facility tour, you can schedule an assessment and diagnosis and begin the process of getting approval from your insurer. Once your paperwork is processed, your child can begin therapy.
Due to the process required for insurers to approve billing and claims for diagnostic assessments and to approve MMAT services, it can take up to 90 days from the first visit to begin therapy.
Yes, all of our therapeutic services are covered by certain insurers, and we process all of our claims in-house. From the initial intake to patient statements and claims submissions, our knowledgeable staff takes care of all insurance matters. If your insurance company is not listed on our provider list, you may still inquire with them to see if it is possible to get into our network.
Our therapy is currently covered by the following insurers:
- Indiana Medicaid
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Anthem Medicaid
- CareSource Medicaid
- MDWise
- Cenpatico/MHS
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Optum/UBH
- Tricare
If you are low-income and have a child with ASD, we encourage you to look into the various Medicaid options you may qualify for. These programs are designed to help low-income families gain access to medical care and therapy, and there is a good chance that you will qualify.
We do offer speech therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Our speech therapist addresses speech, language, social, play, and cognitive skills as well as help children who have feeding and swallowing challenges.
Our speech therapy will begin with an assessment to identify the type of communication disorder and the best way to treat it.
Speech therapy might include:
- interacting through talking and playing, and using books, pictures other objects as part of language intervention to help stimulate language development
- modeling correct sounds and syllables for a child during age-appropriate play to teach the child how to make certain sounds
- providing strategies and homework for the child and parent on how to do speech therapy at home
We do offer occupational therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Our occupational therapist work with you and your child to provide individualized treatment plans that best meet your child’s evolving needs. The treatment plan might include skills like Self-Care, Feeding, Visual Motor, Fine Motor, Social, and Interacting with Peers. The plan is designed for the child to become school ready and to succeed in life.
The main difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy is that OT focuses on improving the child’s ability to perform activities of daily living and PT focuses on improving a child’s ability to perform movement of their body.
While we currently do not offer physical therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, we are looking into adding it as a service in the near future, so stay tuned and do not hesitate to inquire with us about it.