Alpaca Health matches Colorado Springs families with independent BCBAs you can meet by name on this page, including BCBAs based right here in the city. Get in-home ABA therapy across Colorado Springs or telehealth anywhere in Colorado. We accept Health First Colorado Medicaid and private insurance, we do not run a waitlist, and most families know their coverage and match options within days.
Clinically reviewed by
Samantha Ridout, M.Phil., BCBA, LBA-NYS· BACB certification #1-22-57709 · Last updated July 2026
Accepted insurance:
Meet the BCBAs serving Colorado Springs
In-school and in-daycare ABA: therapy integrated into your child's daily routine
Virtual ABA therapy: BCBA-coached telehealth sessions from home
Autism evaluations: insurance-covered ADOS-2 assessments
Parent training: twice-monthly Family Guidance sessions with your child's BCBA
Which setting fits your family? Tell us during signup and we will say plainly what is available at your address. Most Colorado Springs families start with in-home ABA therapy, because a BCBA working in your kitchen and back yard sees the routines a clinic room never shows.
This city is built around Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and the Air Force Academy, so family schedules here move with duty rotations and PCS orders. Virtual ABA therapy reaches any Colorado address the same week, which keeps a program running through a move across town or a stretch when one parent is away.
There is no Alpaca Health clinic in Colorado Springs. Some independent clinicians in our network see children in their own space, so ask about in-clinic time during matching. School-day support runs through in-school ABA therapy once your district agrees to it.
We accept most insurance providers and handle verification, prior authorization, and paperwork.
Don't see your plan? Check all accepted insurances
Two payers dominate autism care in El Paso County, and the name printed on your child's card decides who authorizes ABA therapy.
- Health First Colorado runs through one regional entity here: El Paso County is administered by Colorado Community Health Alliance, which handles physical and behavioral health benefits for members here alongside Park and Teller counties.
- TRICARE covers ABA through the Autism Care Demonstration only: Colorado sits in the TRICARE West region run by TriWest Healthcare Alliance, and your child needs an autism diagnosis from a TRICARE-approved provider plus a referral and authorization before therapy begins.
- Active duty families carry two extra enrollments: TRICARE asks for the service branch's Exceptional Family Member Program and the Extended Care Health Option, so start those early rather than after the referral goes in.
- Ask the Medicaid question before you join any list: Action Behavior Centers, the largest center chain in this market, names a dozen carriers on its Colorado Springs page and Health First Colorado is not among them.
Alpaca Health accepts Health First Colorado, TRICARE West, and private plans, and we confirm your exact benefits before you commit to anything. Families who want the coverage mechanics in more depth can read about Medicaid ABA in Colorado Springs.
ABA therapy insurance and Medicaid in Colorado
Colorado covers applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy through two tracks: private insurance and Health First Colorado, the state's Medicaid program. One fact holds on both: Colorado law sets no dollar cap on ABA coverage.
Whichever track your family is on, Alpaca Health verifies your exact benefits before therapy starts and matches you with a provider who handles the authorization from there.
Track 1: private and employer health plans
Colorado's autism insurance mandate (C.R.S. 10-16-104) requires state-regulated health plans to cover the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of autism, and it names ABA directly, for as long as care is medically necessary.
- Colorado removed its ABA dollar caps in 2015 under its mental health parity law (SB 15-015). Plans cannot limit ABA more strictly than physical illness care.
- Many ABA websites still quote the old limits, $34,000 per year for younger children and $12,000 for older children. Those figures are more than a decade stale.
- Self-funded employer plans can be exempt. One question for HR settles it: is our plan fully insured or self-funded?
- The Colorado Division of Insurance regulates the state side.
Track 2: Health First Colorado (Medicaid)
Health First Colorado covers children's ABA through its Pediatric Behavioral Therapies benefit. It runs under EPSDT, the federal Medicaid guarantee of medically necessary care up to age 21.
- No dollar cap applies here either. Coverage follows medical necessity, not a dollar figure.
- ABA requires a Prior Authorization Request (PAR), valid for up to six months per approval.
- Your provider prepares the request and the renewals, so the paperwork does not land on you.
Getting an autism diagnosis in Colorado Springs
Neither private insurance nor Health First Colorado will authorize ABA therapy until a doctor or psychologist has made a medical autism diagnosis, so this step comes before everything else.
Insurance-covered ADOS-2 with Alpaca Health
Alpaca Health offers a insurance-covered ADOS-2 diagnostic evaluation with no waitlist. The result is the medical diagnosis that private insurance, TRICARE, and Health First Colorado all require, and families can begin the evaluation and the BCBA match in the same week.
Start free diagnosisUnder 3: Early Intervention through The Resource Exchange
The Resource Exchange is the only official Early Intervention provider for El Paso, Park, and Teller counties under Part C, and it evaluates children from birth to three at no cost regardless of income or insurance. Anyone can refer a child, with no diagnosis needed first, by calling 719-577-9190.
Age 3 and up: local testing practices
Whole Kids Co. tests with the ADOS-2 and accepts Health First Colorado, with clinics on Voyager Parkway and International Circle. Central Focus Psychological Group pairs the ADOS-2 with the SRS-2, uses licensed clinical psychologists, and evaluates children, teens, and adults from its Lake Plaza Drive office.
How to choose and what to expect
- Confirm the practice evaluates your child's age: Some Colorado Springs practices test only young children, and others do not start until school age.
- Confirm it takes your specific plan: A practice that says it takes Medicaid may still not be contracted with Colorado Community Health Alliance, and TRICARE families need a provider inside the TriWest network.
- Ask whether a referral is required: Hospital programs and TRICARE both want a referral on file first, while private psychology practices frequently do not.
- Join more than one list: Waits here run long enough that families routinely hold two appointments and keep whichever one comes up first.
- Know what a school evaluation does: Child Find through your district is free for children three and older, and it establishes special education eligibility rather than the medical diagnosis insurance and Health First Colorado require.
How autism diagnosis works in Colorado
Insurance-funded ABA in Colorado starts with a medical autism diagnosis, and where you begin depends on your child's age. Colorado also runs a separate school evaluation track, and many families use both at once.
Under 3: Early Intervention Colorado
Early Intervention Colorado, run by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, evaluates and supports children from birth to age 3.
- Anyone can refer: you can refer your child yourself, with no doctor's referral or existing diagnosis needed.
- The evaluation is free: it comes at no cost to your family.
Age 3 and up: school track and medical track
- School track: Colorado Child Find offers free school-district evaluations for ages 3 to 21 and can qualify your child for an Individualized Education Program (IEP). It is an educational determination, not a medical diagnosis.
- Medical track: a clinical evaluation, typically with a developmental pediatrician or psychologist using screening tools like the M-CHAT and diagnostic tools like the ADOS. Developmental pediatrics at Children's Hospital Colorado and JFK Partners at CU Anschutz are the two widely recognized evaluation homes in Colorado.
- Use both: the school track puts classroom supports and an IEP in place, while the medical track opens ABA and other therapies through your coverage. Each runs on its own timeline, so starting both early means neither waits on the other.
Neighborhoods and communities we serve in Colorado Springs
Alpaca Health does not operate a clinic in Colorado Springs, and we will not pretend otherwise. In-home ABA therapy means the BCBA drives to your house, so the service area follows where our clinicians live rather than where a building sits. Our BCBAs are based in Colorado Springs itself, so in-home matches happen quickly. Telehealth reaches every Colorado address.
Where in-home matching reaches
- North side and the Academy corridor: Briargate, Northgate, Pine Creek, and Rockrimmon, continuing north to Monument.
- East along the Powers corridor: Stetson Hills, Springs Ranch, and Cimarron Hills, out toward Falcon and Peyton.
- Central and southwest: Downtown, Knob Hill, Ivywild, and the Broadmoor.
- South along I-25: Security, Widefield, Fort Carson, and Fountain, plus Manitou Springs to the west.
Which school district your child is in
Six school districts serve Colorado Springs, not one, and your address decides which of them runs a school evaluation and writes the IEP. Colorado Springs District 11 covers the city core, Academy District 20 the north side and the Air Force Academy, Harrison District 2 the southeast, Cheyenne Mountain District 12 the southwest, District 49 the east side toward Falcon, and Widefield District 3 the far south toward Security. Your BCBA can work with whichever district you live in.
Recent Colorado policy changes
If you searched for Colorado Early Intervention news in 2025, you probably saw alarming headlines about cuts to services for children under 3. Here is what actually happened, and where things stand now.
Reviewed July 2026. We will update this section as the state publishes new guidance on Early Intervention or ABA coverage.
The 2025 Early Intervention funding story
- In early 2025, facing a budget shortfall, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood proposed temporary limits on Early Intervention services.
- The proposal drew strong public pushback, and the department paused the changes within days.
- The legislature responded with SB25-227, signed on April 28, 2025, which reallocated funding for the program.
- In November 2025 the state reported Early Intervention funded at a higher per-child rate than the prior year, with a one-time $7.3 million adjustment the department said would not affect direct services.
What this means for your family today
- The proposed cuts were never implemented as announced. The under-3 evaluation and service door remains open, and the free evaluation is still available.
- The episode concerned the Early Intervention budget, not ABA coverage. Colorado's private insurance mandate and the Health First Colorado ABA benefit were not part of it.
- State budgets are written year to year. If you are planning around Early Intervention services, check the Colorado Department of Early Childhood's current guidance.
How ABA therapy works through Alpaca Health
Four simple steps from your first form to your first session. No waitlists, no phone tag, no guesswork.
1
Tell us about your child
Start with our short intake form. You share the basics: your child's age, your availability, your insurance, and any autism diagnosis you already have. That is all we need to understand where your family is starting from.
2
We verify your insurance
After you submit the form, we verify your insurance and follow up within one business day to confirm the details. No long waits, no phone tag.
3
Get matched with the right provider
We match you with a licensed provider who has availability now, not months from now. Prefer someone specific? Tell us, and we will try to make it work. Either way, the fit is built around your child's needs and your family's schedule.
4
Start care the same week
We introduce you directly to your provider, and they take it from there. Most families have their first meeting or assessment within the same week, whether that is in-home ABA therapy or a telehealth session.
Local programs and organizations that support families alongside ABA therapy.
Early Intervention (IDEA Part C) evaluations and services for children birth to age 3 with developmental delays.
Public school district serving local families. Contact for IEP and special education accommodation support.
Free 24/7 phone, text, and chat support for anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Call or text 988.
Free 24/7 crisis and mental health support for Colorado residents, including mobile crisis response. Call or text 988.
Why independent clinics matter
In-home ABA that fits your life
- The providers we work with bring therapy to you, wherever your child is most comfortable.
- That might mean home, daycare, school, or virtual sessions. Our flexible care model ensures that therapy integrates into your family’s daily routine, rather than disrupting it.
- Our network is made up of independent, local clinicians who prioritize collaboration, not control, so you stay in charge of your child’s care.
Support for the full pediatric age range
- Many ABA centers stop care when a child turns 8. Not us. We support the full pediatric age range, toddlers to age 21.
- Your child deserves more than short-term support. With Alpaca, they can build a long-term relationship with a provider who understands their growth over time and adapts care as their needs evolve.
- We also support your whole family with educational events and resources, including parent webinars, advocacy toolkits, and grant guides.
More care. Less wait.
- Waiting months for ABA shouldn’t be the norm. At Alpaca, we help families connect with the right provider in just a few days.
- We work exclusively with independent providers, which allows us to stay flexible and waitlist-free. That means faster assessments, quicker treatment starts, and the end of years-long waits.
- Ready to get started? We’ll handle the paperwork, help coordinate referrals, and walk you through every step.
Does Health First Colorado cover ABA therapy in Colorado Springs?
Yes. Health First Colorado covers ABA therapy for members under 21 through its Pediatric Behavioral Therapies benefit, based on medical necessity, with no annual dollar cap. In El Paso County your authorization runs through Colorado Community Health Alliance.
Coverage is rarely the hard part in Colorado Springs. Finding a provider who clearly takes the plan and has room is, so start your match here.
What does TRICARE require before ABA therapy starts?
TRICARE covers ABA through the Autism Care Demonstration, which is authorized to run through December 31, 2028. Your child needs an autism diagnosis from a TRICARE-approved provider, and that provider sends a referral to TriWest Healthcare Alliance for authorization before therapy begins.
Active duty families also enroll in their branch's Exceptional Family Member Program and in the Extended Care Health Option. Alpaca Health handles the authorization paperwork on your behalf.
Who can diagnose autism in Colorado Springs?
Children can get an insurance-covered ADOS-2 evaluation through Alpaca Health with no waitlist, and the result is the medical diagnosis insurance, TRICARE, and Health First Colorado require.
For children under three, The Resource Exchange evaluates at no cost as the Part C Early Intervention provider for El Paso County. For older children, local psychology practices including Whole Kids Co. and Central Focus Psychological Group test with the ADOS-2.
At Alpaca Health, we provide ABA therapy throughout the greater Colorado Springs area, serving families in the city’s core neighborhoods as well as surrounding communities. Whether you live near Downtown Colorado Springs, Broadmoor, Briargate, Northgate, Stetson Hills, Pine Creek, or other nearby neighborhoods and suburbs, our team can bring personalized therapy directly to you: in-home, at school or daycare, or through telehealth when needed.
Our services cover the full Colorado Springs region and are delivered by local providers who work closely with your family to ensure care is convenient and tailored to your child’s needs.
