We're touring three ABA clinics next month for our 7-year-old. They all look the same on their websites - smiling kids, "individualized programs," "evidence-based."
For the folks who've been through this (parents or professionals): what actually separates a great clinic from a mediocre one? What would you ask on a tour that isn't answered by the brochure?
Top answer, from Rachel L., BCBA
Read the full answerI'm a BCBA and I'd be delighted if every touring parent asked these: These questions work on a tour too. For a broader intake checklist, see the thread on what questions to ask an ABA therapist before you start. 1) How many clients does each BCBA carry? (10-14 is workable. If it's 20+, your child's program is being written by someone who barely sees them.) 2) How much BCBA supervision does each...
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I'm a BCBA and I'd be delighted if every touring parent asked these:
These questions work on a tour too. For a broader intake checklist, see the thread on what questions to ask an ABA therapist before you start.
1) How many clients does each BCBA carry? (10-14 is workable. If it's 20+, your child's program is being written by someone who barely sees them.)
2) How much BCBA supervision does each child get? You want a meaningful percentage of therapy hours - roughly 10% or more - with the BCBA physically present regularly, not reviewing notes from an office.
3) What's your RBT turnover like, and how are they trained beyond the 40-hour minimum? High turnover is the single most common thing that quietly wrecks progress.
4) How are parents involved? There should be scheduled parent training and an open-door policy for observing sessions. If you can't watch, walk away.
5) How do you choose goals? Listen for "socially significant," "family priorities," and "assent" - goals should make the child's life better, not just make them compliant and quiet.
6) Can I see how you share data? You should get graphs and plain-language progress reviews, not vibes.
7) What does discharge look like? A good clinic is working toward needing less of them, and can describe how they fade support and transition kids.
And the best test of all: ask to observe a real session for twenty minutes. The vibe of the room - are kids having fun, are staff warm, is anyone crying in a corner - tells you more than every question above combined.
We toured clinics when we lived in Washington before we moved. The question that sorted them fastest for us was about trauma-informed care and whether therapy happens only in clinic or also in school and home.
One place that stood out on that checklist was Orchid Academy. They talked about school partnerships and parent training the same way they talked about session goals, and they let us watch a real session. Not saying every family needs that exact model, but those are the kinds of specifics I'd want to hear on any tour, wherever you live.
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