NOTICE: Some centers are experiencing delays or closures. Learn more X
Close

Parents & Guardians

A Parent's Guide to Smiles & Skills

Everything we do is for the “wow” moments, like those first conversations with your child. Hear from a Hopebridge mom, whose son with autism was non-verbal when he began therapy.

play-button Hear from Hopebridge Parents
View Discuss challenges with doctor

Do you think your child may show signs of autism?

When a child begins to exhibit behaviors that cause concern or indicate challenges, families and caregivers need someone they can trust for help and support without judgment.

If you think autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or a developmental delay may be a reality in your child’s life, there is hope. We are here to help you every step of the way; providing specialized services for children 15 months to 10 years of age. Hopebridge’s compassionate, licensed psychologists and therapists have earned the trust of hundreds of pediatricians, schools and families.

Not sure where to start? Talk to your pediatrician and slide through the steps above to navigate the process from obtaining a diagnosis to receiving the care your child needs to lead the life he or she deserves.

View Obtain a diagnosis

Get a referral to determine a diagnosis

Behaviors or challenges your child experiences may or may not be related to autism, but there is one thing in which all experts agree: early identification is key.

Every person with ASD experiences different challenges and abilities, so diagnosing isn’t black and white. Observe and take note of your child’s developmental milestones, lack thereof, regressions and any other behaviors that worry you. Discuss these with your pediatrician and if you still have concerns, have them write a referral for a diagnostic evaluation. Have patience throughout this process, but be persistent.

Evidence shows that the earlier development is evaluated, the greater the chance a child has to reach his or her potential. Knowing this, Hopebridge provides some of the quickest answers in the area – in as little as 45 days! We can diagnose autism in toddlers as young as 15 months, so if there are behaviors or delays that concern you, don’t wait. You can schedule an appointment with a member of our Hopebridge diagnostic team, which offers thorough, insurance-recognized autism testing. Once we receive a referral from the physician, we contact you within 48 business hours to verify basic information and get the process moving.

To find out more about Hopebridge’s testing options and schedule an appointment, reach out through our Contact page or call us at (855) 324-0885.

View Develop a therapy plan

Craft a custom plan of care

We don’t treat a diagnosis. We treat your child. Finding out whether your child has autism is imperative in guiding our direction for therapy services, but simply knowing does not overcome his or her struggles.

Autism has so many different faces. Each kid has unique challenges and abilities. We take this into consideration and teach across a spectrum, from low-functioning to high-functioning autism. We aim to embrace everyone under the ASD diagnosis, which is now also inclusive of what was previously known as Asperger’s Syndrome. At Hopebridge, each child has his or her own team of talented, passionate professionals with a commitment to create a plan of care tailored for each individual.

Individuals with ASD often have needs that will benefit from ABA, speech, feeding and occupational therapy. As as a result, we typically conduct ABA, speech and OT evaluations* to discover targeted areas for intervention. The comprehensive behavioral and skills assessments ensure goals are selected based on your child’s chronological age and developmental needs. Whether that be potty-training in the short term or setting him or her up for preschool in the long term, we use these results to develop a plan to get there.

With multiple coordinated therapies and natural environmental possibilities under one roof, our team collaborates to develop the most effective mix within a Hopebridge Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP) for each family. Frequency and duration of therapy is determined based on the results of the evaluation, but we follow the guidelines of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, which recommend 20 to 40 hours of ABA per week to provide the best possible chance of success and independence.

View Request insurance authorization

Receive insurance authorization for autism therapy

Hopebridge accepts a number of participating insurance providers to make therapy accessible for the widest possible range of families. Because therapy coverage varies by plan, our full-service insurance team provides support from start to finish to make sure your child is eligible for applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy). For an up-to-date list of participating payers by state, click here.

During the appointment, the psychologist may use a combination of standardized measures to determine if the criteria for an autism diagnosis, as defined by the DSM-5, is met. The assessments may vary slightly from child to child, depending on a few different factors related to the individual being evaluated, such as speech level and age, as well as whether the appointment is held face-to-face or virtually. Our Care and Benefits Team can work with you to contact your child’s insurance company to obtain the proper approval for an evaluation.

After the evaluation is completed and the family receives the diagnostic report, our client advocates work directly with your insurance company to obtain authorization for therapy services. Once your child’s physician approves the plan, a Care and Benefits Coordinator can help dissect your coverage to determine the final cost.

View Work toward goals

Start the therapy your child needs to thrive

Once the logistics are cleared, that’s when the fun begins. With our Hopebridge 360 Care model, your child will receive one-on-one attention through ABA’s evidence-based practices blended with other crucial services, like occupational and speech therapies.*

All ABA programs are developed and overseen by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), but directed by parents’ input on goals. For instance, want to prepare your child for school or learn to socialize with other children? We have the experience, time and resources to start small and build our way up. Our therapists begin with one-on-one skills, then can slowly work up to parallel play, interactive play and even mock classroom-like settings. Your child will have access to on-site clinical support, which ensures safe responses to prevent, minimize and manage behavioral challenges.

Once objectives are set and plans are implemented, progress is monitored and programmatic changes are determined with help from data evaluation. Your child’s goals and progress are personally reviewed with you every 90 days. Parent education and home programming are also offered to enhance the benefits of therapy.

View Transition from the program

Receive support through the transition process

These kiddos hold special places in our hearts forever, but it is never our intent to keep them in our centers forever. Our happiest days are those in which our little learners transition out of their programs and onto new adventures.

Just like the children we work with, transitions fall along a broad spectrum. They are goal-driven and timelines vary. Gaining independence and catching up on developmentally age-appropriate skills are usually strong signs kids are ready to grow into the next phase. For some, this means evolving from full time to part time therapy in the center. For others, it’s progressing into preschool, kindergarten or another grade level, either in special education or regular education classrooms.

No matter which route they take, our clinicians not only help them get there, but support families throughout the transition process. Regular check-ins with parents, schools and physicians are available to ensure long-term success. It’s all part of 360 Care.

The journey doesn’t end here. This is just the beginning of a beautiful life, here at Hopebridge, home and beyond.

Benefits of Attending Hopebridge +

What sets Hopebridge apart?

When we asked the parents of our learners to tell us about Hopebridge from their perspective, the answers always boil down to our unmatched combination of services and benefits. It’s the welcoming autism testing experience and insurance support from the moment they connect with us. Once they’re part of the Hopebridge family, it’s the center-based atmosphere, innovative mix of coordinated therapies and dynamite team of superheroes who have their backs. It’s the whole package. More importantly, it’s the outcomes that stem from that package.

Hopebridge provides autism therapy within our center-based locations.

We are devoted to meeting your children wherever they may be on their journeys. Our resources allow us to guide your children through obstacles and bring them to experiences you might not have imagined were possible.

ABOUT HOPEBRIDGE

Autism isn’t contagious, but my smile is

ASD is not something that can be “cured” with medication. Instead, our combination of ABA, occupational and speech therapies is proven to produce outcomes that build foundational skills and minimize interfering behaviors.

Hopebridge is trusted by pediatricians and schools for more than a decade of experience in providing the most effective, dependable care for kids with autism and a variety of challenges across a spectrum, including (but not limited to):

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Developmental delays
  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
  • Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
  • Hearing impairments
  • Feeding challenges
  • Difficulty understanding or expressing language
  • Sensory-processing difficulties
  • Poor coordination
  • Muscle weakness
  • Visual perceptual and visual motor challenges
  • Attention and regulation difficulties

Unlock your child’s world: it starts with a diagnosis

We look forward to working with new kids no matter where they are on their journey. Some come to us with an autism diagnosis, but if your family still needs answers, we are here to support you through the assessment. Our team can conduct testing for autism on children as young as 15 months old. The process may seem mysterious and even intimidating, but Hopebridge aims to ease the stress. Here’s what to expect…

  • Once you have a referral and connect with our Care and Benefits Team, they will contact you within 48 business hours to assist with insurance pre-authorization and schedule an appointment.
  • Parents and guardians must complete advance paperwork via our patient portal, in addition to the on-site or virtual appointments.
  • Our clinicians use standardized assessments for our evaluations. The diagnostic tools vary slightly from child to child, depending on factors like speech level and age, but across the board, it will often feel and look like play time! The activities are designed to bring about behaviors and social characteristics associated with ASD.
  • Following the evaluation, the clinician will provide a diagnostic report and recommendations for next steps.

For a deeper, step-by-step look at the Hopebridge diagnostic process, visit our blog. If you suspect your child could benefit from our diagnostic services, don’t wait. Work with us to start the referral process now.

Families, we’re all in this together

We know your kid means the world to you. The therapy your child receives at Hopebridge will be significant in their life, but caregivers must be involved at home and in other environmental situations in order to receive optimal outcomes. That’s why we not only serve them here in our centers; we also provide families with personalized, insurance-approved guidance and learning services to adapt and practice new skills and behaviors outside our walls.

Success is making an impact that changes lives in a meaningful way, and our team’s goal is to give your family the support, tools and resources needed to do exactly that!

In the meantime, here are some digital resources to have at your fingertips.

AUTISM RESOURCES

Your questions, answered

If autism is new to you, the questions may be flooding in…

What age range does Hopebridge serve? What if my child does not have a diagnosis? Will insurance pay for ABA therapy? How often does my child need to attend Hopebridge?

Don’t worry, we have you covered. Give us a call or scan through our FAQs to learn more about what it’s like to work with us as we answer some of the most common questions related to Hopebridge’s 360 Care autism therapy services.

Find out more about:

– Testing and Diagnostic services
– Applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy)
– Pediatric outpatient therapies
– Insurance
– Ages served

FAQS

"To watch Kyran's therapist sit across from him with tears in her eyes and tell him how proud she is of him...I love that feeling. I love that he has so much support aside from me. That is the biggest reason we've seen so much progress with Hopebridge. The people who work here genuinely care about what they're doing."

Hannah - mom to Kyran

"From the moment we interviewed, we knew Hopebridge was exactly what we needed. We were in tears! It's such a benefit to have ABA, speech and occupational therapy all in one place, plus we love that they encourage parents to join in the therapy so we can mirror what they're doing at home."

Arianna - mom to Aurora

"We've seen Leah grow and make so much progress. She's saying words. Speech-generation devices help her communicate. She knows how to functionally play with peers. These are skills she never would have learned if we hadn't sought help because I wouldn't have known how to teach her."

Sarah McClary - mom to Leah and BCBA at Hopebridge

"I was told not to expect to see new skills as fast at home as he would do them at Hopebridge. That was not the case. Once he started learning, he took off. He used his PECS book to tell me what he wanted. He just started potty training and a week later, he's going on his own without even asking."

Melissa - mom to Jonathan

"The care, compassion and dedication the therapists show to our son is truly astounding. With every one of Homer's milestones, they celebrate just as much as we do. They are focused and passionate about helping children like Homer. We are truly blessed to have our son receive services from the great people at Hopebridge."

Kevin - father to Homer