Autism Scholarship in Ohio: How Families Pay for ABA With Medicaid and the ASP
Ohio gives families of autistic children two separate checkbooks. One belongs to the school system. The other belongs to Medicaid. Families exploring ABA therapy services in Ohio usually hit the same wall: which one pays for what?
The autism scholarship in Ohio, officially the Autism Scholarship Program (ASP), is a state education scholarship worth up to $34,000 for the 2026-27 school year. It lets parents of autistic children ages 3 to 21 take the services in their child's IEP or Autism Education Plan (AEP) to an approved private or alternative public provider. Ohio Medicaid is separate. It covers medically necessary ABA therapy for enrolled children under 21 through Healthchek, Ohio's version of the federal EPSDT benefit. The scholarship funds education. Medicaid funds clinical treatment. Families can often use both, as long as the two never pay for the same service.
What the Autism Scholarship in Ohio Pays For
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce frames the autism scholarship in Ohio as a choice. Parents can send their child to a special education program other than the one their district runs, and get the services in the IEP or AEP there.
That framing matters. The ASP is an education program, not health insurance.
Under Ohio Revised Code 3310.41, scholarship money can pay for:
- Tuition at a special education program run by a registered private provider or an alternative public provider
- Services that carry out the child's IEP or AEP
- Other education-related services the provider and parent agree on
- Services from more than one provider at the same time
The law also lists who can deliver intervention services. That list includes certified behavior analysts, Registered Behavior Technicians working under a behavior analyst's supervision, certified Ohio behavior analysts, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists. Services can be delivered virtually, and supervision can be too.
The dollar amount. The state's FY2027 award sheet sets the maximum at $34,000 for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. A child must be enrolled for the full school year to receive the full amount. Parents cover anything above the cap, plus any service not listed in the IEP or AEP. With ABA billed at roughly $65 to $100 an hour, what Ohio families pay for intensive weekly hours can pass that cap within one school year.
The trade-off. While a child uses the scholarship, the home district is no longer required to provide a free appropriate public education, except for writing the IEP or education plan. Parents can return to district services at any time by declining further scholarship payments. Families comparing scholarship providers with district services for ABA therapy in Ohio should weigh this point before enrolling.
Ohio Autism Scholarship Application: Who Qualifies and What to Do First
A child qualifies if they are at least 3 and under 22, are entitled to attend school in an Ohio district, and meet one of these conditions:
- The district has identified the child as autistic
- The district's IEP includes services related to autism
- A physician or psychologist has diagnosed autism, and the district has written an IEP or an AEP
The third route surprises many parents. A private diagnosis counts. If the child has no IEP with autism services, the district must develop an education plan based on that diagnosis. The state asks that the diagnosis letter be signed and dated, list the clinician's address and phone number, identify the child, and clearly state the diagnosis. Knowing the IEP and 504 difference helps here, because the law names an IEP or AEP as the qualifying document.
There is no income test. State law bars the department from requiring income verification.
The official application steps run in this order:
- Confirm eligibility using the criteria above.
- Find a participating provider in the state's Scholarship Provider Directory.
- Enroll with that provider. Providers typically supply the scholarship application.
- Finalize the IEP or AEP. The state will not award a scholarship while the IEP is still being developed or while a dispute over it is pending.
- Track the award in the parent portal, which shows application status, progress reports, and monthly invoices.
One detail catches families off guard. If a family enrolls with a business provider rather than a school, the parent becomes responsible for home educating the child.
Questions go to the Autism Scholarship Program at autismscholarship@education.ohio.gov or 614-728-3480.
Does Ohio Medicaid Cover ABA Therapy?
Yes. Ohio calls its EPSDT benefit Healthchek. According to Ohio Medicaid's Healthchek guide, it serves enrolled children and young adults under 21. Federal EPSDT coverage rules require states to cover medically necessary services that correct or improve a child's condition. That requirement is how ABA moved into regular Medicaid in most states, and it explains why autism waivers faded across the country.
Most Ohio children on Medicaid get care through one of seven managed care plans listed in the state enrollment notice:
- AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio
- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
- Buckeye Health Plan
- CareSource
- Humana Healthy Horizons in Ohio
- Molina Healthcare of Ohio
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
The child's plan handles prior authorization for ABA. Families can reach the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline at 800-324-8680.
Why ABA counts as medical care. Medical necessity rests on evidence. A 2018 Cochrane review led by Brian Reichow pooled five studies covering 219 young autistic children. It found weak evidence that early intensive behavioral intervention, which is built on ABA, improved adaptive behavior, IQ scores, and expressive and receptive language compared with generic special education services. It found no difference in autism symptom severity. Plans also require a formal diagnosis first, which is why who qualifies for ABA starts with an evaluation.
Demand is climbing. Ohio Department of Medicaid data shows members with ABA claims grew from 1,341 in 2020 to 4,569 in 2025.
The rules are changing. In a July 2026 ODM presentation, the state shared a revised draft ABA rule. It is not final. Key proposals include:
- Diagnosis and ABA referral from a practitioner who is not employed by the ABA provider
- At least 4 hours a month of parent or guardian participation, written into the treatment plan
- Registered Behavior Technician certification for technicians
- Typical ranges of 10 to 25 hours a week for comprehensive care and 1 to 20 for focused care
- No overlap between Medicaid ABA in a school setting and Autism or Jon Peterson scholarship services
Medicaid-funded ABA can also take place at home. In-home ABA sessions are one setting where clinical goals like communication and daily routines get targeted.
Medicaid and the Autism Scholarship: Using Both Without Double-Billing
The two programs answer different questions. Here is how they compare:
| Autism Scholarship Program | Ohio Medicaid (Healthchek) | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | Ohio Department of Education and Workforce | Ohio Department of Medicaid and its managed care plans |
| Pays for | Education services in the IEP or AEP | Medically necessary ABA treatment |
| Ages | 3 to 21 | Under 21 |
| Income test | None | Medicaid financial eligibility |
| Annual amount | Up to $34,000 (FY2027) | Hours set through prior authorization |
| Key requirement | Finalized IEP or AEP and a registered provider | Diagnosis, medical necessity, prior authorization |
| Trade-off | District's FAPE obligation pauses | Draft rule adds parent participation |
The overlap question matters most when ABA happens in a classroom. School-based ABA billed to Medicaid could not cover the same service a scholarship already funds under the draft rule. Clear documentation keeps each payer in its own lane, a process our clinical team handles as part of treatment planning.
An example of how this can look. Consider a family in Dayton with a 5-year-old diagnosed by a developmental pediatrician. The district had not identified autism, so the parents request an AEP based on the private diagnosis. Once the AEP is final, they enroll with a registered provider for school-day services paid by the scholarship. Their child is also on Medicaid, so the managed care plan authorizes ABA at home after school. A parent joins monthly parent training sessions, which lines up with the draft rule's participation proposal. School-day and home hours target different goals and are documented separately, so no service is billed twice. (Illustrative scenario.)
ABA Therapy Insurance Coverage in Ohio for Families With Private Plans
Some families carry commercial insurance instead of, or alongside, Medicaid. Under Ohio's autism mandate, state-regulated plans must cover autism screening, diagnosis, and treatment. For children under 14, the minimum includes 20 hours a week of clinical therapeutic intervention, which includes ABA.
Two conditions apply:
- Prior authorization is required.
- A qualified prescriber must order the services: a psychologist trained in autism, a developmental pediatrician, or a pediatric clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner.
The mandate does not apply to non-grandfathered individual and small group plans. Self-funded employer plans are generally governed by federal rules rather than state mandates. Ohio law also states that the mandate does not affect services owed under an IEP.
Ohio's funding map comes down to three questions. Does your child have Medicaid? Does your child have an IEP or AEP with autism services? Is your health plan state-regulated? Each yes opens a different door, and the autism scholarship in Ohio is only one of them.
Loop in our Ohio intake team with your child's Medicaid plan name and IEP or AEP status, and we'll map out which hours each funding source can realistically cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the autism scholarship in Ohio?
It is a state education scholarship that pays approved providers to deliver the services in an autistic child's IEP or AEP. The maximum is $34,000 for 2026-27.
How much is the Ohio autism scholarship?
Up to $34,000 for FY2027, which runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Parents pay anything above that amount.
Who qualifies for the Ohio autism scholarship?
Children ages 3 to 21 whose district identified autism, whose IEP includes autism services, or who have a doctor's or psychologist's diagnosis plus an IEP or AEP.
How do I apply for the autism scholarship in Ohio?
Pick a participating provider from the state directory, enroll, and make sure the IEP or AEP is final. Track your status in the parent portal.
Does Ohio Medicaid cover ABA therapy?
Yes. Healthchek covers medically necessary ABA for enrolled children under 21, usually with prior authorization from the managed care plan.
Can I use Medicaid and the autism scholarship at the same time?
Usually yes, for different services. Ohio's draft rule says Medicaid ABA in a school setting cannot overlap with scholarship-funded services.
Is there an income limit for the Ohio autism scholarship?
No. Ohio law bars the state from requiring income verification.
Sources:
- https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Other-Resources/Scholarships/Autism-Scholarship
- https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3310.41
- https://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Other-Resources/Scholarships/Autism-Scholarship/Autism-Scholarship-Resources/FY-2027-ASP-Category-Award-Amount.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US
- https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Other-Resources/Scholarships/Autism-Scholarship/How-to-Apply-for-an-Autism-Scholarship
- https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/medicaid.ohio.gov/Resources/Publications/Materials/English/Healthchek.pdf
- https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009260.pub3
- https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/medicaid.ohio.gov/BH/provider/Presentations/7.30_ABA_Presentation.pdf
- https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3923.84
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