ABA Therapy in Merrimack, NH
BCBA-supervised, in-home ABA therapy for children with autism — Medicaid accepted, no waitlist — serving Merrimack and Hillsborough County families.
Does Achieving Stars serve Merrimack, NH? Yes. Merrimack is a served community within Hillsborough County. Achieving Stars covers Merrimack along with Nashua, Manchester, Bedford, and surrounding towns.
What does ABA therapy cost in Merrimack? Medicaid covers 100% of ABA therapy for eligible families — no copay, no deductible. Private insurance covers most costs for the majority of plans; any out-of-pocket depends on your specific plan.
How quickly can we start? Once your intake packet is complete, insurance authorization typically takes 1–14 days. There is no waitlist. Services begin as soon as authorization is received.
Is this in-home or clinic-based? In-home only. Achieving Stars therapists come to your home — your child receives ABA in the environment where they live, play, and actually need to use these skills.
My child doesn't have a diagnosis yet. A formal ASD diagnosis is required before insurance will authorize ABA. Achieving Stars offers diagnostic services, including the ADOS-2 and M-CHAT.
What ABA Therapy Looks Like in Merrimack
ABA therapy — Applied Behavior Analysis — is the most extensively researched intervention for autism spectrum disorder. It builds communication, social, and daily living skills while addressing behaviors that get in the way of learning and connection. The U.S. Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association both recognize it as a best-practice treatment for autism.
At Achieving Stars, therapy happens in your home. A trained Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) works one-on-one with your child — at your kitchen table, on the living room floor, out back — while a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) builds the program, supervises every session, and reviews progress data on an ongoing basis. The BCBA also meets with you directly, weekly or every other week, to walk through what's happening in sessions and coach you on how to support the same skills throughout the day.
Merrimack sits between Nashua and Manchester, which means families here have access to a range of providers — including clinic-based centers in Nashua and regional agencies serving Hillsborough County. Worth knowing: skills your child practices in your home carry over into daily life more naturally than those learned in a clinical setting they visit a few times a week.
ABA Therapy Services Available in Merrimack
Behavior Reduction
Finding the function behind challenging behaviors — then building safer, more effective alternatives through in-home Functional Behavior Assessments.
Communication Skills
Building functional language — requesting, labeling, following directions — through speech, AAC devices, or sign language based on your child's needs.
Play-Based ABA
Teaching turn-taking, cooperative play, and peer interaction through structured and naturalistic play in the home — where skills actually stick.
School Readiness
Preparing children for classroom routines — attending tasks, managing transitions, following group instructions — before or alongside school enrollment.
Caregiver Guidance
Regular sessions with your BCBA covering progress data, practical strategies for daily routines, and whatever questions have come up between visits.
Teen ABA Services
ABA for older learners focused on independence, social skills, and daily living — designed around the actual goals and realities of adolescent life.
Achieving Stars regularly works with children who carry dual diagnoses — ASD alongside ADHD, Down syndrome, or other co-occurring conditions. See the full services overview for more.
What Sets Achieving Stars Apart in Merrimack
Merrimack has several ABA providers operating nearby — some based in the town itself, others in Nashua, a few covering the broader Hillsborough County region. Here's what's different about Achieving Stars.
No Waitlist
Many ABA providers in this region carry multi-month waitlists. Achieving Stars is built around the opposite — once insurance authorizes, services begin. No queue.
Weekly Caregiver Guidance
BCBAs aim to meet with caregivers every week or every other week. This isn't a quarterly check-in — it's an ongoing working relationship with the clinician running your child's program.
Clinician-Built Plans
Every treatment plan is built by the BCBA working directly with your child. Goals are specific to your child's behaviors, strengths, and home environment — not copied from a template.
Session Notes on Demand
Caregivers can request full access to session notes at any time — not just at scheduled reviews. You stay informed about what happened in every session.
100% Medicaid Coverage
For eligible families in New Hampshire, Medicaid covers ABA therapy in full. No copay, no deductible. Achieving Stars accepts Medicaid as primary or secondary insurance.
NH Autism Society Member
Achieving Stars is a member of the Autism Society of New Hampshire, giving Merrimack families connections to broader statewide resources and community support.
How to Start ABA Therapy in Merrimack, NH
Reach out. Call or submit the contact form. The intake team typically responds the same day to answer questions before you deal with any paperwork.
Complete the intake packet. You'll need your child's ASD diagnosis documentation and insurance information. The team walks you through each step.
Insurance authorization. The authorizations team submits to your insurer promptly. Most authorizations come back within 1–14 days; Medicaid tends to be on the faster end.
Initial BCBA assessment. Your assigned BCBA conducts an in-home assessment — observing your child, reviewing reported behaviors, and establishing baseline skill levels. The specific tools depend on your child's age and what you've described.
Treatment plan review. The BCBA builds an individualized plan and walks you through every goal before submitting it to insurance for approval to begin direct sessions.
Sessions begin. No waitlist. Your RBT starts coming to your home as soon as direct services are authorized.
Merrimack and Surrounding Communities Served
Achieving Stars serves Merrimack and surrounding Hillsborough County communities, along with towns throughout central New Hampshire.
Services are available statewide across all 10 New Hampshire counties — including Salem, Derry, Londonderry, Dover, Rochester, and Concord. If you're unsure whether your town is covered, a quick call will confirm it.
ABA Therapy in Merrimack, NH — Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicaid cover ABA therapy in New Hampshire?
Yes. Medicaid covers ABA therapy in full for eligible children in New Hampshire. Achieving Stars accepts Medicaid as primary or secondary insurance — qualifying families pay nothing out of pocket for services.
There are several ABA providers near Merrimack. How is Achieving Stars different?
The most meaningful differences are the no-waitlist model and the frequency of caregiver guidance. Achieving Stars BCBAs meet with caregivers weekly or biweekly — not a few times a year. And the intake process is designed to start therapy fast, not build a queue. The treatment plan is also built from scratch for your child, not adapted from a standard template.
How many hours of therapy per week will my child receive?
Hours are recommended by your child's BCBA following the initial assessment and based on what insurance authorizes. They vary depending on your child's age, goals, and the behaviors being addressed. Your BCBA explains the recommendation before anything goes to insurance.
What age range does Achieving Stars work with?
ABA therapy is appropriate across a broad age range. Earlier intervention tends to produce stronger long-term outcomes, but starting later is far better than not starting at all. Achieving Stars works with children and teens at various stages.
My child has both autism and ADHD. Does that affect eligibility?
Not at all. Dual diagnoses like ASD and ADHD — or ASD alongside Down syndrome — are common among the children Achieving Stars serves. The treatment plan accounts for your child's full profile.
Can I be present during sessions?
Yes, and caregiver presence is actively encouraged. The more you understand what's happening in sessions, the better you can reinforce the same skills the rest of the day. Your BCBA coaches you on exactly how to do this during your regular guidance meetings.
We don't have a diagnosis yet. What's the first step?
A formal autism diagnosis is required before insurance will authorize ABA therapy. Achieving Stars offers diagnostic evaluation services — including the ADOS-2, the M-CHAT, and the CAST. Getting evaluated is the right first move.
What does the BCBA actually do during sessions?
The BCBA designs your child's individualized treatment plan, supervises the RBT who delivers direct sessions, reviews data from every session, and conducts regular caregiver guidance meetings with you. They're the clinical lead on your child's case — not just a background compliance role.
Get Started in Merrimack, NH
One call is enough to find out whether Achieving Stars is the right fit. No obligation — just clear answers and a straightforward path to next steps.
Call: (833) 666-3115
Email: info@achievingstarstherapy.com
Fax: (833) 666-1401
Serving Merrimack · Nashua · Bedford · Milford · All of Hillsborough County