Thanks to the passage of House Bill 569 (better known as Connor’s Law) in 2010, New Hampshire’s children and young adults have access to applied behavior analysis (ABA) services. Under Connor’s Law, state-regulated health insurance plans must cover ABA therapy up to $36,000 per year for children birth-12 years and up to $27,000 per year for children ages 13-21.
Though New Hampshire’s Medicaid State Plan does not specifically cover ABA, it does reference ABA therapy as Medicaid-coverable treatments for children with ASD in accordance with Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT).
While New Hampshire remains among just a handful of states that does not license behavior analysts, Connor’s Law includes clear language that to be eligible for coverage, ABA services must be provided by “person professionally certified by the National Behavior Analyst Certification Board or performed under the supervision of a person professionally certified by the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board.”
Therefore, to provide ABA services in New Hampshire that are covered by insurance, you’ll need to earn one of two national certifications through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB):
Earning a Master’s Degree and Pursuing BCBA® Certification in New Hampshire
To qualify for BCBA® certification, you’ll need to earn a master’s or doctoral degree in behavior analysis or in a similar field like education or psychology and complete the following graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis:
- BACB Ethics Code and Code-Enforcement System; Professionalism: 45 hours
- Philosophical Underpinnings; Concepts and Principles: 90 hours
- Measurement, Data Display and Interpretation; Experimental Design: 45 hours
- Behavior Assessment: 45 hours
- Behavior-Change Procedures; Selecting and Implementing Interventions: 60 hours
- Personnel Supervision and Management: 60 hours
The easiest way to ensure you’ve met all educational requirements is by earning a degree that’s accredited by the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) or accredited/recognized by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).
However, you can still meet the educational requirements by earning a relevant degree and then completing the required graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis. The ABAI maintains a list of programs (usually offered as graduate certificates) called Verified Course Sequences (VCS) that meet the behavior analysis coursework requirements.
You can also satisfy the coursework requirements and then provide proof to the BACB through a course-by-course review that’s completed by your department chair, dean, or BCBA-certified VCS Coordinator. Upon review of your coursework, they’ll complete a Non-Verified Course Content Attestation that must be sent to the BACB.
*Note: The VCS system is ending on December 31, 2025. Beginning in 2026, your university must conduct a course-by-course review and submit a Non-Verified Course Content Attestation.
ABA Program Options
The BACB approves both campus-based and online ABA programs. Distance-based study allows students to complete all or some of their coursework requirements from the comfort of their home. This type of study is particularly beneficial for students who do not live near an institution with an ABA program or for busy working professionals who require flexibility from their graduate program.
Practicum and Exam Requirements
BCBA® certification requires the completion of between 1,500 and 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork. Your fieldwork must occur under the supervision of a qualified professional (BCBA®, licensed, registered psychologist certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology, or ABAI-verified instructor). The total number of required hours you’ll need to complete will depend on the level of supervision you receive.
If you’re earning your degree through an ABAI-accredited/recognized or APBA-accredited program, you’ll likely begin earning your fieldwork hours as part of your program’s practicum. Many students of these programs are able to satisfy most or all of the required hours before they graduate. Your program director will be able to help you find a qualified supervisor and site where you’ll earn these hours.
Just a few of the ABA providers in New Hampshire where you may be able to complete the required practicum/field experience include:
- Becket Family of Services, Plymouth
- Birchtree Center, Newington
- Community Partners, Dover
- Constellation Behavioral Services, Portsmouth
- Crotched Mountain Foundation, Greenfield
- Gateways Therapy Services, Nashua
- Learn with Me, Londonderry
- Seacoast Learning Collaborative, Brentwood
Once you’ve completed all educational and fieldwork requirements, you’ll need to take and pass the BCBA® certification exam, which requires applying to the BACB. Once the BACB approves your application, you’ll receive instructions on how to register for the exam, which is administered through Pearson VUE. In Hampshire, you can take the exam at their testing site in Concord.
Click here for step-by-step instructions on the BCBA® credentialing Process.
Autism Insurance Reform Increases Access to ABA Services for New Hampshire’s Children
July 2010 was a significant period for New Hampshire’s children and adults with autism and their families. It was then that New Hampshire became the 22nd state to enact autism insurance reform legislation.
Governor John Lynch enacted House Bill 569—known as Connor’s Law—to require health insurance companies to provide evidence-based, medically necessary autism treatments, including ABA therapy. To be eligible for coverage, the ABA therapy must either be provided by a BCBA® or by someone working under the supervision of a BCBA®.
The bill includes a $36,000 annual cap on ABA services for children with autism spectrum disorders from birth to age 12, and $27,000 for children 13 to 21.
Peter Bell, Autism Speaks executive vice president of programs and services, called Connor’s Law “a great day for thousands of New Hampshire families that have been financially devastated by the lack of insurance coverage for necessary autism therapies.”
ABA Therapy Providers Meet the Needs of New Hampshire’s Growing Number of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Thanks to the coverage of ABA therapy in New Hampshire for children and young people with autism and other developmental disorders with Medicaid and state-regulated health insurance plans, the number of ABA providers continues to steadily increase, thereby ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable populations have access to the care they need to succeed and thrive. Some of the providers in New Hampshire include:
Autism Bridges, Bedford
Autism Bridges is a private clinic specializing in ABA therapy for children with autism. They provide individualized ABA therapy services that address behavior management and skill acquisition and develop and implement positive behavior support plans to help teach children functional communication. In addition to therapy services, Autism Bridges offers the following services:
- Educational and behavioral assessment
- Age-appropriate curriculum
- Progress reporting
- Parent training
Constellation Behavioral Services, Portsmouth
Constellation Behavioral Services helps families and children with autism and developmental disabilities reach their highest potential by helping them communicate, develop, and become more self-reliant. They formulate assessments and behavior plans specifically designed to meet individual needs.
Constellation Behavior Services offer school-based and family-based services, including one-on-one ABA therapy, program consultation, workshops, and training.
Granite State ABA Services, North Conway
Granite State ABA Services, which serves Coos, Grafton, Carroll, Belknap, Merrimack, and Sullivan counties, provides ABA services in homes, schools, and in vocational and community settings. The programs offered here focus on behavior, communication, cognitive/academic, social/emotional, and daily living skills.
Their home-based model includes a parent training component that gives parents the skills to better interact with their children. Their collaborative approach ensures that other members of the child’s treatment are involved at all times.