ABA and Autism in Colorado: A Step in a Better Direction

🌱Last month I visited a school where a little boy, Mateo, was working with a behavior technician who had been hired to deliver Autism “therapy.”

She was kind, patient, and clearly wanted to help. But as I watched her try to manage his overwhelm with a laminated token board and a series of rehearsed prompts, something became painfully clear.

She had never been taught how to understand what his nervous system was trying to communicate.

➡️ No one had taught her about sensory overload.

➡️ No one had taught her about co-regulation.

➡️ No one had taught her about communication differences, distress behaviors, or developmental support.

And none of that was her fault. The system placed her in an impossible position.

🌿This is why Colorado’s recent decision has sparked so much conversation:

The state will no longer automatically reimburse Autism services delivered by technicians with only a high school diploma and a brief training package.

Some people are calling it a ban on ABA. But this is not the truth.

Rather, it involves banning reimbursement for non-certified RBTs, which is a start. And yes, until now, even non-certified RBTs could provide ABA services to Autistic children.

But overall, I think this is something different.

I think it’s an invitation to re-examine what we call “therapy,” and who we entrust with the emotional and developmental lives of Autistic children.

For too long, families have been told that young, minimally trained technicians are providing medically necessary treatment.

In reality, many of these technicians are genuinely trying to do compassionate work but without the education, supervision, or clinical foundation needed to understand the children in front of them. They are being asked to deliver highly specialized care without being given the tools to do so.

Meanwhile, Autistic children like Mateo are struggling—not because the technicians (or BCBAs) don’t care, but because the behaviorist model itself is built on the idea that behavior is the most important thing to treat.

🌿Colorado’s shift gives us a chance to ask better questions:

What if Autism support centered on connection, regulation, communication, and developmental understanding?

What if we invested in professionals who know how to interpret a child’s distress, not just reduce it?

What if therapy (true therapy) meant helping a child feel safe in their body, understood in their differences, and supported in their growth?

This is the heart of neurodiversity-affirming practice. It isn’t anti-anyone. It’s pro-child.

And it’s absolutely possible.

🌱If you’re a parent, you don’t need to memorize acronyms or clinical terms. You can simply ask:

➡️ Who is supporting my child?

➡️ What training have they received?

➡️ Do they see my child as a whole person with a developing nervous system—not a set of behaviors to manage?

These questions aren’t confrontational. They’re empowering. They help families make choices that align with their child’s well-being, not just what insurance will cover.

🌿Colorado’s decision is not the end of something. It’s the beginning of a broader conversation about what autistic children truly deserve.

And families, therapists, educators, and Autistic adults can all be part of shaping what comes next!

More from Dr. Lisa Marnell and Kids Master Skills . . .

For a deeper look at what truly supports Autistic children (and to step away from addressing behavior), I created a free masterclass on understanding sensory-sensitive kids. It's practical, evidence-informed, and grounded in neurodiversity-affirming practice. You can access it here: https://www.kidsmasterskills.com/

Also . . .

For School-Based OTPS -

This fall Dr. Lisa launched an 8-hour, AOTA-approved professional development entitled, "Insight to Autism for School-Based OTs"!

This self-paced, online course provides 8 AOTA Contact Hours (0.8 AOTA CEUs) and walks OTPs through a process to bettter understand their Autistic students, support them in schools in ways that align with their Autistic neurobiology (enabling them to feel less stress and experience better quality of life), and show them how to optimize Autistic students' learning while also guiding teachers, staff, and admin to adopt neuroaffirming practices!

Check out Dr. Lisa's professional development at this picture link!

For parents, teacher, or other school professionals -

You can take Dr. Lisa's course tailored for you!

Learn more about a course for you at this picture link!

As always, feel welcome to touch base with me by e-mail at KidsMasterSkills@gmail.com

I would love to hear about your successes, your struggles, your feedback, and any questions or comments you have! Let me know if this post was helpful.