From Autism Testing to ABA in DuPage County: A Step-by-Step Guide for Families

The short answer: In DuPage County, most families move from a first worry to ABA therapy in five steps: get a developmental screening, connect with Early Intervention (if your child is under 3) or your school district (if they're 3 or older), get a diagnostic evaluation from a qualified clinician, check how your insurance or Medicaid covers ABA, and then start with an ABA provider whose approach fits your family. Early Intervention and school services are free, but neither one gives a medical autism diagnosis, and that diagnosis is usually what insurance needs before it will cover ABA. You can work on several of these steps at the same time, and you don't need to finish one before starting the next.

If you're reading this at 10 p.m. after a long day of wondering, you're in the right place. You don't need to be certain about autism to start asking questions. This guide lays out the local system in order, so you always know what comes next.

The path at a glance

1. Notice and screen. Share what you're seeing with your pediatrician and ask for a developmental or autism screening.
2. Connect with free public support. Under 3: Child and Family Connections #5, DuPage County's Early Intervention office. Age 3 and up: your school district's early childhood team.
3. Get a diagnostic evaluation. A physician or licensed clinical psychologist with autism expertise completes a full evaluation.
4. Check coverage. Confirm how your insurance plan or Illinois Medicaid covers ABA, speech and occupational therapy.
5. Start ABA. Your provider checks benefits, a BCBA completes an assessment, and therapy begins once the plan is approved.

Step 1: Notice what you're seeing, then ask for a screening

Most families start with a feeling: your toddler isn't using words yet, doesn't respond to their name, or plays in ways that look different from other kids their age. Write down what you notice and when it happens. Those notes will help at every step that follows.

Pediatricians routinely screen for autism at well visits around 18 and 24 months, often using the M-CHAT-R. You can also ask for a screening at any visit if you're worried. A screener isn't a diagnosis. It tells you whether a closer look makes sense. Our guide to the M-CHAT-R walks through what the questions mean, and speech delay vs. autism can help you put what you're noticing into words.

You don't need your pediatrician's permission for the next steps. Parents can contact Early Intervention or their school district directly.

Step 2: Connect with Early Intervention or your school district

If your child is under 3: Child and Family Connections #5

Early Intervention (EI) is Illinois's program for children from birth to age 3 with developmental delays. In DuPage County, your starting point is Child and Family Connections #5 (CFC #5), run by DayOne PACT at 550 Warrenville Road, Suite 100B, in Lisle. You can reach CFC #5 toll-free at 888-356-0491, or call the statewide line at 1-800-843-6154 and ask to be connected. Anyone can make the referral, including you.

The EI evaluation, service coordination and your family plan (the IFSP) are free, and Illinois family fees for ongoing services are currently suspended. EI is run by the Illinois Department of Early Childhood as of July 2026, but the way DuPage families sign up hasn't changed. Read our full guide to Early Intervention in Illinois for eligibility, timelines and what happens at age 3.

One important note: EI looks at your child's development and can start services without an autism diagnosis, but it doesn't currently provide one. If you're wondering about autism, start EI and pursue a diagnostic evaluation (Step 3) at the same time, so you're not losing months waiting on one before starting the other.

If your child is 3 or older: your school district

Once your child turns 3, public support comes through your local school district's Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) team. Every district in DuPage County is required to find and evaluate children with suspected disabilities, starting at age 3. For example, Naperville 203 runs developmental screenings through Ann Reid Early Childhood Center, and Indian Prairie 204 runs them through Prairie Children Preschool. If you're not sure where to call, your district's student services or special education office can point you to the right place.

If you request a full evaluation in writing, Illinois gives the district 14 school days to decide whether to evaluate, and then 60 school days after you sign consent to complete the evaluation and hold an eligibility meeting. If your child qualifies, they'll get an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Our article on getting school support for autism in Illinois covers the IEP process in more detail.

Keep in mind that a school team decides educational eligibility, not a medical diagnosis. A child can qualify for an IEP under the autism category without a medical diagnosis, and a medical diagnosis doesn't automatically mean a child qualifies for an IEP. The two systems run side by side.

Step 3: Get a diagnostic evaluation

In Illinois, an autism diagnosis for insurance purposes comes from a physician or a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in autism. In DuPage County, families usually go one of three ways:

• A developmental-behavioral pediatrician, often through a hospital system. These evaluations are thorough, but waitlists across Illinois can stretch from many months to as long as two years.
• A private psychologist or neuropsychologist who specializes in young children.
• An evaluation connected to a therapy center, like our early autism testing at our Naperville center, for children 18 months and older. Evaluations are usually available within weeks rather than months, you get initial feedback the same day, and a full written report follows in about 2 to 4 weeks.

Whichever route you choose, a good evaluation includes a detailed developmental history, a conversation with you about what you see at home, and play-based observation using standardized tools like the ADOS-2. You should leave with clear next-step recommendations whether or not your child receives a diagnosis. If you're unsure whether your child is old enough, read Is it too early for autism testing?

If you're on a waitlist

Waiting doesn't have to mean doing nothing. While you wait, you can keep EI or school services going, ask your pediatrician about a hearing test if speech is a concern, and start speech or occupational therapy, which often don't require an autism diagnosis. Ask to be added to cancellation lists, too. Families often get in sooner than the first date they were offered.

What's changing in 2028

Illinois recently passed a law (Public Act 104-561) that will let speech-language pathologists trained in autism diagnosis diagnose autism in children under 3 who are enrolled in Early Intervention. It's the first law of its kind in the country, and it grew out of Northwestern University's Reduce the Wait study. It takes effect on January 1, 2028, and the Department of Early Childhood is writing the rules for how it will work. Until then, the routes above are how DuPage families get a diagnosis.

Step 4: Check how ABA will be covered

A diagnosis is what usually opens the door to insurance coverage for ABA. Here's the short version for Illinois:

• Private insurance: Illinois law requires state-regulated health plans to cover autism diagnosis and treatment, including ABA, for people under 21. Self-funded employer plans follow federal rules instead, though many of them cover ABA too. Ask your HR team which kind of plan you have.
• Illinois Medicaid and All Kids: Illinois Medicaid has covered ABA for children with an autism diagnosis since November 2020, with prior approval.
• Longer-term support: registering for PUNS, Illinois's waiting list for developmental disability waiver services, is worth doing early, even for toddlers.

Our Illinois autism funding guide covers insurance, Medicaid, PUNS and grants step by step, and Does insurance cover ABA? explains what families typically pay.

Step 5: Start ABA therapy

Once you have a diagnosis and a sense of your coverage, starting ABA usually looks like this:

1. Intake and a benefits check. Your provider gathers your child's diagnostic report and verifies your coverage before the first visit.
2. A BCBA assessment. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst gets to know your child through play, observation and conversation with you, and learns what your family wants help with most.
3. A treatment plan and authorization. The BCBA writes goals and recommends a number of hours. Many plans need to approve that before therapy starts.
4. Therapy begins, with a behavior therapist working one-on-one with your child under the BCBA's supervision, plus regular parent coaching so progress carries over to home.

What good ABA looks like today

If what you've read about ABA gives you pause, that's fair. ABA has changed a lot. Modern, neuroaffirming ABA looks very different from the rigid, compliance-focused programs some parents have heard about. When you visit providers, look for:

• Assent and joy: therapy that's play-based and follows your child's interests, and that pauses when your child says no in words or actions.
• Goals that matter to your family, like communication, play, daily routines and independence, not making your child look less autistic.
• Respect for who your child is, including stimming and other ways they regulate that aren't harmful.
• Real parent partnership, with coaching and a seat at the table when goals are set.
• One connected team. Many toddlers also benefit from speech and occupational therapy, and progress is smoother when everyone is working from the same plan.

Our guide to ABA for toddlers shows what sessions look like at 2 and 3, and common myths about ABA answers the questions parents ask us most.

Where to start in DuPage County

Our DuPage County centers offer ABA, speech therapy and occupational therapy under one roof, so a diagnosis can turn into a plan without starting over somewhere new:

• Naperville: ABA, speech therapy, occupational therapy, school readiness and early autism testing, off Diehl Road near I-88. Families come from Naperville, Aurora, Warrenville, Lisle and Oswego.
• Wheaton: ABA, speech therapy, occupational therapy and school readiness near Danada Square, with evening and Saturday hours. Families come from Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Carol Stream and West Chicago.
• Woodridge: ABA, speech therapy, occupational therapy, school readiness and mental health near Seven Bridges. Families come from Woodridge, Downers Grove, Bolingbrook, Darien and Lisle.

Closer to Cook County? Our Elmhurst center serves families from Elmhurst, Addison, Bensenville and nearby towns. In Illinois we accept BCBS PPO, BCBS Blue Choice, BCBS HMO (Endeavor Health and Ascension), TriWest, UnitedHealthcare and United Behavioral Health, and we check your benefits before your child's first visit.

Common questions

Who do I call first if my DuPage County toddler might be autistic?

If your child is under 3, call Child and Family Connections #5 for a free Early Intervention evaluation, and talk with your pediatrician about a diagnostic referral at the same time. If your child is 3 or older, contact your school district's early childhood team.

Does Early Intervention diagnose autism in Illinois?

Not currently. EI evaluates development and provides services without a diagnosis. A new Illinois law will let trained speech-language pathologists in EI diagnose autism in children under 3 starting January 1, 2028.

Do I need an autism diagnosis to start ABA?

For insurance or Medicaid to cover ABA, you'll usually need a diagnosis from a physician or licensed clinical psychologist. Speech and occupational therapy often don't require one, so you can start those while you wait.

Can my child get ABA and school or EI services at the same time?

Yes. Many DuPage families combine EI or school services with private therapy. Ask the teams to share goals so your child gets one consistent message.

How long does it take to go from a first concern to ABA?

It depends most on how long you wait for a diagnostic evaluation, which can range from a few weeks to many months. Starting EI or school services and getting on evaluation lists early are the two best ways to keep things moving.

Sources: Illinois Department of Early Childhood, Early Intervention for parents and 2026 legislative summary; IDHS Office Locator (Child and Family Connections #5); Illinois Administrative Code, 23 IAC 226.110; Illinois General Assembly, HB 5225 / Public Act 104-561; Northwestern University, Reduce the Wait; Naperville CUSD 203 and Indian Prairie SD 204 early childhood pages. Last checked November 2026.