ABA intake checklist
Use this checklist to get your ABA intake paperwork ready before a provider calls with an opening. It lists the documents providers often ask for, the details to have written down and how to keep it all in one folder, so you can reply quickly when a spot opens. Ask each provider which items it needs, since every provider runs intake a little differently.
What documents do I need for an ABA intake?
Providers often ask for some or all of these. Gather what you have now:
- The full diagnosis report from your child's evaluation, not just a summary page.
- A referral or prescription for ABA, if your plan needs one.
- A copy of the front and back of your insurance or Medicaid card.
- Any prior authorization letters or approvals you have for ABA.
- Your child's IEP (school education plan) or IFSP (early intervention plan), if your child has one.
- Recent reports from other therapies, such as speech or occupational therapy, if the provider asks for them.
What details should I have written down?
- Your child's full name and date of birth, and your address and zip code.
- Your insurance or Medicaid plan name, member ID and the member services phone number.
- The name and phone number of your child's pediatrician and of the clinician who wrote the diagnosis report.
- The days and times that could work for sessions, and whether you would consider in-home or center-based ABA.
- A short list of the behaviors and skills you most want help with.
- The best phone number and times to reach you, so the provider can reach you quickly.
How should I organize my ABA intake folder?
Keep one paper folder and one folder on your phone. Put copies in the paper folder and keep the originals somewhere safe. On your phone, save a clear photo or scan of each document with a plain name, such as "diagnosis report" and the date on it, so you can find it during a call. Keep your ABA waitlist tracker in the same folder.
How do I send documents to an ABA provider?
Ask each provider how it wants to receive documents. Some use a secure upload portal or their own intake forms. Send copies, keep the originals, and note the date you sent each item in your tracker. If you are unsure whether a way of sending is secure, ask the provider before you send anything with your child's health details.
What if I am missing a document?
Keep joining waitlists while you gather it. If you only have a summary of the evaluation, ask the evaluator's office for the full report. If your plan needs a referral, ask your child's pediatrician. If you are unsure what your plan needs, our questions to ask your insurance about ABA cover referrals and prior authorization. When you call providers with the ABA provider call script, ask what they need now and what can wait until intake.
When should I start getting ready for ABA intake?
Start now, while you wait. Openings can come up at short notice, for example from a cancellation list, and a provider may ask how soon you can send paperwork. With the folder ready, you can answer the same day. Our guide on what happens on an ABA intake call explains what the call usually covers.
How do I use the intake checklist?
- Print the checklist, or keep it open on your phone.
- Tick off each document you already have and note the ones you still need.
- Ask your evaluator, pediatrician or plan for any missing items.
- Put copies in one paper folder and photos or scans in one phone folder.
- When a provider calls with an opening, ask which items it needs and how to send them, then log the date in your waitlist tracker.
Is the intake checklist free?
Yes. Print it, copy it or read it from your phone. Nothing you write on it is sent to Waitless.
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