Alpaca Health matches Pueblo families with independent BCBAs you can meet by name on this page. Get in-home ABA and autism therapy across Pueblo and Pueblo West, or telehealth anywhere in Colorado. We accept Health First Colorado (Medicaid) and private insurance, we do not run a waitlist, and we handle the prior authorization for you.
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 Pueblo
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 at signup and we will say plainly what is available at your address. Most Pueblo families begin with in-home ABA therapy, because a BCBA working in your own kitchen sees the routines a clinic room never shows.
Distance decides more here than it does on the Front Range. A family in Rye or out on the Mesa can lose an hour each way to a clinic appointment, so virtual ABA therapy reaches any Colorado address and keeps the schedule intact.
There is no Alpaca Health clinic in Pueblo. 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 District 60 or District 70 agrees to it.
We accept most insurance providers and handle verification, prior authorization, and paperwork.
Don't see your plan? Check all accepted insurances
Most Pueblo families pay for ABA therapy through Health First Colorado, and in this county the card carries a regional organization along with it. Knowing which one you have saves a phone call later.
- Pueblo County sits in Region 1, run by Rocky Mountain Health Plans: That is the regional organization Health First Colorado assigns to Pueblo members for care coordination, and its member line is 800-421-6204.
- Medicaid acceptance will not narrow your list here: Almost every ABA provider serving Pueblo advertises that it takes Health First Colorado, so ask about current openings and who files the authorization paperwork instead.
- Have three things in front of you before you call: Your child's Health First Colorado ID number, the regional organization printed on the card, and the written autism diagnosis if one already exists.
Alpaca Health accepts Health First Colorado and private insurance, and we confirm your exact benefits before you commit to anything. Families looking at what else the state offers can read our guide to Colorado autism funding options.
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 Pueblo
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.
Pueblo has fewer evaluation options than the Front Range cities, and the right route depends on your child's age, the plan on your card, and how far you are willing to drive. Some families finish the whole process in town. Others end up driving north for an appointment with a hospital team, so plan for that before you start making calls.
Insurance-covered ADOS-2 with Alpaca Health
Alpaca Health offers a insurance-covered ADOS-2 evaluation with no waitlist. The result is the medical diagnosis private insurance and Health First Colorado require. Pueblo families can start the evaluation and the BCBA match in the same week instead of finishing one before beginning the other.
Start free diagnosisUnder 3: Early Intervention through Colorado Bluesky Enterprises
Colorado Bluesky Enterprises runs Early Intervention for Pueblo children from birth to their third birthday under IDEA Part C, from its office at 2003 Northmoor Terrace. Its line is 719-546-0572, and the statewide Early Intervention Colorado referral line is 833-733-3734. Anyone can make the referral, including you, and no diagnosis is needed first.
Age 3 and up: testing in Pueblo or a drive north
Pueblo Pioneer Psychology on Eagleridge Boulevard performs psychological evaluations for autism, ADHD, and learning disorders, accepts Medicaid, and books evenings and weekends. Its number is 719-299-4344. Families who want a full interdisciplinary team usually travel north to Children's Hospital Colorado Developmental Pediatrics, which schedules at 720-777-6630.
How to choose and what to expect
- Start with your pediatrician: The Children's Clinic of Pueblo on North Grand Avenue publishes an autism toolkit for families and can screen and refer at 719-295-2305.
- Confirm the practice evaluates your child's age: Some Pueblo evaluators see school-age children and teenagers only, and the under-three route runs through Early Intervention instead.
- Confirm the practice takes your specific plan: A practice that lists Medicaid may still not be contracted with the regional organization printed on your card.
- Ask whether a referral is required: Hospital programs up north generally want a pediatrician referral on file, and private practices often do not.
- Join more than one list: Waits run long enough here that families hold two appointments and keep the one that comes up first.
- Know what a school evaluation does: District 60 and District 70 both evaluate at no cost through Child Find, and that 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 Pueblo
Alpaca Health does not operate a clinic in Pueblo and will not pretend to. In-home ABA therapy means the BCBA travels to your address, so the service area follows where our clinicians live and drive rather than where a building sits. Telehealth reaches every address in Colorado, which keeps care running for families out on the Mesa or up in the mountain towns.
Where in-home matching reaches
- Central and north Pueblo: Downtown and the Union Avenue Historic District, Aberdeen, Belmont, Highland Park, and the University Park area near Colorado State University Pueblo.
- South and east Pueblo: Bessemer, Lake Minnequa, the East Side, Hyde Park, and Salt Creek.
- Pueblo West: The full 81007 area on both sides of Highway 50, which is the largest community in Pueblo County outside the city itself.
- The Mesa and the east county: Blende, St. Charles Mesa, Avondale, Vineland, and Boone.
- Mountain communities and the corridors out: Beulah, Rye, and Colorado City, reaching west along Highway 50 toward Florence and Cañon City, and north toward Fountain and Colorado Springs.
Which school district your child is in
Pueblo County has two public school districts, and your address decides which one runs an evaluation and writes the IEP. Pueblo School District 60 covers the city itself. Pueblo County School District 70 covers Pueblo West, the Mesa communities, and the mountain towns. Both districts call their special education department Exceptional Student Services, so that is the phrase to use when you call.
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.
Public school district serving Pueblo West, Mesa, Beulah, Rye, Colorado City, and Avondale. Contact Exceptional Student Services for IEP and Child Find support.
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.
Which Medicaid plan covers ABA therapy in Pueblo?
Health First Colorado is the plan, and in Pueblo County it comes with Rocky Mountain Health Plans as the regional organization that handles care coordination. Its member line is 800-421-6204, and that is the name to give a provider when you ask about contracts.
Most Pueblo families get stuck at the next step, which is finding a clinician with an opening. Alpaca Health files the authorization and tells you who is available, so start your match here.
Do you serve Pueblo West?
Yes. In-home ABA therapy covers the 81007 area, and telehealth reaches every Pueblo West address the same as it does inside the city. Pueblo West children attend Pueblo County School District 70, so your BCBA coordinates with the District 70 Exceptional Student Services team rather than District 60.
The Mesa and mountain communities in that same district work the same way, including Beulah, Rye, Colorado City, Avondale, and Vineland.
Who can diagnose autism in Pueblo?
Alpaca Health provides an insurance-covered ADOS-2 evaluation with no waitlist, and the result is the medical diagnosis insurance and Health First Colorado require.
In town, Pueblo Pioneer Psychology evaluates for autism and ADHD and accepts Medicaid, and the Children's Clinic of Pueblo can screen and refer. For children under 3, Colorado Bluesky Enterprises runs Early Intervention. Families who want a hospital team usually drive north to Children's Hospital Colorado.
