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In-home ABA therapy across Colorado
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Denver provider comparison, facts checked September 14, 2026

How Budding Futures compares with eight other ABA providers in Denver

Denver has more ABA providers than any other Colorado city, so the useful question is not who exists but who takes a toddler, who comes to your home and who can start soon. This page puts Budding Futures next to eight other ABA providers that serve Denver families, one question at a time: where therapy happens, which ages each one takes, Health First Colorado, parent training and availability. If you already know you want therapy at home, our page on in-home ABA therapy in Denver covers how it works there.

Budding Futures ABA publishes this comparison. We list ourselves first because we can describe our own program in the most detail. The order is not a ranking, and every fact about another provider comes from that provider's own website or the state Medicaid list.

A parent and toddler playing with sensory toys at home
49 providers

on Health First Colorado's behavioral therapy list name Denver in their service area. This page compares the ones parents are most likely to call.

The comparison at a glance

Each row is one provider and each column is one thing parents compare. Budding Futures is the first row because we publish this page. Tap a name to jump to its full write-up, or read the sections below for one question at a time.

"Not stated" means the provider's website did not say, not that the answer is no. "On the state list" means the provider appears on Health First Colorado's Pediatric Behavioral Therapies provider list. Checked September 14, 2026.
ProviderSettingAgesUnder 3Parent trainingHealth First ColoradoAvailabilityFits families who
1. Budding Futures ABA
Publisher of this guide
In-homeSchool
18 months to 18 years
From 18 months
Built into every plan, 10 to 20% of hours
On the state list
Says no waitlist
want therapy at home, starting as young as 18 months
2. Play to Learn Therapies
In-homeDaycare or communityTelehealth
3 months to 6 years
From 3 months
Direct training for every parent
On the state list
Not stated
have a baby or toddler and want play-based therapy at home
3. BehaviorSpan
Center
1 to 6 years
From 12 months
Yes
On the state list
Says no waitlist
want an intensive center program just for ages 1 to 6
4. Children's Therapy Co.
In-homeCenterTelehealth
Birth to 3 (early intervention)
Yes
Yes
Not stated
Not stated
want ABA plus speech and OT from one company
5. Action Behavior Centers
Center
18 months to 8 years
From 18 months
BCBA family sessions twice a month
On the state list
Says no waitlist
want a center for a child 18 months to 8
6. Heartland Behavior
In-homeSchoolDaycare or community
18 months to 21 years
From 18 months
Weekly sessions with your BCBA
Website says yes
Says no waitlist
want in-home ABA with weekly parent training
7. ABA of Colorado
In-homeCenterSchool
18 months to 26 years
From 18 months
A senior team member trains parents
Website says yes
Not stated
want home, center and school options from one Denver-area team
8. Autism Learning Partners
In-homeCenterSchool
Not stated
Yes
BCBA-led parent training sessions
Website says yes
Not stated
want a diagnosis and ABA at the same Denver center
9. Kyo Autism Therapy
In-homeSchoolDaycare or communityTelehealth
Not stated
Not stated
1:1 BCBA coaching with live modeling
Website says yes
Not stated
want naturalistic in-home ABA and an app to follow progress

Prefer therapy at home? See how in-home ABA works in Denver.

Home or center: where each provider works

Seven of the nine providers here offer ABA in your home: Budding Futures ABA, Play to Learn Therapies, Children's Therapy Co., Heartland Behavior, ABA of Colorado, Autism Learning Partners and Kyo Autism Therapy. Five run a center: BehaviorSpan, Children's Therapy Co., Action Behavior Centers, ABA of Colorado and Autism Learning Partners. Several do both, so ask which setting has openings for your child's age.

Budding Futures ABA, Play to Learn Therapies, Heartland Behavior and Kyo Autism Therapy do not run a center at all. With those providers, sessions happen at home and, depending on the provider, in daycare, the community or at school. Budding Futures works in homes across Colorado and inside schools when the district allows it.

Which setting fits your child

If this sounds like your childLook atWhy
Most struggles happen at home: meals, sleep, potty training, getting dressedIn-homeThe therapist works on the routine in the place it happens.
Your child is 18 months to 3 and not in daycareIn-home or a toddler centerBoth work. Home keeps a young child in a familiar place; a center adds other kids.
You want peer play and a classroom-style dayCenter-basedCenters can run groups and practice-classroom programs a home cannot.
You need several hours of care away from home while you workCenter-basedA center schedule doubles as structured time out of the house.
A new adult at home is likely to upset your childCenter-based to startHome is some children's one safe space. Starting elsewhere can be gentler.
Your child is in preschool or school and struggles thereA provider that works with schoolsAsk whether they can support your child at school where the district allows it.

"I toured 6 locations before finding the right fit. I didn't worry about the size of the company, I wanted to see if their methods were something I thought would be helpful for my kid."

a parent on r/Autism_Parenting, on Reddit

Ages each provider takes, and who starts under 3

Budding Futures ABA, Play to Learn Therapies, BehaviorSpan, Children's Therapy Co., Action Behavior Centers, Heartland Behavior, ABA of Colorado and Autism Learning Partners say they work with children under 3. Some centers stop at age 5, 8 or 10, so the upper age matters too if your child is already in school. Autism Learning Partners and Kyo Autism Therapy do not publish an age range, so ask on the first call.

  • Budding Futures ABA: 18 months to 18 years
  • Play to Learn Therapies: 3 months to 6 years
  • BehaviorSpan: 1 to 6 years
  • Children's Therapy Co.: Birth to 3 (early intervention)
  • Action Behavior Centers: 18 months to 8 years
  • Heartland Behavior: 18 months to 21 years
  • ABA of Colorado: 18 months to 26 years
  • Autism Learning Partners: Not stated
  • Kyo Autism Therapy: Not stated

For a child under 3, Colorado's free Early Intervention program can run alongside ABA, and with your permission the two teams share goals. Here is how that works with Budding Futures: early intervention ABA in Denver.

Health First Colorado and insurance, provider by provider

Budding Futures ABA, Play to Learn Therapies, BehaviorSpan and Action Behavior Centers appear on Health First Colorado's Pediatric Behavioral Therapies provider list. Heartland Behavior, ABA of Colorado, Autism Learning Partners and Kyo Autism Therapy say on their own websites that they take Health First Colorado. Children's Therapy Co. does not say either way.

If your child has Health First Colorado, the state's behavioral therapy benefit does not require an autism diagnosis when therapy is medically necessary. Denver is in the City and County of Denver, where Medicaid is managed regionally by Colorado Access. With private insurance, ask each provider to check your exact plan before the first session, because the same carrier can cover ABA differently from one employer plan to the next.

Budding Futures checks your benefits for free before therapy starts: see how Medicaid ABA works in Colorado or check your insurance coverage.

Parent training: who builds it in

Nine of the nine providers describe parent training or parent involvement on their websites. The wording differs from site to site, so the list below uses each provider's own description.

  • Budding Futures ABA: Built into every plan, 10 to 20% of hours
  • Play to Learn Therapies: Direct training for every parent
  • BehaviorSpan: Yes
  • Children's Therapy Co.: Yes
  • Action Behavior Centers: BCBA family sessions twice a month
  • Heartland Behavior: Weekly sessions with your BCBA
  • ABA of Colorado: A senior team member trains parents
  • Autism Learning Partners: BCBA-led parent training sessions
  • Kyo Autism Therapy: 1:1 BCBA coaching with live modeling

At Budding Futures, parent coaching takes 10 to 20% of therapy hours and is written into every plan, so the skills your child learns with the therapist keep working at dinner and bedtime.

Availability and waitlists as published

On their websites, Budding Futures ABA, BehaviorSpan, Action Behavior Centers and Heartland Behavior say there is no waitlist. The other five do not publish anything about availability.

Openings change month to month, so ask two questions on the first call: is there a wait for the assessment, and is a therapist free at the hours your child needs.

The providers, one by one

Each write-up covers setting, ages, parent involvement, insurance and availability, using only what the provider publishes. Budding Futures comes first because this is our site and we can describe our own program in the most detail. The rest follow in no particular order.

1Budding Futures ABA

Fits families who want therapy at home, starting as young as 18 months

Budding Futures brings ABA therapy to your home. There is no clinic to drive to. A registered behavior technician comes to your house, and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) plans and supervises the work. Our office is in Denver, off East Union Avenue, and our therapists work in homes across the city and nearby suburbs.

What therapy looks like for a young child

Our youngest clients are 18 months old, and we stay with families through age 18. With toddlers, most of the work is play. A therapist might build first words around bubbles, a snack or a favorite song, because that is where a two-year-old is paying attention. Therapy is built on play and assent. Breaks are part of the plan, and punishment-based techniques are not.

Parent coaching and the same therapist

Parent coaching is part of every plan, usually 10 to 20% of the hours. You learn the same prompts and routines the therapist uses, so progress keeps going after the session ends. The same technician works with your child session after session.

Who runs your child's plan

Clinical oversight is closer than the minimum rules require. A BCBA supervises about 20% of therapy hours, four times the BACB floor, under our Clinical Director, Rachel Blackburn, BCBA. Assessments use VB-MAPP and ABLLS-R, and session data goes into CentralReach the same day.

School, insurance and start times

For school-age kids we also work with schools. We reach out, ask for access and share goals with teachers when you say yes. Some districts let an outside therapist in and some do not. More on how that works: school-based ABA in Denver.

Budding Futures accepts Health First Colorado (Medicaid) as Provider Types 83 and 84, plus Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Anthem BCBS and TRICARE. We check your benefits for free before therapy starts. We do not balance-bill families, and most Health First Colorado families pay $0 out of pocket. We have no waitlist. Intake usually takes a couple of weeks, and therapy starts once the insurance approval is back.

Setting
In-home, School
Ages
18 months to 18 years
Under 3
Yes
Parent involvement
Built into every plan, 10 to 20% of hours
Health First Colorado
On the state provider list
Availability
Website says no waitlist
Location
Therapists come to homes across Denver

2Play to Learn Therapies

Fits families who have a baby or toddler and want play-based therapy at home

Play to Learn Therapies works with the youngest children on this list, from 3 months to 6 years, and delivers therapy at home rather than in a clinic. It combines play-based ABA with the Early Start Denver Model, and the practice says every parent gets direct training in the techniques used in sessions. Libby Gorsuch, M.Ed., BCBA, founded it in 2012.

Worth a call if your child is under 3 and you want a small, early-childhood practice that coaches you as much as your child.

From Play to Learn Therapies's website (source 1), checked September 14, 2026.

Setting
In-home, Daycare or community, Telehealth
Ages
3 months to 6 years
Under 3
Yes
Parent involvement
Direct training for every parent
Health First Colorado
On the state provider list
Availability
Not published

3BehaviorSpan

Fits families who want an intensive center program just for ages 1 to 6

BehaviorSpan only works with children ages 1 to 6, in centers. Its model is intensive, up to 40 hours a week, and its site gives an average of 1.5 years before a child graduates from the program. The site says it has no waitlist and that Medicaid covers the full cost for eligible families. Its center closest to Denver is at 2111 S Dahlia St, Denver, CO 80222.

Worth a call if your child is young, you want a full-time center schedule, and you are ready for many hours a week.

From BehaviorSpan's website (source 1, source 2, source 3), checked September 14, 2026.

Setting
Center
Ages
1 to 6 years
Under 3
Yes
Parent involvement
Yes
Health First Colorado
On the state provider list
Availability
Website says no waitlist
Nearest location
2111 S Dahlia St, Denver, CO 80222
A child's hand placing pieces on a shape sorter

4Children's Therapy Co.

Fits families who want ABA plus speech and OT from one company

Children's Therapy Co. has run speech, occupational, behavior (ABA) and early intervention services under one company since 2006. Its early intervention program covers birth to age 3, with therapy at home for younger children. Services are available in Spanish. Its center closest to Denver is at 10701 Melody Drive, Suite 100, Northglenn, CO 80234.

Worth a call if your toddler also needs speech or occupational therapy and you would rather coordinate one team than three.

From Children's Therapy Co.'s website (source 1, source 2, source 3), checked September 14, 2026.

Setting
In-home, Center, Telehealth
Ages
Birth to 3 (early intervention)
Under 3
Yes
Parent involvement
Yes
Health First Colorado
Not stated
Availability
Not published
Nearest location
10701 Melody Drive, Suite 100, Northglenn, CO 80234

5Action Behavior Centers

Fits families who want a center for a child 18 months to 8

Action Behavior Centers runs center-based ABA for children 18 months to 8 years old. Its site says in-home therapy is only offered in Texas, so in Colorado this is a center program. Each child's BCBA leads Family Guidance sessions twice a month, the company offers autism diagnostic evaluations, and its site says there is no waitlist. Its center closest to Denver is at 7001 Tower Road, Suite A, Denver, CO 80249.

Worth a call if you want a structured center with other kids, your child is under 9, and you may also need a diagnosis.

From Action Behavior Centers's website (source 1, source 2, source 3), checked September 14, 2026.

Setting
Center
Ages
18 months to 8 years
Under 3
Yes
Parent involvement
BCBA family sessions twice a month
Health First Colorado
On the state provider list
Availability
Website says no waitlist
Nearest location
7001 Tower Road, Suite A, Denver, CO 80249

6Heartland Behavior

Fits families who want in-home ABA with weekly parent training

Heartland Behavior provides in-home ABA for ages 18 months to 21 years, teaching skills during real routines like mealtimes and trips to the park. Parents get weekly training sessions led by the family's own BCBA. The Colorado page names Medicaid and says there is no waitlist. Its office closest to Denver is at DTC Corporate Center III, 7900 E Union Ave, #1100, Denver, CO 80237.

Worth a call if you want therapy at home and a set weekly slot to learn the strategies yourself.

From Heartland Behavior's website (source 1, source 2, source 3), checked September 14, 2026.

Setting
In-home, School, Daycare or community
Ages
18 months to 21 years
Under 3
Yes
Parent involvement
Weekly sessions with your BCBA
Health First Colorado
Website says it accepts Medicaid
Availability
Website says no waitlist
Nearest location
DTC Corporate Center III, 7900 E Union Ave, #1100, Denver, CO 80237

7ABA of Colorado

Fits families who want home, center and school options from one Denver-area team

ABA of Colorado has served the Front Range since 2011 and works with a wide age range, 18 months to 26 years. It offers in-home, center and school services, accepts Medicaid, offers diagnostic evaluations and has Spanish-speaking services. Its intake has four steps: funding check, documents, an intake interview, then a written treatment plan. Its center closest to Denver is at 10700 E. Geddes Ave. #125, Englewood, CO 80112.

Worth a call if you want a local company that can move with your child from toddler years into the teens.

From ABA of Colorado's website (source 1, source 2, source 3), checked September 14, 2026.

Setting
In-home, Center, School
Ages
18 months to 26 years
Under 3
Yes
Parent involvement
A senior team member trains parents
Health First Colorado
Website says it accepts Medicaid
Availability
Not published
Nearest location
10700 E. Geddes Ave. #125, Englewood, CO 80112

8Autism Learning Partners

Fits families who want a diagnosis and ABA at the same Denver center

Autism Learning Partners has a Denver center and also offers in-home and school services. Its Denver page says diagnosticians work on site, so a child without a diagnosis can be evaluated there, and behavior analysts run parent training sessions. It accepts Medicaid, including Denver Health. Its center closest to Denver is at 4380 South Syracuse Street, Ste. 502, Denver CO 80237.

Worth a call if your child still needs an evaluation and you want the next step under the same roof.

From Autism Learning Partners's website (source 1, source 2), checked September 14, 2026.

Setting
In-home, Center, School
Ages
Not stated
Under 3
Yes
Parent involvement
BCBA-led parent training sessions
Health First Colorado
Website says it accepts Medicaid
Availability
Not published
Nearest location
4380 South Syracuse Street, Ste. 502, Denver CO 80237

9Kyo Autism Therapy

Fits families who want naturalistic in-home ABA and an app to follow progress

Kyo delivers naturalistic, play-based ABA at home and at school, and does not run a clinic. Parents get one-on-one coaching from a BCBA, including live modeling with their child. Families manage the program through the Kyo Care app, and the site says Kyo works with most major health plans and with Medicaid in most states. Its office closest to Denver is at 5335 W 48th Ave Suite 601, Denver, CO 80212.

Worth a call if you want therapy at home, like the idea of tracking sessions on your phone, and your child may need school support later.

From Kyo Autism Therapy's website (source 1, source 2, source 3), checked September 14, 2026.

Setting
In-home, School, Daycare or community, Telehealth
Ages
Not stated
Under 3
Not stated
Parent involvement
1:1 BCBA coaching with live modeling
Health First Colorado
Website says it accepts Medicaid
Availability
Not published
Nearest location
5335 W 48th Ave Suite 601, Denver, CO 80212

What Budding Futures does differently for Denver families

  • Therapy comes to you. Budding Futures does not run a center. Sessions happen in your home and, when the district allows it, inside your child's school.
  • From 18 months to 18 years. A toddler can start with us, and the same team can stay with your child through the school years.
  • Parents are coached, not just updated. Ten to 20% of therapy hours go to parent coaching, written into the plan.
  • One therapist your child knows. We keep the same technician with your child, so sessions do not restart with a stranger.
  • A named BCBA on every plan. Rachel Blackburn, BCBA, is our Clinical Director, and about 20% of hours are supervised by a BCBA when clinically appropriate.
  • No current waitlist. We do not have a waitlist for the assessment right now, and most Health First Colorado families pay $0.

If you want a center with other kids and a classroom-style day, BehaviorSpan, Children's Therapy Co., Action Behavior Centers, ABA of Colorado and Autism Learning Partners are the providers on this list that run one.

Budding Futures may not be the right fit if you want a center-based program with other children every day, or you need speech or occupational therapy from the same company. We coordinate with outside speech and OT providers instead.

See how in-home ABA works in Denver · How our play-based, assent-based approach works

Questions about comparing ABA providers in Denver

Which providers on this Denver list take Health First Colorado?
Budding Futures ABA, Play to Learn Therapies, BehaviorSpan and Action Behavior Centers appear on Health First Colorado's Pediatric Behavioral Therapies provider list. Heartland Behavior, ABA of Colorado, Autism Learning Partners and Kyo Autism Therapy say on their own websites that they take Health First Colorado. Coverage details change, so ask each provider to confirm your child's plan before the first session.
Is Budding Futures the only provider here without a center?
No. On this list, Budding Futures ABA, Play to Learn Therapies, Heartland Behavior and Kyo Autism Therapy do not run a center, so sessions happen at home and, depending on the provider, in daycare, the community or at school. Budding Futures works in homes across Colorado and inside schools when the district allows it.
How do the providers compare on parent training?
Nine of the nine providers describe parent training or parent involvement on their websites, in their own words. At Budding Futures, parent coaching takes 10 to 20% of therapy hours and is part of every plan. Ask each provider how many hours a month go to parents.
Can we switch ABA providers after we start?
Yes. Coverage belongs to your child, not to the provider. A new provider usually runs its own assessment and asks your plan for its own authorization, so ask how long that takes before you end services with the old one.

How we built this comparison

We started with Health First Colorado's Pediatric Behavioral Therapies provider list and the providers Denver parents are most likely to find and call. We kept providers with a location in or near Denver, or a service page naming it, and read each one's website on September 14, 2026. Every fact about another provider matches text on its own site. If a site did not say something, the table says "Not stated." Providers change hours, ages and insurance often, so confirm details when you call.

  1. Play to Learn Therapies: website
  2. BehaviorSpan: website
  3. Children's Therapy Co.: website
  4. Action Behavior Centers: website
  5. Heartland Behavior: website
  6. ABA of Colorado: website
  7. Autism Learning Partners: website
  8. Kyo Autism Therapy: website
  9. Health First Colorado: Pediatric Behavioral Therapies provider list and benefit page

Talk to a BCBA about your child in Denver

Tell us your child's age and what you are seeing at home. We will check your insurance for free and tell you honestly whether in-home ABA is the right fit, even if another provider on this list suits you better.

Or call (720) 613-8837

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