Applied Behavior Analysis is the practice of teaching skills and reducing barriers by changing what happens around a behavior: what comes before it, and what follows it. In practice we find out why a behavior is happening, teach a more useful skill that gets your child the same result, and measure whether it is working. Good ABA is collaborative and skill focused, and your child should want to be in the room.

Children ages 2 through 10 from Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset, Dorchester, and surrounding communities. Direct ABA sessions take place in Tidal's Salisbury clinic. Family training and coordination with other providers are scheduled around each child's plan.

Yes. Tidal partners with Smiley Pediatric Therapy, which provides separate speech-language, occupational, and feeding therapy services in the same Salisbury clinic. Tidal remains responsible for ABA services, and Smiley remains responsible for its services. With your written permission, providers can coordinate around shared priorities.

Both programs are coming soon. The social skills group is being planned for children ages 3 to 5 during evening hours, and the adaptive art class is planned once each month. Contact Tidal to join the interest list and receive schedule and enrollment details when they are ready.

They are facilitated gatherings where caregivers can build community, share practical ideas, and support one another. Tidal also offers general ABA training that explains core strategies in clear language and helps families use them consistently across everyday routines.

For insurance funded ABA, yes. Nearly every plan requires a documented autism spectrum diagnosis plus a referral or prescription from a physician or qualified provider. If you do not have one yet, call anyway. We will tell you what the diagnostic path looks like locally and who to contact.

It depends on the assessment, your child's age, and what your family can sustain. Early learners with significant needs often get more hours. An older child working on a focused set of goals may get far fewer. We recommend a range, explain the reasoning, and build the schedule around your family rather than the other way around.

A board certified behavior analyst writes and supervises the program. A registered behavior technician runs most of the direct sessions under that supervision, and is trained on your child's specific plan before starting. You will know both people by name, and we keep the assignment as stable as we can.

Involved by design. Parent and caregiver coaching is part of every program, because the strategies have to work on a Tuesday evening when we are not there. You get hands on practice, written strategies, and honest updates, including when something is not working.

Data is collected every session and reviewed by the supervising BCBA. You see graphed progress on your child's goals, a formal treatment plan review at least every six months, and a conversation whenever the data suggests a change. Nothing runs on autopilot.

For most insured families, cost is a deductible plus a copay or coinsurance. For many Medicaid families there is no out of pocket cost. We give you the numbers in writing before services begin. Availability changes month to month, so ask when you call and you will get a real answer rather than a waitlist form.