Miami-Dade has more ABA providers than almost anywhere in the country. That is good for families, and it also means the quality range is enormous. These are the questions we would ask if it were our child, with the answers that should reassure you and the ones that should not.
1. Who is the BCBA, and how often will they see my child?
The Board Certified Behavior Analyst writes the plan and is responsible for it. Ask for the name, and ask how many hours of direct supervision per month your child will get. A common professional standard is supervision on a meaningful share of treatment hours, with the BCBA physically present with the technician regularly, not only reviewing data remotely. If the answer is vague, or the BCBA is "assigned later," be cautious.
2. How many children does each BCBA carry?
Caseload size determines whether the BCBA can actually know your child. There is no single right number, but a BCBA with a very large caseload cannot observe, adjust and train families at the pace a young child needs. Ask, and listen for a specific number.
3. What is your technician turnover, and what happens when one leaves?
Turnover is the biggest complaint families have about ABA. A good provider will answer honestly, describe how they retain staff, and explain the handoff: overlap sessions, a written transition, and a target for how quickly a replacement starts. "We'll let you know" is not a plan.
4. Where do sessions happen?
Home, school, community, clinic, or a mix. For toddlers, home. For school-age children with school problems, school, with the district's cooperation. Ask whether the provider has actually worked inside Miami-Dade schools before and how they coordinate with the IEP team.
5. How are parents involved?
Parent training should be part of every plan from the first month, in your language, at times you can actually attend. Ask what it looks like in practice: how often, who runs it, and whether it is in the home. A program that treats parents as observers will not produce skills that last.
6. How do you measure progress, and will I see the data?
Ask to see an example progress report (with identifying details removed). You should see goals with numbers, graphs that go up or down, and decisions made from them. If a provider cannot show you what progress looks like on paper, they are not measuring it.
7. How do you decide the number of hours?
The recommendation should come from the assessment, not from what the plan will authorize or what the schedule allows. Ask why the number is what it is. Be wary of a provider that recommends the same hours for every child.
8. Which plans are you contracted with, and will you handle authorizations?
In-network status with your specific plan matters, and so does whether the provider manages authorizations and reauthorizations without gaps. Ask how far in advance they submit reauthorizations.
9. What happens when my child has a hard day?
Ask how they handle challenging behavior in session. The answer should include a written behavior plan, prevention, teaching replacement skills and clear safety procedures. Any mention of punishment-based or restraint-first approaches is a reason to walk away.
10. Can I talk to a current family?
Providers can share references with families' consent. A provider that has never been asked will still be able to find one; a provider that refuses is telling you something.
What we say when families ask us
We answer these questions on the first call, in English or Spanish. We are a Kendall-based team that serves all of Miami-Dade, at home and in schools, contracted with Florida Medicaid plans including Molina and Sunshine Health, and we will tell you if we are not the right fit or do not have capacity in your area.