How Budding Futures is built, regulated, and held accountable
Parents asking about credentials deserve a clear answer, not marketing. Here is exactly how we are set up in Colorado: who we bill through, who is allowed near your child, how often a BCBA is involved, and what we choose to coordinate instead of doing in-house.
Budding Futures is enrolled as a Colorado Medicaid ABA provider through Health First Colorado under Provider Types 83 and 84. Every staff member completes enhanced background checks and fingerprinting before working with families. Our BCBA supervision target sits around 20%, well above the BACB minimum of 5%, when clinically appropriate. There is no waitlist for assessments.
Medicaid enrollment, background checks, BCBA oversight, diagnostic pathway, care coordination, retention, CentralReach, and what we choose not to do in-house.
Credentials at a glance
Each row links to the section below with the full answer. We did not list anything we are not. If a credential is not on this table, assume we do not currently hold it.
| Topic | Where Budding Futures stands |
|---|---|
| Colorado Medicaid enrollment | Enrolled as an ABA provider through Health First Colorado under Provider Types 83 and 84. Billed under Colorado Medicaid requirements and approved authorizations. |
| Enhanced background checks & fingerprinting | Completed by every staff member before working with clients, using professional background-check systems. |
| BCBA caseload & supervision | Intentionally lower caseloads than many larger ABA organizations. Supervision target around 20%, above the BACB 5% minimum, when clinically appropriate. |
| Autism diagnostic evaluations | Not provided in-house. We refer families to outside diagnosing providers such as AT4K when fit and availability match. |
| Speech & occupational therapy | Not provided in-house. We coordinate with your child's outside speech and OT providers with your written permission. |
| Therapist consistency | Same RBT and BCBA by default. Reassignment only for scheduling, staffing, or clinical reasons. |
| Clinical operations system | CentralReach for scheduling, session notes, data, billing, and care coordination. |
| Assessment waitlist | None currently. Most families can start onboarding the week they call. |
Four things parents tell us actually matter
These are the choices behind how we run care, not marketing slogans. Each one shows up in how the schedule is built and how the case is supervised.
Lower BCBA caseloads
We intentionally keep BCBA caseloads lower than many larger ABA organizations. Your child gets real BCBA attention, not a name on a paper plan.
Supervision above the minimum
Our target is around 20% supervision, well above the BACB 5% minimum, when clinically appropriate. That means more direct observation, more plan updates, and more coaching for the RBT.
No waitlist for assessments
Families do not sit on a waitlist to start. Most begin onboarding the week they call. From there, authorization and staffing move as fast as a clean clinical match allows.
Same therapist whenever possible
Same RBT, same BCBA, by default. Reassignment only happens when scheduling, staffing, or a clinical reason makes it the right call for your child.
Colorado Medicaid enrollment and state compliance
Budding Futures is enrolled as a Colorado Medicaid ABA provider through Health First Colorado under Provider Type 83 (behavior analysis services) and Provider Type 84 (behavior technician services). We bill ABA services under Colorado Medicaid requirements and the approved authorization for each child. We follow Colorado's state rules for authorization, supervision, and billing on every case.
If your child has Health First Colorado, you do not pay out of pocket for covered ABA. The Prior Authorization Request is part of how we start a case. See how Medicaid ABA works in Colorado for the full process and what counts as medically necessary.
State rules drive how we bill. Every Medicaid hour is tied to an approved authorization and a documented session note. That is also why supervision, plans, and progress are reviewed on a schedule, not when a parent asks.
Enhanced background checks and fingerprinting
Every staff member completes enhanced background checks and fingerprinting before working with families. We use professional background-check systems and finish every compliance step before anyone goes near a child's home, school, or session.
This applies to the BCBA, the RBT, the case supervisor, and anyone else with case contact. There are no exceptions for "trial sessions" or rushed starts.
BCBA caseload and supervision frequency
We intentionally keep BCBA caseloads lower than many larger ABA organizations. That choice exists so each child gets real clinical oversight, not paperwork attention.
Our supervision target sits around 20% when clinically appropriate, well above the BACB minimum of 5%. The exact frequency depends on each child's authorization and individual needs. Supervision includes direct observation, treatment plan updates, RBT training, and parent guidance. Some weeks are heavier on observation; others lean on plan revision and family coaching.
| BACB minimum | Budding Futures target |
|---|---|
| At least 5% of direct hours | Around 20% when clinically appropriate, adjusted to authorization and individual need |
Read the full BCBA supervision page for what supervision looks like inside an ABA case, including what a parent should be able to ask their BCBA about progress.
If your child does not have an autism diagnosis yet
Budding Futures does not currently provide in-house autism diagnostic evaluations. ABA in Colorado requires a documented autism diagnosis before services start, so the diagnosis pathway matters.
We coordinate with outside diagnosing providers and refer families to options that may have little to no waitlist depending on your location and needs. AT4K is one of the providers we refer to for quicker evaluation access. We help families understand the documentation they will need to start ABA once a diagnosis is in hand.
See the step-by-step start timeline, including the diagnosis-first families and the diagnosis-already-in-hand families. After diagnosis, the After Autism Diagnosis guide covers what to do next.
What we coordinate instead of providing in-house
We do not currently provide in-house speech therapy or occupational therapy. We do coordinate care with your child's outside providers when your family gives written permission. That includes:
| Provider type | How we coordinate |
|---|---|
| Speech-language pathologist | Goal alignment with ABA targets, shared session timing where possible, written updates with parent permission. |
| Occupational therapist | Sensory and self-regulation strategy alignment with the BCBA's plan, schedule coordination. |
| School and IEP team | Service coordination during school hours when appropriate, behavior plan input, attendance at meetings when invited. See school collaboration. |
| Pediatrician and diagnosing provider | Documentation requests, reauthorization support, medical necessity letters. |
If you are weighing ABA against another therapy, our ABA vs speech therapy comparison covers when each one is the right starting point and when both run side by side.
Therapist consistency and staff retention
We work hard to keep families with the same therapist whenever possible. Continuity matters more for an ABA case than almost anything else: progress is built on the relationship between the child, the RBT, and the BCBA. The same RBT learns your child's communication, your child's reinforcers, and your home's actual schedule.
Reassignment can happen for scheduling changes, staff availability shifts, or a clinical reason. When that happens, the BCBA stays in place, the plan stays in place, and the transition is intentional, not abrupt.
We invest in staff support, supervision, and structure so the team stays. Mark Hirsch and the clinical team have made this an explicit operating choice, not a side effect.
Clinical operations run on CentralReach
We use CentralReach for scheduling, session notes, data collection, billing, and care coordination. CentralReach is widely used by ABA practices in the United States, and it keeps the clinical record, the billing record, and the schedule in one system. That is how supervision, parent communication, and authorization tracking stay aligned.
For parents, the practical effect is: your BCBA can see session data and progress in the same place the schedule lives, so changes to the plan show up where therapy is actually delivered, not in a forgotten email.
No waitlist for assessments
We do not currently have a waitlist to start an assessment. Most families can begin onboarding the week they call. From there, authorization, staffing, and the therapist match move as quickly as possible while still protecting clinical fit.
See no-waitlist ABA therapy in Colorado for the timeline, what the first call looks like, and what speeds the start up.
What we do not offer (so you can plan around it)
We would rather be clear about what we do not provide than imply otherwise. If any of these are a deal-breaker, we will say so up front and help you find a fit.
Services we do not currently provide in-house
- In-house autism diagnostic evaluations. We refer to outside diagnosing providers, including AT4K when fit and availability match.
- In-house speech therapy. We coordinate with your child's speech-language pathologist when one is in place.
- In-house occupational therapy. We coordinate with your child's OT when one is in place.
Frequently asked credential questions
Is Budding Futures enrolled with Colorado Medicaid for ABA?
Yes. We are enrolled as a Colorado Medicaid ABA provider through Health First Colorado. We bill under Colorado Medicaid requirements and approved authorizations, and we follow Colorado's state rules on authorization, supervision, and billing.
Do all staff complete background checks and fingerprinting?
Yes. Every staff member completes enhanced background checks and fingerprinting before working with families, using professional background-check systems. No staff member starts work with a child before that step is done.
How often does a BCBA actually supervise care?
Our supervision target sits around 20% when clinically appropriate, well above the BACB minimum of 5%. The exact frequency depends on the child's authorization and individual needs. Supervision is direct observation, plan updates, RBT training, and parent guidance, not just a signed page.
Do you diagnose autism?
No. We do not provide in-house autism diagnostic evaluations. We coordinate with outside diagnosing providers and can refer to options such as AT4K that may have little to no waitlist depending on location.
Do you offer speech therapy or occupational therapy?
No. We coordinate with your child's outside speech therapists, occupational therapists, schools, pediatricians, and diagnosing providers when your family gives written permission.
Is there a waitlist?
There is no waitlist for assessments. Most families begin onboarding the week they call. After that, the timeline depends on authorization and the right therapist match.
How do you keep the same therapist with my child?
We default to the same RBT and the same BCBA. Reassignment only happens when scheduling, staffing, or a clinical reason makes it the right call. The BCBA stays in place when an RBT changes.
What software runs your clinical record?
CentralReach. It is the system of record for scheduling, session notes, data collection, billing, and care coordination, so supervision and clinical decisions stay tied to the actual session data.
Have a credential question we did not answer here?
Call and ask. We are happy to walk through the supervision schedule, the Medicaid setup, the diagnosis pathway, or how we handle a therapist change for your specific case.