Our Story

“Priorities – A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”

–Anonymous

This quote serves as inspiration not only for our name, Priorities ABA, but also for the backbone and values of our company and our staff’s perspective on working with children.

Priorities ABA specializes in behavioral consulting and therapy services for children with autism spectrum disorder. Our goal is to provide a highly effective treatment for both children and families with autism by following a method scientifically proven to bring clear results.

A North Carolina-based organization, Priorities ABA was opened in 2001 by Apple and Russell Boyce. Apple’s background includes first-hand experience in direct ABA instruction, generalization and naturalization of skills, community involvement, school inclusion, and evaluations. She is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA), a North Carolina licensed psychological associate (LPA) with Health Provider Status (HSP-PA), and a licensed behavior analyst (LBA) in Virginia.

With services in New Bern, Jacksonville, Fayetteville, Raleigh, and Charlotte, North Carolina, we work with military families stationed at Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune, New River Air Station, Fort Bragg, and other areas. Priorities ABA is part of LEARN Behavioral, a national organization dedicated to nurturing potential in children and young adults with autism—and supporting families from day one. We consider you, as parents and caregivers, your child’s first and most important teacher, and we partner with you to create an environment in which you and your child can thrive.

The LEARN Advantage

Local Services, National Resources

Our team at Priorities ABA delivers services across North Carolina, but we’re also part of LEARN Behavioral, a national organization that specializes in using contemporary applied behavior analysis (ABA) to deliver treatment tailored exclusively to the needs of every child with autism in our care. 

As part of LEARN, Priorities ABA offers your child and family the convenience and familiarity of local services, with the advantages of a progressive and collaborative national organization at the forefront of autism treatment.

And the advantages are real.

Our local and national clinicians arrive at work each day equipped with the latest research, the most extensive support and professional development, and clinical insights from one of the largest and most diverse behavioral health data sets in the country, amassed from treating more than 25,000 children over two decades. Our ability to derive insights from your child’s data, in addition to the aggregated data we’ve accumulated over time and across the country, gives us what we need to make evidence-based treatment decisions—and ultimately deliver personalized, effective care.

With more than 30 doctoral-level clinicians, 450 behavior analysts, and 3,700 behavior technicians, our organization treats more than 5,000 children across 18 states—and counting. Our clinical team, led by Hanna Rue, PhD, BCBA-D, makes up a concentration of ABA professionals unmatched by any other provider. Likewise, our clinical practice has been built over time by the collective inputs of leading minds and founding luminaries in the autism field, including Connie Kasari, Carl Sundberg, Bill Frea, Marjorie Charlop, Ronit Molko, Linda LeBlanc, and Laura Schreibman.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

LEARN and PRIORITIES ABA KNOW WE’RE NOT ALL THE SAME.

Recognizing differences and tailoring our approach are at the core of what we do. That’s why we’re committed to fostering a culture that embraces what makes us each unique, whether race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disabilities/abilities, or socioeconomic background. LEARN and Priorities ABA aim to acknowledge the lived experiences and diversity of perspectives of our staff and the children and families we serve. We pledge to create a community centered around trust, respect, tolerance, and empathy. Together, we’re better.