ABA for toddlers in Union County: starting before three

Find ABA therapy for your toddler in Union County, NJ before age 3. Learn about Early Intervention, PerformCare, and local providers.

Published October 2, 2026 · Union County, New Jersey

Why start before three

If your toddler shows signs of autism, you may have heard that early intervention makes a difference. In New Jersey, the system for children under three is separate from the one for older kids. Knowing which door to knock on first saves you time and confusion. In Union County, you have 52 registered ABA providers in the county, and every one of the 21 municipalities has a provider within 7 miles. So geography is not your main obstacle. The real work is figuring out who pays, who evaluates, and who writes the plan.

The first step: New Jersey Early Intervention System

For a child under three, the single access point is the New Jersey Early Intervention System, often called NJEIS. You do not need a doctor’s referral to call them. You can call yourself and say, “I have concerns about my child’s development.” They will assign a service coordinator. That person is your guide. Ask for a developmental evaluation. This is a free, state-run process. You do not need a diagnosis of autism to get an evaluation. You only need a concern.

The evaluation looks at communication, motor skills, social-emotional growth, and adaptive behavior. If your child qualifies, the team writes an Individualized Family Service Plan, or IFSP. This plan lists goals and services, including ABA if it is medically necessary. The IFSP is reviewed every six months. You are part of the team. You can ask for ABA to be written into the plan. You can also ask for parent training, which teaches you how to use ABA strategies at home.

Who pays for ABA under three

Early Intervention services in New Jersey are paid through a mix of state funds, private insurance, and NJ FamilyCare. If you have private insurance, the plan must cover medically necessary ABA for autism, but the details vary by policy. Ask your insurance company for the “ABA benefit” and the “prior authorization” requirements. If you have NJ FamilyCare, which is the state Medicaid and CHIP program, ABA is covered as a medically necessary service. You do not need a separate waiver for a child under three in Early Intervention.

One important note: Early Intervention is not the same as your insurance’s ABA benefit. Early Intervention may provide a limited number of hours. Your insurance may cover more. You can use both, but you must coordinate. Ask your service coordinator to help you understand the gap between what Early Intervention offers and what your insurance will cover. Do not assume one pays for everything.

What to ask the provider

Once you have a list of ABA providers in Union County, call them. Do not just ask “Do you take toddlers?” Ask these specific questions:

• Are you enrolled in the NJ Early Intervention system as a provider?
• Do you accept NJ FamilyCare, and which managed care plan do you work with? The plans are Horizon NJ Health, Wellpoint, Aetna Better Health of NJ, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan.
• Do you accept my private insurance? Ask for the exact billing code they will use.
• Who will do the initial assessment? Is it a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)?
• How many hours per week do you recommend for a child under three, and why?
• Do you provide services in my home, in a clinic, or in a community setting like a daycare?
• Will you coordinate with my Early Intervention service coordinator and my pediatrician?

Write down the answers. You will compare them. Do not feel pressured to choose the first provider you call. In Union County, the towns with the most providers are Union (9), Cranford (7), Clark (6), and Westfield (6). But even if you live in a smaller town like Garwood or Kenilworth, you have options within 7 miles. That does not mean every provider has an opening, but it means the supply is not concentrated in one corner of the county.

If your child turns three during the process

Your child’s third birthday is a hard transition point. The Early Intervention system ends. The Children’s System of Care begins, and the single access point becomes PerformCare. You do not have to wait for the birthday to call PerformCare. You can call them three months before the third birthday to start the transition. They will help you get a new evaluation through the school district or through the state’s children’s system. The school district in your town, such as Berkeley Heights, Clark, Cranford, Elizabeth, or Plainfield, is responsible for special education from age three. Ask your Early Intervention service coordinator for a “transition conference” before the third birthday. This is a formal meeting where you plan the move.

If your child already has a diagnosis of autism, the school district may offer a preschool disabled program. That program may include ABA, but it is not the same as a medical ABA clinic. You may need both. The school provides educational supports. The medical side, through insurance or PerformCare, provides therapy. Keep these two tracks separate in your mind, because they have different rules and different paperwork.

What if you do not have a diagnosis yet

You can start the Early Intervention evaluation without a formal autism diagnosis. The evaluation itself may flag developmental delays. For a medical ABA prescription, you usually need a diagnosis from a developmental pediatrician, child neurologist, or psychologist. In New Jersey, you can ask your pediatrician for a referral to a specialist. Wait times for developmental evaluations can be long, so ask to be placed on a cancellation list. In the meantime, Early Intervention can provide other services like speech or occupational therapy. Those do not require an autism label.

After age 21

This may seem far away, but it affects your planning. After age 21, the Division of Developmental Disabilities takes over for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. ABA is rarely the primary service at that age. The goal now is to build skills that will serve your child later. Ask every provider how they teach toileting, requesting, and independent play. Those skills matter more than any single therapy hour.

Keep a paper trail

Create a folder, physical or digital, with every evaluation, IFSP, insurance explanation of benefits, and provider note. When you call PerformCare or your managed care plan, write down the date, the person’s name, and what they said. You will need this if a claim is denied. You can appeal a denial. The appeal process is written on the denial letter. Do not ignore it.

You are not alone in this. Union County has a dense network of providers, but you are the one who makes the calls, asks the questions, and keeps the records. Start with the Early Intervention system today. The earlier you start, the more time you have to adjust the plan before the third birthday arrives.