The evaluation process begins when a pediatrician makes a referral or when a parent reaches out to request services directly to Believe In. Once the referral is received, the family is contacted to discuss the process, review expectations, and answer any initial questions. If a payment plan is preferred, half of the total cost must be paid prior to scheduling the evaluation and the remaining is due prior to receiving the diagnosis. Next, a Believe In special instructor is assigned to support the family throughout the process. The special instructor will be your contact point for any assistance your family needs before, during, and after the evaluation. Prior to the evaluation, your special instructor will complete a one-hour phone intake to gather developmental history, current concerns, and background information. The comprehensive evaluation itself lasts three to four hours and includes assessments by occupational and speech therapists. Families are encouraged to bring snacks and comfort items for your child. At Believe In, we evaluate the child as a team to assess current performance and identify areas of concern. Results are completed within one week and sent to your pediatrician for continuity of care and to receive the final autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, if your child qualifies. Once the signed report is received from the pediatrician, the family is contacted to either begin consultation services or receive the finalized report packet. Your family’s special instructor will provide three individualized goals along with three actionable steps parents can begin to implement immediately at home. From there, families can begin the consultation process at Believe In or use the evaluation report to pursue their own care plan

Believe In utilizes the most current, gold standard in autism assessments:

• ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Ed.)

• ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised)

• Sensory Profiles, 2nd Ed.

• PDDBI-PDD Behavior Inventory

• The REAL (The Roll Evaluation of Activities of Life)

• DASH-3 (Development Assessment for Severely Disabled)

• M-CHAT screening

To provide the best of care to your family and to offer a comprehensive evaluation for autism spectrum disorder, we currently do no accept insurance. We do offer payment plans for evaluations at Believe In. Contact us today to find out more.

Many clinicians—about half in the U.S.—choose not to work with insurance due to challenges that make it hard to provide high-quality assessments. Insurance companies often offer low reimbursement rates, delay or “claw back” payments, require time-consuming administrative work, and impose strict limits on session length or frequency. They also require clinics to share client diagnoses, which some families prefer to keep private.

These issues can disrupt care, reduce quality, and create financial instability for clinicians and families. To ensure we can offer consistent, individualized, high-quality support, Believe In operates as an Out-of-Network/Private Pay practice.

Your family pediatrician will receive the copy of the report to finalize your child’s diagnosis, if all criteria are met. You may wish to follow our recommendation plan to find a plan that fits your family’s needs or your family may wish to utilize our consulting services to assist your family in navigating therapeutic avenues for your child with autism. Our individualized consulting services empower families to difference for their child with autism. Click here to learn more about our consulting services.