In-Home ABA Therapy in Sioux City, IA
Sioux City sits on the bluffs above the Missouri River, right where Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota meet. It is Iowa’s fourth-largest city, with family neighborhoods from Morningside and Southern Hills to the North Side and Leeds. Between work, school and everything else, appointments across town are hard to fit in.
In-home ABA therapy brings the help to you. A Shining Steps behavior technician works with your child at home, mostly after school, and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) designs and supervises the program and coaches your family. We serve the Iowa side of the metro. 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: (712) 206-7766
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
We bring ABA to families on the Iowa side of the metro, from Morningside to the North Side and out to Sergeant Bluff. Most sessions are after school, with some daytime hours.
- In-home sessions. Your child’s technician comes to your home and works on the things that make your days hard, such as getting dressed, sitting for a meal or switching from screen time to chores.
- In-school sessions. With your school’s permission, a technician can support your child during the school day in the Sioux City Community School District or in Sergeant Bluff-Luton. That can help with following class rules, lining up and getting along at lunch.
- Community sessions. Some sessions happen at a park, library or store, so your child can use new skills in the places your family already goes.
- Caregiver training. Your BCBA teaches you the strategies used in sessions. If a grandparent, aunt or older sibling watches your child after school, they can learn them too, so the plan stays the same no matter who is home.
Your BCBA meets with you regularly to review progress and update goals.
Insurance and coverage
We accept Iowa Medicaid and all of its health plans, plus Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna.
- Iowa Medicaid: 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.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield: in Iowa, that is Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
- Aetna: commercial plans.
Does a parent work across the river in Nebraska or South Dakota and carry insurance through that job? Call us and we’ll check those benefits, along with any other commercial plan. If your child has hawki, ABA is not covered right now, but we can talk through options. Our intake team requests approval from your plan before therapy starts. Learn more on our Iowa page.
Areas we serve
We serve families in Sioux City and nearby communities in Woodbury County, Iowa.
Sioux City neighborhoods
Morningside and Southern Hills, the North Side, Leeds, Greenville, Rose Hill, Riverside, the West Side and downtown.
Nearby Iowa towns
Sergeant Bluff, Luton and Lawton.
School districts
With the school’s permission, we can support your child during the school day in the Sioux City Community School District and in nearby districts such as Sergeant Bluff-Luton and Lawton-Bronson. Schools in this area are supported by Northwest AEA, which is based in Sioux City.
Iowa families only
We can’t provide services in South Sioux City or Dakota City, Nebraska, or in North Sioux City or Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. See all of our Iowa locations.
Practicing skills around town
Practicing in real places helps new skills stick. These public spots around Sioux City are good settings for community sessions.
- Morningside Branch Library. On Morningside Avenue, a library trip can work on using a quiet voice, waiting in line and handing over a book to check out.
- Perry Creek Branch Library. This Hamilton Boulevard branch hosts storytime for preschoolers, a chance to practice sitting with a group, listening and waiting for a turn to talk.
- Grandview Park. The playground is a place to practice taking turns, and the rose garden is good for walking calmly and keeping gentle hands.
- Riverside Park. Along Riverside Boulevard, the playground and trail help with staying close to a grown-up and moving from one activity to the next.
These are public places, not partners of ours. Your BCBA chooses the setting based on your child’s goals.
The Team
Aron Stein
Founder and CEO
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Beth Wittwer
Clinical Director
Sora Lee
Lead BCBA
Autism resources near you
These Sioux City resources can help with evaluations, early support and everyday health needs.
- Child Health Specialty Clinics, Sioux City. A regional clinic of University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. It offers the Regional Autism Assistance Program, which helps families find diagnostic services, plus family-to-family support. 2912 Hamilton Blvd., Suite 3. Call 712-224-5437. Learn more.
- Northwest AEA. Provides Early ACCESS for children from birth to age 3 at no cost and supports special education in area schools. 5800 Discovery Blvd. Call 712-222-6000, or 1-888-IAKIDS1 for an Early ACCESS referral. Learn more.
- Siouxland Mental Health Center, Child Services. Psychological testing and developmental, behavioral and emotional assessments for children, plus IEP and 504 plan support. 4265 Sergeant Road. Call 712-226-4543. Learn more.
- Siouxland District Health Department. Child health programs, including Care for Kids for children on Medicaid, and childhood immunizations. 1014 Nebraska St. Call 712-279-6119. 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 (712) 206-7766
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
No. We serve Iowa families only, so we can’t provide services in South Sioux City or Dakota City, Nebraska, or in North Sioux City or Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. On the Iowa side, we serve Sioux City and nearby Woodbury County towns such as Sergeant Bluff and Lawton. Families across the river can ask their own state’s Medicaid office about local providers.
Often, yes. With the school’s permission, a technician can support your child during the school day in the Sioux City Community School District or nearby districts like Sergeant Bluff-Luton. School sessions can help with classroom routines and getting along with other kids. Each school decides whether outside providers can join the school day, so we work with your child’s team to set it up.
Start with your child’s doctor. Locally, Child Health Specialty Clinics on Hamilton Boulevard (712-224-5437) runs the Regional Autism Assistance Program, which helps families find diagnostic services. Siouxland Mental Health Center offers developmental and psychological assessments for children. The University of Iowa Autism Center in Iowa City (1-877-686-0031) also sees children from across the state.
Yes, for children with an autism diagnosis when therapy 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. If your child has hawki instead of Medicaid, ABA is not covered right now, but call us and we’ll go over your options.
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.