ABA Therapy in Colorado
Alpaca Health matches families in Colorado with independent BCBAs who provide in-home and center-based ABA therapy for children with autism. We accept private insurance and Medicaid, and we do not run a waitlist. Most families know their coverage and provider options within a few days.
Clinically reviewed by
Samantha Ridout, M.Phil., BCBA, LBA-NYS· BACB certification #1-22-57709 · Last updated August 2026
Accepted insurance
Local, Independent Providers
Every provider in our network runs their own practice. That means no corporate rules, no long waitlists, and care that puts your child first. We’ll help you find a provider near you who has availability now and offers in-home care for kids and young adults, ages 0 to 21.
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ABA therapy options for Colorado families
Cities we serve in Colorado
Pagosa Springs
Golden
Pueblo
Colorado Springs
Denver
Westminster
Ridgway
Georgetown
Mancos
Paonia
Idaho Springs
Parachute
Kersey
Crested Butte
Nederland
LaSalle
Holyoke
Keenesburg
Lyons
Olathe
Center
Elizabeth
Las Animas
Wray
Bayfield
Burlington
Florence
Yuma
Buena Vista
Manitou Springs
New Castle
Monte Vista
Glendale
Vail
Bennett
Salida
Gunnison
Gypsum
Carbondale
Milliken
Estes Park
Alamosa
Eaton
La Junta
Craig
Severance
Steamboat Springs
Federal Heights
Fruita
Cañon City
Glenwood Springs
Cherry Hills Village
Fort Morgan
Timnath
Northglenn
Trinidad
Montrose
Fort Lupton
Firestone
Berthoud
Aspen
Evans
Louisville
Fountain
Monument
Avon
Woodland Park
Erie
Lafayette
Eagle
Windsor
Highlands Ranch
Superior
Englewood
Lakewood
Wheat Ridge
Castle Rock
Durango
Grand Junction
Commerce City
Cortez
Lamar
Boulder
Centennial
Parker
Brighton
Greeley
Greenwood Village
Thornton
Lone Tree
Fort Collins
Longmont
Loveland
Arvada
Aurora
Broomfield
Littleton
How ABA therapy works through Alpaca Health
Four steps from your first form to your first session.
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, so you know what your plan covers before care starts.
3
Get matched with the right provider
We match you with a licensed provider who has availability now. Every provider in our network runs their own independent practice, and you can tell us if you prefer someone specific.
4
Start care the same week
We introduce you directly to your provider, and most families have their first meeting or assessment within the same week. From then on we handle the billing, scheduling, and insurance paperwork in the background, so your provider can focus on your child.
How Alpaca Health is different from large ABA chains
Owned by clinicians
Direct access to your provider
Continuity as your child grows
How Common Is Autism in Colorado?
If your child was recently diagnosed, you are not alone. Tens of thousands of families across Colorado are seeking the same support, and understanding the scale helps you advocate for timely ABA therapy instead of accepting long waitlists.
What Alpaca Health's data shows about ABA care in Colorado
Every number below comes from the sessions, claims, and prior authorizations that partner clinics ran on Alpaca Health between August 2024 and August 2026. It describes families served by those clinics, not the ABA market in Colorado.
Families who owed nothing
94.5%
Share of Colorado families whose settled claims carried no patient responsibility. Health First Colorado covers patient responsibility by plan design, so this reflects how those plans are written.
Alpaca Health partner-clinic caseload, Aug 2024 to Aug 2026. 513 families across 34 clinics.
Median owed per hour of therapy, commercial plans
$0
Patient responsibility owed per delivered hour for Colorado families on commercial plans. Three in five owed nothing at all. Middle half of families: $0 to $5.10.
Alpaca Health partner-clinic caseload, Aug 2024 to Aug 2026. 67 families across 21 clinics.
On Health First Colorado
85.9%
Share of Colorado families at partner clinics whose primary payer is Colorado Medicaid. TRICARE West Region covers another 4.9 percent.
Alpaca Health partner-clinic caseload, Aug 2024 to Aug 2026. 531 families across 37 clinics.
Median days to a payer decision
18.5
Days from the moment a partner clinic submits a prior authorization to the moment the payer approves or denies it. More than half of decisions took longer than 14 days. Middle half of requests: 12 to 27 days.
Alpaca Health partner-clinic caseload, Aug 2024 to Aug 2026. 618 families across 37 clinics.
How Colorado prior authorizations ended
- Approved76.9%
- Withdrawn before a decision15%
- Still awaiting a decision4.4%
Share of prior authorization requests by outcome. Outcome groups with too few families behind them are not shown, so these shares do not add to 100. 501 families across 36 clinics.
Where therapy hours were delivered in Colorado
- At home57.2%
- In a clinic office18.7%
- By telehealth9.4%
- At school9%
- Other settings5.6%
Share of delivered therapy hours by the place of service billed on each signed session note. Alpaca Health partner-clinic caseload, Aug 2024 to Aug 2026.
Families who had at least one telehealth session
83.5%
Telehealth is a small share of total hours in Colorado, and most families used it at least once. It fills gaps around illness, weather, and travel rather than replacing in-person work.
Alpaca Health partner-clinic caseload, Aug 2024 to Aug 2026. 516 families across 36 clinics.
These figures describe clients of Alpaca Health partner ABA clinics, on the payers Alpaca Health contracts with. They are not measurements of the ABA market in Colorado. A figure appears only when at least 25 families from at least 3 clinics sit behind it.
Start ABA therapy nowGetting an autism diagnosis in Colorado
Insurance and Health First Colorado authorize ABA therapy only after a confirmed autism diagnosis. The fastest route: Alpaca Health offers an ADOS-2 evaluation for children of all ages, with no waitlist. Prefer an outside evaluation? Colorado has a route for every age. We verify your coverage before you book.
Under age 3
Early Intervention Colorado provides free developmental evaluations for children under 3 through local Community Centered Boards. Families can refer their own child and no physician referral is needed. The program assesses developmental need, which is a separate question from a medical autism diagnosis.
Start your evaluationAll ages
JFK Partners at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus evaluates toddlers through adults for autism and runs a separate clinic for adults 18 and older. It is Colorado's university center for developmental disabilities.
Age 3 and up
Children 3 and older are evaluated by a developmental pediatrician, a child psychologist, or a psychiatrist. Alpaca Health can arrange an ADOS-2 evaluation where one is available. A school evaluation can support services at school, but insurers do not accept it as the medical diagnosis for ABA therapy.
Recent Colorado policy changes
The 2025 Early Intervention funding story
- The proposal: In early 2025 the Colorado Department of Early Childhood proposed temporary Early Intervention limits.
- The reversal: Public pushback paused the changes within days.
- The fix: SB25-227, signed April 28, 2025, reallocated funding for the program.
What this means for your family today
- Nothing was cut: The proposed limits were never implemented, and the free under-3 evaluation remains.
- ABA was not involved: Colorado's insurance mandate and the Health First Colorado ABA benefit were untouched.
- Plan ahead: Check current state guidance each year.
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 Health, 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 Health, 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.
Alpaca Health's Colorado autism family resources
Colorado autism community resources
Local programs and organizations that support families alongside ABA therapy.
The foundation gives grants covering surgeries, prescriptions, medical equipment, and travel for care for uninsured or underinsured children whose families cannot afford the cost.
This program awards $1,000 grants to 25 families a year for medical, nutritional, educational, and enrichment needs that insurance and schools do not cover. Caregivers of a child under 18 with autism can apply.
The foundation buys items worth $500 or less, including therapy sessions, assistive devices, medical equipment, and sensory items, for children under 18 with a disability or chronic illness.
The Autism Response Team connects autistic people, families, and caregivers to information about diagnosis, schools, advocacy, and local services. Call 888-288-4762, or 888-772-9050 for Spanish.
A Denver store and community center selling sensory toys, fidgets, weighted blankets, and daily living aids for autistic people, their families, and educators. It also sells online and hosts free local events.
Frequently asked questions about ABA therapy in Colorado
Get started with autism care in Colorado today
Alpaca Health connects families with local BCBAs who provide ABA therapy. We do not run a waitlist.
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.