FAQs
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What services do you offer?
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At Acorn Autism, we provide comprehensive, high-quality care for children with autism and related developmental needs. Our services include:
Diagnostic & Psychological Evaluations Comprehensive assessments and formal diagnoses conducted by our clinical leader, who is both a BCBA and an LPA/HSP-PA.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy Individualized, evidence-based ABA treatment focused on building communication, social, adaptive, and behavioral skills.
Treatment Planning & Ongoing Assessment Data-driven plans that are regularly reviewed and adjusted to match your child’s progress and needs.
Parent & Caregiver Training Coaching and support so you can confidently reinforce skills at home and in the community.
Clinical Oversight & Professional Development All services are led by a BCBA who is also an LPA/HSP-PA and BACB ACE Provider, ensuring strong clinical quality and ongoing staff training.
We focus on seamless, coordinated care—from evaluation through treatment—under one experienced clinical leader.
How do I get started?
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Getting started is simple. Reach out through our contact form or schedule a call—we’ll walk you through the next steps and answer any questions along the way.
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Getting started is simple. Here’s what the process looks like:
Reach out to us Contact our team by phone or through the website. We’ll answer your initial questions and learn a bit about your child and family.
Benefits verification We will check your insurance benefits (or discuss private-pay options) and explain coverage clearly before any services begin.
Intake & paperwork You’ll complete a short intake packet so we can gather background information and necessary consents.
Assessment Our clinical leader will conduct a thorough evaluation. This may include a diagnostic assessment and/or an ABA skills assessment, depending on your child’s needs.
Treatment planning & start of services We’ll review the results with you, develop an individualized treatment plan, and schedule your child’s therapy sessions.
We’re happy to walk you through every step and answer questions along the way. Just reach out when you’re ready to begin.
What makes Acorn autism different?
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We are independently owned. There is no corporate financial arm dictating treatment decisions or limiting the tools and supports your child and team need.
Our clinical leader is a BCBA who is also an LPA/HSP-PA (Licensed Psychological Associate with Health Services Provider certification), a BACB ACE Provider, a licensed school psychologist, and a special education teacher. She has followed many children from diagnosis through adulthood. This rare combination of credentials and long-term experience allows her to:
Conduct comprehensive psychological evaluations and formal diagnoses
Develop and oversee specialized ABA treatment plans
Provide therapy and behavioral support grounded in both psychology and applied behavior analysis
Deliver BACB-approved continuing education to other professionals
For your child, this means seamless, high-quality care from one expert who understands the full developmental picture—assessment, diagnosis, intensive ABA intervention, and the long-term journey—while continuously elevating the clinical standards of the entire team.
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What is the difference between a BCBA and an LPA/HSP-PA?
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Is therapy in-clinic, in-home, or both?
How long will my child need ABA therapy?
A BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) is a specialist in Applied Behavior Analysis. They focus on assessing behavior, creating individualized ABA treatment plans, and helping children build communication, social, adaptive, and daily living skills through structured, evidence-based methods.
An LPA/HSP-PA (Licensed Psychological Associate with Health Services Provider certification) is a master’s-level psychologist licensed by the North Carolina Psychology Board. This credential allows them to conduct comprehensive psychological evaluations, provide formal diagnoses (including autism), and deliver broader clinical services such as therapy and behavioral support.
In short:
A BCBA specializes in ABA therapy.
An LPA/HSP-PA has a wider psychological scope that includes assessment and diagnosis.
When one professional holds both credentials (as our clinical leader does), families benefit from seamless care—evaluation, diagnosis, and intensive ABA treatment—all guided by the same expert who understands the full picture.
We currently serve children from 18 months to 6 years old.
For families already enrolled with us, we will continue services beyond age 6 when needed to support continuity of care and a smooth transition.
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What ages do you serve?
What are your staff qualifications and supervision ratios?
How do I get started?
At this time, all services are provided in-clinic only.
The length of ABA therapy is different for every child. It depends on their individual needs, goals, rate of progress, and how consistently skills are practiced at home and in other environments.
Some children make significant gains within 12–24 months, while others benefit from longer support. We carefully track progress with data and regularly review each child’s treatment plan. Our goal is always meaningful, lasting improvement—not keeping a child in therapy longer than necessary. When a child is ready, we work with the family to gradually reduce hours and support a successful transition.
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We are currently in-network with several major insurance providers and are actively expanding our network.
For families with out-of-network benefits, we may be able to pursue single-case agreements in certain situations. Approval depends on medical necessity and individual plan requirements.
We are happy to verify benefits and discuss options with families before starting services.
What insurance do you accept?
All clinical services at Acorn Autism are overseen by our clinical leader, who is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Licensed Psychological Associate with Health Services Provider certification (LPA/HSP-PA), and BACB ACE Provider.
Therapy is delivered exclusively by Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs). We do not employ Behavior Technicians (BTs). Every RBT completes a thorough background check and maintains current CPR and First Aid certification, along with ongoing training.
We keep strong supervision ratios so each child receives consistent, high-quality, individualized care. Our clinical leader also provides regular training and BACB-approved continuing education to the team.