Therapy in demand From the cover
ABA centers by year established
S. KIRKWOOD RD.
14
1 Spectacular Kids ABA Therapy & Consulting, LLC 2 Bluebonnet Autism PLLC
21
The gist
8
I
V
3
25
11
6
3 MedCare Pediatric Therapy and Nursing
17
Nearly 20 years ago, Sonia Malhotra began searching for effective support for her son after his autism diagnosis—a path that led her to applied behavior analysis, or ABA, therapy. This ultimately inspired her to found Bluebonnet Autism in 2019 in Missouri City. ABA is a data-driven, goal-oriented therapy that uses positive reinforcement to build skills and manage challenging behaviors. The therapy style has gained popularity among children with autism and other behavioral health diagnoses for its one-on-one personalized approach that Malhotra said she believes can’t always be accessed within special education classrooms. “I realized there were many more people who were struggling the same way as I struggled,” Malhotra said. “And if you think, back then there were very little resources. So that’s when I started my journey.” Although more than two dozen ABA centers have opened in Sugar Land and Missouri City since 2017, local providers said demand continues to exceed capacity, underscoring persistent gaps in autism care. Additionally, families—especially those relying on Medicaid—still face long waitlists of up to a year to receive ABA care and high out-of-pocket costs, said Dana Harris, founder of Missouri City’s first ABA center Spectacular Kids.
4 Behavioral Innovations 5 Action Behavior Centers 6 Apara Autism Center 7 The Behavior Toolbox 8 Therapy and Beyond 9 Action Behavior Centers 10 Success On The Spectrum 11 Teach ABA Learning Center 12 Aloha Behavior 13 Autism Learning Partners 14 Action Behavior Centers 15 Autism Therapy Services 16 Action Behavior Centers 17 Every Little Star 18 Rising Stars ABA 19 | 20 Essential Speech & ABA Therapy 21 BrightPath Behavior 22 Action Behavior Centers 23 Action Behavior Centers 24 Behavioral Innovations
90
99 TOLL
19
Missouri City
13
5
4
8
18
6
12
7
Sugar Land
22
2 26 20
15
59
1
9
16
23
2759
24
762
ABA centers that opened in Sugar Land, Missouri City (2017-25) 2017 2018 2019 2020 1 0 5 2
10
3 3
2021 2022 2023 2025 2024
6
2 2
25 BlueSprig* 26 Pine Cone Therapies*
N
*OPENING DATES COULD NOT BE CONFIRMED FOR THESE FACILITIES. THIS LIST IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE. SOURCE: LOCAL ABA CENTERS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
1 in 28 children receiving the diagnosis. Meanwhile, Texas Education Agency data shows a rise in the number of Fort Bend ISD students receiving behavioral health services. “I really think [the increase in diagnoses] has a lot to do with how we’re defining autism,” said Charlotte L. Carp, University of Houston clinical assistant professor. “Now autism is defined as a spectrum disorder so it includes a wide range of experiences and support needs.”
What’s happening?
How ABA therapy works
When Malhotra’s son was diagnosed with autism in the early 2000s, the nationwide prevalence was approximately 1 in 150 children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since then, CDC data shows 1 in 31 children had autism spectrum disorder in 2022. Texas has higher rates, with an estimated
Behavioral technician works with one child at a time
Behavior analyst customizes interven- tions to the individual’s culture, goals and environment Parent coaching sessions could occur often Encouragement and tailored prompts help build independence Acceptance and support of behaviors as valid forms of self-regulation or interest Every child has a reliable way to express themselves, make choices Social skills or behavior changes should be taught only if they benefit the client in a meaningful way
Fort Bend ISD students enrolled with a disability since the 2016-17 school year
9,434
Behavioral disabilities
Intellectual disabilities
Autism
4K 8K 6K 10K
8,127
7,197
6,324 6,807
5,299
4,642
4,092
+162.29%
2K 0
2016-17
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
SOURCE: SHIMIN BAO/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
14
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