What ABA therapy is, what it's not, and how to choose well — for Central Ohio families navigating the most contested intervention in autism.
Applied Behavior Analysis is the most-studied autism intervention and one of the most contested. In Columbus, ABA is widely available through Nationwide Children's, hospital-affiliated programs, and many private clinics — and it's funded through several Ohio-specific pathways. This page covers what ABA is, where the legitimate debates lie, how it's paid for here, and how to evaluate a provider. We don't tell families to choose ABA, and we don't tell families to avoid it. We give you information to choose well.
Suburban — listed as the Columbus center, but the physical location is at 158 Wetherby Ln in Westerville, about 20 minutes north of downtown. Accepts most major commercial plans plus Ohio Medicaid plans including CareSource, Buckeye and Molina. Ask about BCBA caseloads, current wait time for an assessment, and whether you can observe sessions.
Visit siteSuburban — the center serving greater Columbus is at 1582 Waggoner Rd in Blacklick, east of the city. Programs are grouped by age, from early intervention through adolescent services, across center, home and school settings. Ask which setting they would recommend for your child and why, and how hours are determined.
Visit sitePart of Bridgeway's Alum Creek Drive campus in Columbus, offering clinical ABA alongside speech, OT, PT, music therapy and psychology under one roof. An Ohio Autism Scholarship provider. Ask how the ABA program coordinates with their other therapies and what the current intake wait looks like.
Visit siteFounded in 2005, TLS serves children ages 2–22 with an autism diagnosis across three central Ohio sites — Worthington, Canal Winchester and Johnstown — combining 1:1 ABA with OT, speech, music therapy and educational services. Accepts Medicaid, private insurance, county board funds and Autism Scholarship funding. Ask which location has openings, since availability varies by site.
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