In-Home ABA Therapy in Des Moines, IA
Des Moines is Iowa’s capital and its largest city, with brick bungalows in Beaverdale, older homes in Highland Park and quieter streets near Easter Lake and the south side. Many families here juggle work shifts, school pickups and appointments across town. In-home ABA therapy can take some of that pressure off.
Shining Steps sends a trained behavior technician to your home, mostly after school, so your child can learn where they feel most comfortable. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) designs the plan, supervises sessions and coaches you along the way. There’s no driving to a clinic after a long day. We accept Iowa Medicaid and all of its health plans, plus Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna, and our intake team handles the approvals.
Call us: (515) 316-7770
Get started with in-home ABA
Tell us about your family and our intake team will check your coverage and get back to you.
We accept most insurances including
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In-home ABA services
Most sessions happen after school, when the day’s hardest routines tend to show up. Here is what a program can include for your family.
- In-home sessions. Whether you live in a Beaverdale bungalow, a south-side ranch or an apartment near downtown, your child’s technician works in your own space on the routines that matter at your house: homework, dinner and getting ready for bed.
- In-school sessions. With your school’s permission, a technician can support your child during the school day in Des Moines Public Schools or a nearby district such as Southeast Polk. That can help with classroom routines, moving between activities and recess.
- Community sessions. Some sessions move out into the neighborhood, so skills like waiting, staying close and asking for help get practiced in real places.
- Caregiver training. Your BCBA coaches you and the other adults in your child’s life, like a grandparent who handles pickups, so everyone uses the same strategies all week.
Your BCBA checks progress with you regularly and updates goals as your child grows.
Insurance and coverage
We accept Iowa Medicaid and all of its health plans, plus Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna.
- Iowa Medicaid. All three IA Health Link plans: Iowa Total Care, Molina Healthcare of Iowa and Wellpoint Iowa. Medicaid covers ABA for children under 21 with an autism diagnosis when it is medically necessary, and sessions can happen at home.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield. In Iowa, that is Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Coverage depends on your plan.
- Aetna. We are in network with Aetna commercial plans.
- Other commercial plans. Call us and we’ll check your benefits.
Not sure which Medicaid plan your child has? Check the member card, or call Iowa Medicaid Member Services at the Des Moines-area number, 515-256-4606. If your child has hawki, ABA is not covered right now, but call us anyway to talk through options. Most plans need approval before therapy starts, and our intake team sends that request for you. Read more on our Iowa coverage page.
Areas we serve
We serve families across Des Moines and nearby Polk County communities.
Des Moines neighborhoods
Beaverdale, Highland Park and Oak Park, Drake, Sherman Hill, the East Village, Waveland, Waterbury, Ingersoll, Easter Lake, Gray’s Lake, Southwestern Hills and neighborhoods all over the north and south sides.
Nearby suburbs
Ankeny, Johnston, Urbandale, Altoona, Windsor Heights and Norwalk. For West Des Moines, Clive and Waukee, see our West Des Moines page.
School districts
With the school’s permission, we can support your child during the school day in Des Moines Public Schools, the largest district in Iowa. We also work with families in the Johnston, Southeast Polk, Saydel, Ankeny and Urbandale districts. Schools in this area are supported by Heartland AEA.
See all of our Iowa locations.
Practicing skills around town
Community sessions help your child use new skills in real places, not just at home. Here are a few public spots around Des Moines where that practice can happen.
- Public library branches. The city library has six locations, including the Franklin Avenue Library on the northwest side and the South Side Library on Porter Avenue. A visit is a chance to practice a quiet voice, wait in line at the desk and choose just one book.
- Ewing Park. At the Ashley Okland Star Playground, your child can work on taking turns on the slide, sharing space and leaving when it is time to go.
- Gray’s Lake Park. A walk near the water is good practice for staying close to a grown-up and staying calm around crowds on a busy day.
These are public places, not partners of ours. Your BCBA picks the spots and goals that fit your child.
The Team
Aron Stein
Founder and CEO
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Beth Wittwer
Clinical Director
Sora Lee
Lead BCBA
Autism resources near you
These Des Moines-area resources can help with evaluations, early support and school questions.
- Blank Children’s Psychology (UnityPoint Health). Autism evaluations for children and teens ages 3 to 16, with a referral from your child’s doctor. 4055 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines. Call 515-224-3399. Learn more.
- Heartland AEA. The Area Education Agency for Polk County and much of central Iowa. It provides Early ACCESS for children under 3 and supports special education in local schools. Call 515-270-9030, or 1-888-IAKIDS1 for an Early ACCESS referral. Learn more.
- ASK Resource Center. Based in Johnston, ASK offers support, training and mentoring for Iowa families of children with disabilities. Call 515-243-1713. Learn more.
- Regional Autism Assistance Program (RAP). Family navigators from University of Iowa Child Health Specialty Clinics help you find diagnostic services and local supports. Call 1-866-219-9119. Learn more.
- Iowa Medicaid Member Services. Questions about your coverage or health plan? The Des Moines-area line is 515-256-4606. Learn more.
See if ABA is covered for your child
Send us a few details and our intake team will check your coverage, explain what it includes and tell you what we need to get started.
- We check your Medicaid plan or insurance benefits
- We tell you what we need, usually the diagnosis report
- We match your family with a BCBA and an in-home therapist
Prefer to talk? Call (515) 316-7770
Tell us about your family
Share a few details and our intake team will get back to you.
How to get started
Starting ABA can feel like a lot. We keep it simple and walk with you through each step.
- 1. Call us or fill out our form. Tell us about your child and what you’re hoping for. We’ll answer your questions about ABA.
- 2. We check your insurance. Our intake team verifies your Iowa Medicaid plan or private insurance and explains what is covered.
- 3. Share the diagnosis. Insurance coverage for ABA needs an autism diagnosis. If your child doesn’t have one yet, we can point you to evaluation options in Iowa.
- 4. Meet your BCBA. A BCBA assesses your child, learns your family’s goals and writes a treatment plan. We send it to your health plan for approval.
- 5. Sessions begin. Your child’s technician comes to your home, school or a community spot on a set schedule, and your BCBA checks in on progress.
Why families choose us
Here is what Iowa families can count on when they work with Shining Steps.
- Plans built by a BCBA. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst assesses your child, writes the treatment plan and supervises it. Our clinical team is led by Beth Wittwer, Clinical Director, and Sora Lee, Lead BCBA.
- One-on-one sessions. A Registered Behavior Technician works with your child individually, following the plan your BCBA designed.
- You are part of the team. Caregiver training is built into every program, and you meet with your BCBA regularly to review progress and set new goals.
- Less paperwork for you. Our intake team checks your benefits and requests approval from your health plan.
- Therapy where your child lives. Sessions happen at home, at school with the school’s permission, and in the community, mostly after school with some daytime hours.
- Iowa coverage we accept. Iowa Medicaid and all of its health plans, including Iowa Total Care, Molina Healthcare of Iowa and Wellpoint Iowa, plus Blue Cross Blue Shield (Wellmark in Iowa) and Aetna.
Common Questions
Yes. Along with Des Moines itself, we serve families in nearby suburbs, including Ankeny, Johnston, Urbandale, Altoona and Windsor Heights. Because therapy happens at home, what matters most is whether we can staff your area at the times your child is available. Call us with your address and preferred hours, and we’ll give you a straight answer.
Often, yes. With the school’s permission, a technician can work with your child during the school day, which can help with things like following classroom routines or getting along with classmates. Each school decides whether outside providers can join the school day, so we work with your child’s teachers and support staff to set it up.
Start with your child’s pediatrician, who can refer you for an evaluation. Locally, Blank Children’s Psychology at UnityPoint Health evaluates children ages 3 to 16 for autism with a doctor’s referral. For children under 3, Early ACCESS through Heartland AEA can check development at no cost. RAP family navigators at 1-866-219-9119 can also help you find options.
Yes. Iowa Medicaid covers ABA therapy for children with an autism diagnosis when it is medically necessary, and sessions can take place in your home. We accept all three Iowa Medicaid plans: Iowa Total Care, Molina Healthcare of Iowa and Wellpoint Iowa. Your plan must approve services before they start, and our intake team takes care of that request.
Your family deserves the best
Our team works closely with each family to build a plan that fits your child and your schedule. Reach out and our intake team will take it from there.