Using FES-UA for ABA Therapy

Many Miami-Dade families ask whether the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) can help pay for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Short answer: Step Up’s purchasing guidance lists ABA services provided by or under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) among approved specialized services when obtained from approved providers. Details and processes can change by scholarship year—confirm in the current Step Up handbook and your EMA account.

FES-UA is an ESA, not a Medicaid auth portal

FES-UA funds sit in an Education Savings Account framework administered through Step Up For Students. Families typically:

• Log into EMA
• Use Marketplace → Find Providers to locate pre-approved vendors when direct purchasing is available
• Or pay eligible expenses and request reimbursement when that option applies

Medicaid prior authorization and FES-UA purchasing are different systems. Do not assume a Medicaid denial or approval automatically changes your ESA balance rules.

What “approved ABA” usually means in Step Up materials

Step Up’s specialized services guidance (see their purchasing guides / non-school provider handbook) describes ABA provided by or under BCBA supervision—for example, services delivered by a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) under BCBA supervision. Providers generally need to meet Step Up’s definition of an approved specialized services provider (for example, appropriate Florida licensure/credential pathways described in their handbooks).

Behavioral for Kids offers BCBA-led ABA with RBT support and can discuss how clinic intake interacts with your family’s chosen Step Up payment method. We do not invent network contract numbers or guarantee that a specific marketplace listing status will match what you see on a given day—verify inside EMA.

Direct billing vs reimbursement

Families commonly choose one of these patterns (availability depends on Step Up and provider setup):

1. Direct billing / marketplace reservation through Find Providers when the provider participates.
2. Pay out of pocket for eligible services, then submit a reimbursement request with required documentation.

Ask Step Up which documents (invoices, credentials, service descriptions) they need for your chosen method.

Award amounts and hours

Award amounts vary by student and matrix. Step Up publishes scholarship amount information; clinics should not promise a dollar figure or a set weekly hour count based on “average” awards. Build the clinical recommendation first, then map funding.

Suggested parent workflow

1. Confirm FES-UA eligibility and award status with Step Up.
2. Review the current purchasing guide for specialized services.
3. Search Find Providers (or ask our intake team how we currently support ESA families).
4. Complete clinical intake: goals, assessment needs, caregiver training preferences (English/Spanish).
5. Align scheduling with how funds are reserved or reimbursed.

Related clinic services

ABA often pairs with speech, OT, or PT when clinically appropriate. See Speech, OT & PT with FES-UA.

Call us

Ready to talk through ABA intake while you navigate Step Up? Call (786) 360-2655 · Miami Lakes · info@behavioralforkids.com.