West Allis · Milwaukee
We accept Medicaid and all major insurance plans, and we’ll walk you through your coverage before anything begins. We take the time to know your child, by name, by personality, by what makes them light up, so their plan is built around who they are.
Accepting Medicaid & most insurances
Support as your child grows
Full-day programs available
Fill out the short form to get started. We’ll review your information and help you understand the next steps for your child.
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You're not alone
If you’re reading this at midnight after another hard day, you’re not alone. Whether you just received a diagnosis, you’re waiting for one, or you simply know your child needs more support than they’re getting, we understand the exhaustion, the questions, and the hope that brought you here.
At our West Allis center, children learn through play, familiar routines, and one-on-one support. Our Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) programming can begin as young as age 1. We also offer center-based ABA, in-school ABA, hybrid support, and parent and caregiver training.
Our bilingual center offers Spanish programming, helping families connect with a team that understands their language and their child. Tell us your family’s preferred language when you reach out.
Your child’s personality, interests, and voice are strengths we build on. We’ll help you understand your options and take the next step with a team that gets to know your family.
Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), affects how a child communicates, connects with others, and experiences the world, and it looks different in every child. It occurs across every community, in about 1 in 31 children in the U.S. today. A diagnosis isn’t the end of a story; it’s the start of understanding your child more fully.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a research-backed approach that helps children build communication, social, and daily living skills, not by changing who they are, but by giving them tools to thrive as themselves.
Every session is delivered one-on-one, never in a group.
Here’s the truth: not all ABA looks the same. Ignite’s approach is play-based and naturalistic; therapy happens through the games, routines, and moments your child already loves, led by their interests, not a rigid script. That’s a deliberate difference from the table-based, compliance-driven model some larger providers still use.
What ABA builds
Words, signs, devices, whatever gets your child heard
Playing, sharing, and making friends
Dressing, eating, toileting, and self-care routines
Naming big feelings and moving through them
Reducing tantrums and aggression by teaching what to do instead
At our West Allis center, children can begin ESDM programming as young as age 1. The Early Start Denver Model uses play and everyday interactions to support early learning. We get to know your child’s interests and work with your family on goals for communication, connection, and participation in daily routines.
Children build communication, social, and everyday skills through one-on-one, play-based ABA therapy at our West Allis center. Each plan starts with your child’s interests and needs, then grows with them. Our team works closely with your family so progress in therapy connects with everyday life.
Your child’s learning doesn’t have to stop at the center door. Hybrid programming combines center-based and in-school ABA support when appropriate, helping children practice skills across settings. We work with your family and school team to plan a mix of support based on your child’s needs and insurance coverage.
Support can continue when your child starts school. In-school ABA helps children work on individualized skills in the setting where they use them, including classroom routines, communication, and connecting with others. Services depend on your child’s needs, school coordination, and insurance authorization.
You know your child in ways no one else does. We work with parents and caregivers to understand what’s helping, talk through challenges, and practice strategies that fit your family’s routines. It’s a chance to ask questions and feel more confident supporting your child beyond therapy.
Your family should feel understood when you reach out for support. Our bilingual West Allis center offers Spanish programming, with clinicians who help children and caregivers communicate in the language that works for them. Let our intake team know your preferred language so we can discuss your child’s needs and the support available.
Every plan is built around your child’s interests, not a standardized protocol, with supervision ratios well above the industry norm (15–20% vs. the typical 10%). Wisconsin-based and mission-driven, not backed by a private equity firm chasing scale.
What to expect
During your consultation, we’ll discuss your child’s strengths and challenges, answer all your questions, explain our services, and verify your insurance benefits, all at no cost to you.
Before we write a single goal, we spend time observing, listening, and learning what makes your child them: what they love, what’s hard, what a good day looks like.
Your family’s goals, not just clinical ones, shape the plan. You’ll help set what progress means for your child.
Sessions happen through play, in a 1:1 setting, led by trained therapists supervised closely by a BCBA, with you involved every step through parent training.
Data is collected every session and reviewed regularly with you: no surprises, no jargon, just honest updates on how your child is growing.
As skills stick, we scale back support thoughtfully, helping your child use what they’ve learned everywhere: home, school, the park.
When your child is thriving in their natural environment, that’s not goodbye. It’s the outcome we were working toward together.
Warm, playful spaces give children room to explore, connect, and learn. These photos from Ignite’s Fox Valley center offer a look at the welcoming environments we create for families.
MEET YOUR WEST ALLIS TEAM
Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) design and oversee your child’s therapy program. They create individualized plans, supervise therapists, and partner with you through training and progress updates.
At Ignite, BCBAs provide 15 – 20% supervision, double the industry standard, for faster, more personalized care.
Your first contact
When you call Ignite, you’ll hear a warm, welcoming voice ready to listen and help you understand the next steps.
Jenna, our intake coordinator, can answer your questions about getting started, services, and the intake process.
Call us at 920-599-8619. You can ask your questions directly to Jenna.
Samantha Chaulklin, M.S., BCBA, LBABilingual Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Associate Clinic Director for West Allis
ESDM Certified · IBA
Sami has been in the field of ABA since 2015. Upon earning her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology-Human Services and Spanish, she completed a Psychology and Spanish study abroad program in Lima, Peru. She then completed her coursework in ABA through Florida Institute of Technology in 2017, where she earned a Master of Science in Psychology- Child and Adolescent Development in 2021. Sami became board certified in 2022 and is a Licensed Behavior Analyst in the State of Wisconsin. She is passionate about providing functional communication training to clients in both English and Spanish and collaborating in schools. Sami has collaborated with a variety of multidisciplinary teams throughout her professional career, as well as while volunteering with the Global Autism Project. Outside of work, Sami enjoys dancing, painting, and spending time training her dogs.
Michell Ballesteros, M.S., BCBA, LBABoard Certified Behavior Analyst
Michell has been working in the ABA field since January 2020 and has experience in providing 1:1 services in clinics, homes, and schools. Over the last 2 years, Michell has taken the role of a senior therapist at Ignite, focusing on serving her Latinx community. Michell earned a Master’s Degree in Special Education (Applied Behavior Analysis) from Arizona State University. She became board certified in 2025 and is a Licensed Behavior Analyst in the State of Wisconsin. She has a passion for helping families gain access to Spanish speaking services around the Milwaukee area. During her free time, Michell loves spending time with her family and weight training at the gym.
Elizabeth Morales, M.S., BCBA, LBABoard Certified Behavior Analyst
Elizabeth discovered ABA in 2018 and became a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT). Over the years, she fell in love with ABA. She is passionate about functional communication training, reducing maladaptive behaviors, promoting independence, and seeing children’s progress. In August 2023, she received her Master of Arts in Special Education (Applied Behavior Analysis) from Arizona State University. Elizabeth joined Ignite in September 2022 to help her community by providing bilingual services. She became board certified in March of 2025 and is a Licensed Behavior Analyst in the State of Wisconsin. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys weightlifting, painting, watching anime, traveling, and being a foodie.
Insurance
We accept Medicaid and BadgerCare, as well as all major commercial insurance plans, including Optum/UHC and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Our team helps West Allis and Milwaukee-area families understand their benefits before therapy begins.
Medicaid & BadgerCare
You do not need an autism diagnosis to get started. A prescription for ABA therapy from your child’s pediatrician is all it takes to begin the process.
Commercial / Private
A formal autism diagnosis is required before ABA therapy can be authorized. If your child doesn’t have a diagnosis yet, we’re happy to help connect you with the right resources to start that process.
Don’t see your insurance listed? We may still be able to help. Our team works with families to explore every available path to coverage. Reach out and we’ll walk through your options together.
Our bilingual West Allis center supports children and families at 11709 W Cleveland Ave, West Allis, WI 53227. With Spanish programming and early support through ESDM for children as young as age 1, we help families find a starting point that fits their child.
Through center-based ABA, in-school ABA, and hybrid programming, we help children practice skills where they use them. Parent and caregiver training connects that learning with everyday routines at home.
Families choose Ignite for our compassionate, family-centered care and evidence-based practices, dedicated to helping every child thrive.
We know it’s hard to hope again, especially if you’ve been let down before.
✓ High-quality care you can trust (double BCBA supervision)
✓ Data-driven progress with fast adjustments
✓ You’re part of the team, not on the sidelines
✓ Most families start within weeks, not months
Early support gives children more opportunities to build communication, social, and everyday skills. At West Allis, ESDM programming can begin as young as age 1. We also offer ABA support that can continue as your child grows, based on their needs and insurance coverage.
Let’s talk about what your child needs and how we can help.
No. With Medicaid or BadgerCare, a prescription for ABA therapy from your child’s pediatrician is all it takes to begin the process.
Yes. Commercial and private plans require a formal autism diagnosis before ABA therapy can be authorized. If your child doesn’t have a diagnosis yet, we’re happy to help connect you with the right resources to start that process.
Our West Allis ESDM programming can begin as young as age 1. We also offer center-based ABA, in-school ABA, and hybrid support as children grow. Our team will help you understand which program fits your child’s needs, stage of development, and insurance coverage.
The length of therapy varies for each child. Children can continue in our center-based program until they begin school, then receive in-school and/or hybrid services if needed and if insurance allows. We review progress with your family and adjust support as your child grows.
Before we write a single goal, we spend time observing, listening, and learning what makes your child them: what they love, what’s hard, and what a good day looks like. Then we build a plan together with your family.
Yes. Our West Allis center offers Spanish programming and bilingual staff. Tell our intake team your family’s preferred language so we can talk through your child’s needs and help you connect with the right support.
We accept Medicaid and BadgerCare, as well as all major commercial plans, including Optum/UHC and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Reach out and our team will verify your benefits, explain your coverage in plain language, and manage the authorization paperwork for you.
You’ve read this far because you’re looking for the right fit, not just any provider. Let’s talk about what your family needs.
Parent Contact Form
Reaching out is a big step, and we’re glad you’re here. Fill out the short form to get started. It only takes a few minutes.
What happens next:
We’ll review your information to see if your child meets the initial criteria for our core programming.
Please keep an eye on your email (check spam, just in case) and voicemail in the days after you submit. We move quickly and don’t want to miss you.
