How to Start Your Own ABA Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide for BCBAs (and How Taylor Prime Solutions Can Help)

That vision you had on, How to Start Your Own ABA Practice? Whether you’re a solo BCBA or ready to scale a team, opening your own ABA clinic is a big step — and one that requires clinical expertise and business strategy. From licensing to billing, the process can be overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to be.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to start your own ABA practice the right way — and show you how Taylor Prime Solutions can be your behind-the-scenes billing and compliance partner every step of the way.

✅ Step 1: How to Start Your Own ABA Practice? Get Licensed and Meet State Requirements

Before anything else, make sure:

  • You’re a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in good standing with the BACB

  • You meet any state licensure requirements (varies by state — some require a separate LBA license)

  • You comply with your scope of practice

📌 Check your state’s Behavior Analyst Licensing Board or Department of Health for exact rules.

✅ Step 2: Choose Your Practice Model

Decide whether you’ll be:

  • A solo provider offering in-home or telehealth sessions

  • Starting a clinic with staff (RBTs, office admin, other BCBAs)

  • Contracting with school districts or agencies

  • Working with a hybrid model (e.g., in-home + remote)

This determines your staffing, overhead, and startup costs.

✅ Step 3: Form Your Legal Business Entity

Create a legitimate structure to protect yourself and allow for business growth:

  • Choose a name and register your LLC, PLLC, or Corporation

  • Get a business EIN from the IRS

  • Open a business bank account

  • Obtain liability insurance and a business license (if required)

📌 Pro tip: Some states offer mental health-specific licensing or permits for ABA clinics.

✅ Step 4: Get Credentialed With Insurance Companies

To get paid for services, you must enroll as a provider with insurance companies like:

  • Medicaid

  • Optum (United Healthcare)

  • Aetna

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield

  • Cigna

  • TRICARE

The process can take 30–120 days and requires documentation like:

  • CAQH profile

  • NPI numbers (Type 1 and Type 2)

  • Licenses, W-9, insurance, etc.

💡 This is where Taylor Prime Solutions can step in and handle the entire credentialing process for you.

✅ Step 5: Set Up Systems for Scheduling, Documentation, and Billing

At a minimum, your ABA practice will need:

  • A HIPAA-compliant EHR (for scheduling, SOAP notes, data collection, treatment plans)

  • A system for session notes, authorizations, and reports

  • A billing and revenue cycle management (RCM) system

📌 Popular ABA tools: CentralReach, Rethink, AccuPoint, Catalyst, BehaviorSoft.

✅ Step 6: Hire and Train Staff (Optional)

If you plan to grow beyond solo work, consider:

  • RBT recruitment and onboarding

  • Payroll and time-tracking

  • RBT supervision schedules

  • Employee or contractor model decisions

  • Creating clinical SOPs (session notes, data review, communication flow)

✅ Step 7: Start Accepting Clients

Begin marketing your practice by:

  • Building a professional website

  • Registering with Psychology Today, Google My Business, and online directories

  • Networking with pediatricians, speech therapists, and schools

  • Running targeted ads or community outreach events

🧠 How Taylor Prime Solutions Can Support You

Launching an ABA practice is one thing — running it compliantly and profitably is another. That’s where Taylor Prime Solutions comes in.

We specialize in:

✅ Credentialing & Enrollment

  • We handle the paperwork and payer follow-up so you get credentialed faster.

✅ Full-Service Billing & RCM

  • Claim submissions

  • Payment posting

  • Denial management

  • Authorization tracking

  • Aging AR recovery

✅ Documentation & Compliance

  • SOPs for session notes, appeals, and intake

  • Audit prep

  • Referral & authorization support

✅ Business Growth Consulting

  • Help scaling from solo to group

  • Performance reports & revenue tracking

  • KPI dashboards and staff training tools

💼 Ready to Launch?

You don’t have to do it alone. Let Taylor Prime Solutions take care of the backend while you focus on client care and growing your practice.

📞 Call us today at 844-TAYLOR-9 (844-829-5679)
🌐 Message us online  
📧 Send us an email

How to Start Your Own ABA Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide for BCBAs (and How Taylor Prime Solutions Can Help)