In-home ABA therapy in Gaston County

ABA on your side of the river

Gaston County sits just west of Charlotte across the Catawba River. Many specialty services are on the other side of that river, and crossing it at rush hour several times a week is nobody’s idea of a good afternoon. With in-home ABA, you don’t have to make the crossing. Our therapist comes to your home in Gastonia, Belmont, Mount Holly or nearby.

A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) leads your child’s care from the beginning. The BCBA’s first visit is an assessment at home: observing your child, finding out what they enjoy, and listening to the challenges you face each day. Then the BCBA writes a treatment plan with goals you’ve chosen together, like requesting help, following a bedtime routine, or handling a change in plans without a meltdown.

One-on-one sessions are delivered by a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT). Learning is built into the rhythm of your household: snack time, getting dressed, playing with toys your child already loves. Your BCBA supervises the RBT, measures progress, and revises the plan as skills grow.

We coach parents as part of the program, so you have the tools to support your child when sessions end. Weekly hours vary from child to child. A typical range is 10 to 25, guided by your child’s needs and your insurance authorization, and scheduled around school, work and family.

Many Gaston families have grandparents or other relatives helping with childcare. They’re welcome to join sessions and coaching too. When everyone who cares for your child uses the same approach, new skills tend to stick faster and hold up better across the week.

Gaston County communities we serve

Our Charlotte team provides in-home ABA therapy in:

• Gastonia
• Belmont
• Mount Holly

Gastonia, the county seat and largest city, sits in the middle of the county along I-85. Belmont lies to the east between the South Fork and Catawba rivers, and Mount Holly sits just north of it on the Catawba. Smaller towns and rural roads fill in the rest. Wherever you are, sessions happen at home, so a clinic’s location never decides whether your child gets therapy.

Not in one of those towns? Call (704) 981-2343 and we’ll tell you whether we can reach your home.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont and Crowders Mountain State Park near Gastonia draw families from across the region. Gardens and hiking trails can be wonderful places for a child, but only if waiting, walking with a group and staying safe outdoors feel manageable. Those are skills we can work on together.

Gaston County families come to us with every kind of story. Some have a toddler who was just diagnosed and want to begin while their child is young. Others have an older child who has outgrown a previous program, or who never got services because the nearest provider was too far. Wherever your family is starting from, the first conversation is the same: tell us about your child, and we’ll explain what in-home ABA would look like in your house.

Partners, Medicaid and insurance in Gaston County

NC Medicaid covers ABA therapy for children under 21 through EPSDT, where it is billed as Research-Based Behavioral Health Treatment (RB-BHT). In Gaston County, that coverage comes through the Partners Health Tailored Plan or a Medicaid Standard Plan. North Carolina’s autism insurance law (SB 676) also requires many commercial health plans to cover ABA.

If your child is on a Medicaid Tailored Plan in Gaston County, that plan is run by Partners Health Management, which also serves Cabarrus and Iredell counties. We accept Partners, the NC Medicaid Standard Plans and commercial insurance.

Reading a benefits summary is nobody’s favorite job. Tell us what plan you have and we’ll find out what it covers for ABA.

NC Medicaid plans we accept:

• Alliance Health
• AmeriHealth Caritas
• Carolina Complete Health
• Healthy Blue
• Partners Health
• Vaya Health
• WellCare
• Trillium Health Resources
• UnitedHealthcare Community Plan

Commercial insurance we accept:

• BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina
• Aetna
• Cigna Healthcare

Getting started in Gaston County

1. Call or fill out the form. Tell our Charlotte team about your child.
2. Insurance check. We verify your benefits and submit the authorization.
3. BCBA assessment. Your Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) meets your child at home and builds an individualized plan with you.
4. Therapy begins. Your Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) starts sessions on a schedule that fits your family.

The team your child will know

Families in Gaston County work with our Charlotte team. Your child has a BCBA who directs the plan and meets with you for coaching, and an RBT who comes to your home for sessions. Our office team handles calendars and insurance so you can focus on your child.

We provide neurodiversity-affirming ABA. That means no forced eye contact, no stopping stimming that isn’t harmful, and goals picked by your family.

Gaston County Schools and referrals

Students across the county attend Gaston County Schools. If school-based support is approved, we coordinate with your child’s teachers and IEP team so your child hears the same expectations at home and in class. Home sessions can be planned for late afternoons.

Coverage for ABA nearly always depends on a formal autism diagnosis. When your pediatrician or a specialist recommends ABA, their office can refer your child to us through info@empireaba.com or by fax to (910) 807-3380. Haven’t had an evaluation yet? Call us and we’ll help you understand the next step.

Medicaid Tailored Plan

Partners Health

Public schools

Gaston County Schools

Main health system

CaroMont Health

Questions from Gaston County families