Arizona Tribune - Action Behavior Centers' Family Advocacy Team Meets with State Lawmakers in Texas to Discuss Access to ABA Therapy for Autism

AUSTIN, TX / ACCESS Newswire / September 3, 2026 / Action Behavior Centers (ABC), a leading provider of evidence-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is taking an active role in state and federal advocacy efforts to protect and expand access to autism services across Texas.

Texas Legislative Staff Tours ABC's Mueller Center

This summer, ABC welcomed staff from the Texas Legislature to its Mueller ABA Center in Austin, Texas, one of more than 200 ABA therapy centers across the state. Budget Analysts from the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, along with policy staff from the Speaker of the House and Senator Schwertner's offices, toured the center and met with ABC's Austin leadership team. The conversation highlighted the long-term benefits of early, evidence-based ABA therapy, which can help autistic children build communication, social interaction, and independence skills. It also emphasized the need to address gaps in access to these critical services for families who rely on Medicaid.

Evidence consistently shows that early behavioral intervention leads to improved educational and social outcomes while lowering long-term healthcare costs for the state.¹ "The families we support are resilient, but they can't bear the weight of policy instability," said Bryan Davey, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Vice President of Public Policy & Advocacy at Action Behavior Centers. "When funding is cut, care becomes harder to reach for many families. Our goal is to make sure legislators understand that early intervention doesn't just improve quality of life; it saves taxpayer dollars long-term."

The Action Institute for Outcomes Research (AIoR), ABC's research arm led by Executive Director Dr. Linda LeBlanc, evaluates treatment outcomes and shares results with families, clinicians, and the scientific community, feeding results into continuous quality improvement in daily practice across its 450+ ABA centers. In a white paper posted in 2021, the AIoR followed 20 children ages 2-6 who received ABA therapy at ABC for at least one year and found an 86% decrease in unsafe or challenging behaviors, with most progress happening during the first year of therapy.²

These benefits are also reflected in an AIoR study of 193 families, which found that 71% of children who graduated from ABA treatment spent most or all of their time in general education settings, compared with 58% of children who exited services prematurely spent most or all of their time in special education or alternative placements.³

A Commitment to Families and The Future of Autism Care

Through coordinated advocacy efforts, Action Behavior Centers' Family Advocacy team continues to champion policies that help protect children's access to autism therapy, support families who depend on Medicaid, and strengthen the ABA provider network.

"Our mission has always extended beyond the walls of our centers," said Dr. Davey. "The ABC Family Advocacy team is here to make sure that every child, regardless of their ZIP code or insurance type, can access the life-changing care they deserve."

Families can learn more about ABC and advocacy opportunities by visiting: www.actionbehavior.com/about/advocacy

¹ Janet Cakir, Richard E. Frye and Stephen J. Walker, "The Lifetime Social Cost of Autism: 1990-2029," Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 72 (2020): 101502, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.101502.

²Charna Mintz, C. Schutte and S. Borella, "A Longitudinal Study of the Reduction of Challenging Behavior Through Early Intensive and Comprehensive Applied Behavior Analysis" (white paper, Action Behavior Centers, 2021), www.actionbehavior.com/resource/research.

³ Linda LeBlanc, Charna Mintz, A. Caffee and B. Kaplan, "School Placement Outcomes Following Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention in a Routine Clinical Care Setting," Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2025), https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-06880-2.

About Action Behavior Centers

Action Behavior Centers (ABC) provides evidence-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our services include diagnostic support, Family Guidance, school readiness programs, and Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) at 450+ locations across Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. Visit actionbehavior.com to find a center near you.

Media Contact:

Matt Stringer
Chief Marketing Officer
[email protected]

SOURCE: Action Behavior Centers

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