West Palm Beach is the county seat, and many of the public services for children with special needs are based here. This page pulls the useful pieces together and explains where in-home ABA therapy fits in.
ABA that comes to your West Palm Beach home
Paramount Behavior is a Greenacres agency that serves children with autism across Palm Beach County, and West Palm Beach is part of that map. A therapist comes to your home, works one-on-one with your child and follows a plan written by a BCBA, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Our therapists are RBTs (Registered Behavior Technicians) and a BCBA supervises each of them.
The goal is not to turn your child into someone else. It is to teach useful skills such as asking for help, tolerating a change in routine and playing with others, and to do it in a way your child enjoys.
Parent training is built in. Your BCBA shows you what the therapist is doing and why, so you can use the same strategies at bedtime, at the store and at a family birthday party. Practice is easier when the adults around a child all use the same tools.
Where we work in the city
West Palm Beach is big and varied. We support families in neighborhoods like Northwood, Flamingo Park, El Cid, Grandview Heights, Prospect Park, Northboro Park and Bel Air, and along the Military Trail, Southern Boulevard and Dixie Highway corridors. Our office in Greenacres is on Lake Worth Road, which makes the southern and central parts of the city an easy trip. If you are on the northern edge, call us and we will confirm that we can reach your address.
Early help and the district: who does what
A lot of parents tell us they do not know where to start. Here is the map, from youngest to oldest:
- Birth to 36 months: Early Steps (Treasure Coast Early Steps, run by Easterseals Florida). Anyone can refer a child, and the evaluation to see if a child qualifies is free.
- About 3 to 5, not yet in public school: FDLRS Alpha Child Find, in West Palm Beach on Forest Hill Boulevard, offers free developmental screenings with no doctor referral and no insurance needed.
- School age: your child's school ESE coordinator. The School District of Palm Beach County provides autism services at a variety of schools from Pre-K through high school, and the program depends on the student.
- Any age: FAU CARD offers free consultation, training and referrals for families in Palm Beach County. It does not provide therapy or diagnosis.
Support for the whole family
The 2-1-1 Special Needs Helpline helps families raising children up to age 22 find resources, and the Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County helps fund it. The United Way of Palm Beach County also has a Special Needs Initiative, which supports things like respite care and after-school care.
For a calm outing, the Palm Beach County Library System runs Sensory Friendly Browsing Hours, and its Main Library is at 3650 Summit Boulevard. The Okeechobee Boulevard Branch is at 5689 Okeechobee Boulevard, and the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach is on Clematis Street. Grassy Waters Preserve, in the northwest of the city, is a quiet place to walk. Check each place's calendar before you go.
Paying for therapy
Florida Medicaid generally covers behavior analysis for people under 21 when it is medically necessary, and Florida law requires many private plans to cover ABA for an autism diagnosis. We work with Florida Medicaid, including Molina Healthcare, Sunshine Health, Children's Medical Services Health Plan and Community Care Plan, and we can check your benefits with private plans such as Aetna, Cigna, Florida Blue and UnitedHealthcare. Plans differ, so we verify your benefits and handle the paperwork with you.
Waiting is stressful; here is our process
Waitlists for ABA can be long in Florida. Paramount has no waitlist: we have openings. You begin with a free consultation booked as soon as you call. We check your insurance for free, usually the same day. Then a BCBA gets to know your child, strengths first, before sessions start. What sets the pace is the paperwork (the doctor's referral, a diagnostic evaluation, and insurance or Medicaid authorization) and your family's schedule.
Use the quick request form on this page or call (561) 421-0047. If you prefer Spanish, say so and we will switch.
Do you serve all of West Palm Beach?
We serve families across Palm Beach County, including Greenacres, Lake Worth Beach, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Lantana, Palm Springs, Delray Beach, Boca Raton and Jupiter. Call with your address and we will confirm we can reach you.
Can ABA happen at my child's school too?
We support children at home and at school. How a therapist joins the school day is arranged with the school, so tell us early.
How is ABA different from what the school offers?
School services come from the district and focus on education. ABA is a therapy built around your child's own goals, led by a BCBA, and it can be at home. Many children have both.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes. Part of our team is bilingual, and everything from the first call to parent training can be in Spanish.