ABA Therapy Services
In-Home ABA Therapy Across New Mexico
Elite Steps ABA provides in-home ABA therapy (Applied Behavior Analysis) for children with autism, ages 18 months through 18 years, statewide across New Mexico.
Every service we offer is grounded in one commitment: individualized care, supervised closely, delivered where your child lives.
What Is ABA Therapy?
Applied Behavior Analysis is the most widely researched approach for helping children with autism develop communication, social, academic, and daily living skills. It’s how therapists help children build the kind of independence that changes a family’s day-to-day life.
Modern ABA is not what it was decades ago. At Elite Steps, sessions are child-led and reinforcement-based. Your child helps choose activities. Goals are built around the skills that matter most to your family. And we never use punishment-based interventions. Period.
If you’ve heard things about ABA that gave you pause, we understand. We’re happy to walk you through exactly how we work before you commit to anything.
How We Start, The Assessment
What an ABA Assessment Involves
Tools used
ABLLS-R, AFLS, VB-MAPP, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales – selected based on your child’s age and needs.
Parent involvement
BCBA time
Timeline
Your Child's Treatment Plan
Within three weeks of the assessment, you’ll receive an individualized treatment plan. This plan is built specifically for your child: their strengths, their challenges, the goals that matter most to your family.
No templates. No generic skill lists. If two children walk through our door on the same day, they will leave with two completely different plans.
We review and adjust plans on an ongoing basis as your child grows. Goals that were right last month may not be right next month and we stay ahead of that.
What ABA Sessions Looks Like
- Sessions are 2–5 hours, depending on your child's plan and needs.
- Families typically receive 10–40 hours of therapy per week, clinically determined by the BCBA based on the assessment.
- Sessions happen in your home - wherever your family is most comfortable. The therapist brings materials.
- Sessions are structured with built-in breaks. Your child helps choose activities and has choices throughout.
- A caregiver must be present in the home during all sessions.
- Parent participation is welcomed and encouraged, though not required in every moment. Many parents find that being part of sessions, even occasionally, helps them carry the work forward.
BCBA Supervision
This is where Elite Steps is different from many agencies and where families feel it most. Our BCBA observes every therapist with every child, every week. Not once a month. Not only when there’s a problem. Every week, for 1–3 hours per case.
That supervision means your child’s therapist is never guessing. They have clinical guidance that’s current, specific, and responsive to what’s actually happening in session, not what happened three weeks ago.
Therapist Matching
We don’t assign therapists at random. We match them.
Our team considers the therapist’s experience working with children, language spoken, and cultural background alongside your child’s age, needs, and personality. The goal is a therapist your child connects with, not just one who’s available.
Parent Training
ABA doesn’t stop when the therapist leaves. The skills your child builds in session need reinforcement throughout the day like at meals, at bedtime, at the grocery store, on a car ride.
That’s why our BCBA meets with you every one to two weeks to review your child’s progress, discuss the goals you care about, and walk you through how to implement the treatment plan when the therapist isn’t there. These sessions run anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours, depending on what’s needed. You are part of your child’s team. We make sure you feel like it.
What We Don't Do
We don’t use punishment-based interventions. We don’t set goals that aren’t ethical. We don’t try to change your child’s personality.
Our work is about building skills and independence and helping your child communicate, connect, and navigate the world on their own terms. That’s it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ABA therapy covered by insurance in New Mexico?
In most cases, yes. We currently accept Turquoise Care, Presbyterian, Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico, Molina, and Aetna. New Mexico Medicaid (Turquoise Care) covers ABA for children with an autism diagnosis. We verify your benefits before therapy begins, so there are no surprises. See how ABA insurance works.
How many hours of ABA therapy does my child need?
Most families receive 10–40 hours per week. The exact number is determined by your BCBA after the assessment, based on your child’s age, goals, and current skills. There is no one-size-fits-all answer and we will not bill more hours than your child clinically needs.
How long does ABA therapy take to work?
Every child is different, and we don’t make timeline promises for any specific child. In general, families often start seeing meaningful progress within the first few months of consistent therapy. Long-term outcomes depend on hours of therapy, family involvement, and your child’s individual profile. Your BCBA will discuss realistic expectations during the assessment.
Do you work with non-verbal children?
Yes. Many of the children we serve are non-verbal or minimally verbal at intake. Goals around functional communication, including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) when appropriate, are a core part of what ABA is designed to address.
How quickly can we start?
From your first call to the start of the assessment, typical timeline is less than two weeks. From the assessment to the start of therapy, typically three weeks (the time it takes to write your child’s individualized plan).
Do parents have to be present during sessions?