A recent news story from Thunder Bay, Ontario, put the spotlight on one family’s heartbreaking experience trying to secure basic care for their daughter. It’s a story that’s deeply familiar to many in the ABA business community, yet it also serves as a powerful reminder: when delivered ethically and effectively, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) can transform lives—even when systems let families down.
The family’s daughter, Ava, was born with complex medical needs. She’s First Nations, and under Canada’s “Jordan’s Principle,” government agencies are supposed to ensure that Indigenous children receive essential services without delay or jurisdictional squabbling. Yet, as the...
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CBC reported, Ava’s parents were caught between provincial and federal bureaucracy. Despite being approved for funding—including home-based ABA therapy—her care was held up by finger-pointing, red tape, and a lack of urgency.
For months, her parents struggled alone. The supports she was promised—including skilled ABA therapy—were there on paper, but not in practice. Only after public pressure did officials act, finally providing the resources Ava desperately needed. In the meantime, her family was left to navigate burnout, financial stress, and the heartbreak of watching their child wait for the help that could change her future.
Why This Matters: The Human Impact of Delayed Care
Stories like Ava’s don’t just reflect cracks in the healthcare or social services system. They expose how devastating the lack of timely, ethical ABA services can be for a family. It isn’t just about checklists, approvals, or billing codes. It’s about missed milestones, lost opportunities, and daily stress that ripples through an entire household.
ABA, done right, is never just a therapy. It’s a life-changing partnership—one that empowers parents, supports siblings, and helps children reach their fullest potential. Ava’s parents didn’t just want respite; they were desperate for a team that could help their daughter communicate, learn, and thrive. The evidence is clear: with consistent, well-delivered ABA, children like Ava can make gains that go far beyond what most bureaucrats imagine. The absence of that support is not just an administrative error. It’s a failure to honor a child’s right to progress.
Canada vs. the U.S.: Access Isn’t Equal, but the Need Is
It’s tempting to assume that public health systems like Canada’s would ensure smoother, more reliable access to ABA. In reality, families across provinces often encounter waitlists, funding disputes, and a patchwork of rules about who is eligible for services. Jordan’s Principle was meant to eliminate delays for Indigenous children, yet stories like Ava’s show that implementation often falls short of intention.
Contrast this with the United States, where access to ABA is primarily shaped by insurance mandates, Medicaid policy, and regional advocacy. While the U.S. is far from perfect—many families face denials, high deductibles, or narrow provider networks—the sheer scale of ABA availability is broader. State-by-state insurance reform, a robust private ABA provider landscape, and an expanding field of ethical ABA practice owners have combined to offer more families a real choice.
In most of the U.S., a motivated parent can find and access an ABA provider, even if it takes work and advocacy. There’s a greater variety of providers, a larger workforce of BCBAs and RBTs, and more peer support from other families. Ethical ABA businesses—those committed to transparency, quality, and practical support—are able to innovate, scale, and serve communities where gaps once existed.
When ABA Is More Than a Service—It’s a System Changer
Ava’s story is a testament to what happens when systems fail. But it’s also a call to action for the ABA field. In both Canada and the U.S., ABA providers have the power—and responsibility—to lead by example. The best ABA companies aren’t just delivering billable hours. They’re navigating policy, collaborating with other professionals, and giving families the tools and knowledge to advocate for their children.
Done ethically, ABA is never about one-size-fits-all programs or maximizing hours for the sake of a bottom line. It’s about listening to families, setting measurable and meaningful goals, and being honest about what’s possible. It’s about helping children like Ava not just survive, but truly participate in family and community life.
Ethical ABA practice also means staying ahead of the compliance curve: understanding privacy laws, keeping parent communication clear, and supporting staff with the onboarding and training they need to handle complex cases compassionately. These are the tools that allow an ABA business to serve families—even when the system drags its feet.
The Difference Access Makes
If there’s one takeaway from Ava’s experience, it’s this: access isn’t just about paperwork. It’s about equity, opportunity, and dignity. When families wait months or years for services, the window for progress narrows. But when they can find an ethical, well-trained ABA team that’s ready to start, the difference is life-changing.
In the U.S., families often have more direct pathways to ABA care, even if that journey still requires persistence and support. Startups and established ABA businesses alike have made huge strides in making services more accessible and family-centered. In Canada, while the policy framework promises universal access, real delivery can depend on geography, advocacy, and whether governments keep their word.
The solution on both sides of the border? More accountability. More family-driven practice. More support for the ABA business owners who are willing to put values first. And more education—so parents know what to expect, what to ask for, and what true, ethical ABA should look like.
How ABA Businesses Can Step Up
The lesson from Thunder Bay isn’t just about government failure. It’s about the power of community. ABA companies—whether a solo BCBA or a large group—have the ability to fill gaps, guide families, and raise the standard for what care can look like.
Here’s how ABA practice owners and leaders can respond:
- Make family education part of every intake and ongoing service—so parents know their rights and what good ABA looks like.
- Build strong partnerships with local advocates, schools, and allied health professionals to ensure no child falls through the cracks.
- Focus on actionable onboarding and training for staff, so every therapist is ready to provide ethical, effective care—even in complex family situations.
- Use clear, compassionate communication about what’s covered, what’s not, and how to navigate challenges—reducing the stress that comes with delays or policy disputes.
- Stay informed about regional and national policy changes, so you can help families access all available resources, whether public or private.
Final Thoughts: From Policy to Practice
Ava’s story could have ended differently. With consistent, high-quality ABA, her family could have spent those months celebrating milestones, not battling bureaucracy. That’s the promise—and the responsibility—of the ABA profession, on both sides of the border.
Every ethical ABA provider, business owner, and advocate can take this as a rallying cry: keep pushing for access, for accountability, and for practices that center the family, not the system. Because every day a child waits is a day of progress lost—and every day ABA is delivered well is a day a family gets hope back.
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