FAQ

Common symptoms of autism include communication delays, limited eye contact, restricted interests, repetitive behaviors such as rocking, hand flapping, or spinning, intense reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, textures, or lights, difficulty adjusting behavior to social situations, and difficulty engaging in imaginative play or making and maintaining friendships.

If you suspect that your child has autism, write down your concerns, including examples of possible symptoms that you or other family members have noticed, as well as any concerns that may have been brought to your attention by an early childhood education service.

Check your insurance plan to determine coverage for a medical or clinical evaluation for developmental disabilities or autism.

Make an appointment with your child's pediatrician and ask them to:

     a) Evaluate your child for autism, or
     b) Make a referral for a pediatric professional who can

After the evaluation occurs, if the professional does not express any concerns, but you are still worried, it is okay to seek a second, or even third opinion from another medical professional. Outside providers like Easterseals can perform a standardized diagnostic test to evaluate a child for autism.

If your child is approaching age 3, he or she may qualify for Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) services through your local school district, with or without a medical diagnosis. Contact your local school district to begin the early intervention process.

The earlier a child can be diagnosed, the more effective treatment can be at improving future quality of life, academics, and relationships.

Behavior Analysis is the scientific approach to understanding behavior. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the application of this scientific approach through a data driven and evidence-based therapy.

ABA can be used to increase behavior, such as providing greetings, attending to a speaker, or walking safely in the community. ABA can also be used to teach new skills, such as toilet training, using a fork and spoon, and using new vocabulary words. ABA can also be used to reduce challenging behaviors and replace them with functional responses.

During ABA treatment, a clinician will create an individualized program designed specifically for each client using a variety of behavioral strategies. Together the clinician and the parent outline important areas and focus on improving those skills within the child.

Current medical research shows that modern approaches to ABA therapy are very successful for most people with autism. ABA therapy is affirmed by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the U.S. Surgeon General as a valid and evidenced-based therapy for autism.

Research suggests that early intervention in the form of intensive and consistent behavior treatment lead to more sustained gains in cognition, academics, adaptive behaviors and language.

The therapy team consists of one BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) or a combination one BCaBA (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst) and a supervising BCBA. The BCBA or BCaBA creates the treatment plan and provides ongoing training, support, and guidance to a team of 2-4 Behavior Technicians who implement ABA therapy directly in a 1:1 format. The BCBA provides weekly parent trainings to ensure there is generalization of skill sets across multiple settings.

Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists may be part of a client's treatment team to provide collaborative approaches regarding language development, sensory integration, and motor movement/planning. A collaborative approach with a multi-disciplinary team is considered best practice and typically provides the best outcomes.

For clients that have health insurance coverage, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, legislation exists in all 50 states that requires at least some level of coverage for autism treatment on most plans. Michigan's Autism Insurance Reform legislation mandates many companies that have plans that are not self-funded to include an autism benefit.

For clients that are not covered or are only partially covered by a health insurance plan, we offer multiple self-payment and financing options. This includes the acceptance of checks and most major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB and Union Pay) and also CareCredit for lower interest or "No Interest If Paid in Full" financing of 6-12 months on larger balances. Payments can be made via mail, in person at our clinic, or online.

If you don't have insurance and need financial assistance, Autism Speaks has published a list of financial assistance resources that may be helpful, available at the link below.

We are credentialed as an in-network provider with many insurance carriers and plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Care Network, Priority Health and McLaren.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but we are not currently contracted with or able to accept Beacon Health or Meridian. At this time, we are only accept Ascension, Cigna, Tricare, or United Healthcare as secondary coverage (for clients that have one of the aboved indicated insurance plans as primary coverage).

Unfortunately, we do not have a Medicaid contract, so we are unable to accept and bill any Medicaid or Medicaid supplement plans at this time. However, we have provided a list of potential Medicaid providers in the area at the link below.

We we do not provide autism evaluations or diagnoses. In some cases, it can be considered a conflict of interest for a provider to diagnose autism and then refer to themselves for treatment services. To ensure transparency and the best care for your child, we have compiled a list of local providers who may be able to assist with autism testing and diagnosis, at the link below:

We were previously on an estimated 9-12 month wait list, due to an expansion into a new clinic in Macomb, we are actively onboarding new clients, as fast as possible. Each client situation and insurance is different, so the lead time for onboarding and starting services can vary. Please contact us for more information, using the link below.

We do. Consistency is one of the most important parts of a child's therapy. Regular attendance helps a client make steady progress - while frequent absences, cancellations, or tardiness can slow skill development and even cause regression.

Our team works hard to provide reliable services. We rarely cancel sessions, and if we must, a client receives as much notice as possible — and no fees are ever charged when the cancellation comes from us.

To keep schedules fair and consistent for all families, we ask that each family:

1. Maintain at least 80% attendance of scheduled appointments.
2. Provide at least two weeks’ notice for planned vacations or extended absences.
3. Provide at least 24 hours’ notice for unexpected cancellations whenever possible.

Why do we have an attendance policy?

• Reliable schedules keep children progressing.
• Advance notice allows staff to balance their own time-off needs.
• Missed sessions still require us to pay our providers, which creates a financial strain on our practice if cancellations are frequent.
• Frequent disruptions can affect provider morale, focus, and scheduling efficiency.

Absences may be excused with medical documentation. Attendance fees for unexcused absences are not meant as a punishment but help offset the costs of missed sessions and support fairness for both families and staff. Our goal is always to partner with families to keep therapy consistent, effective, and sustainable.

If a client ever has questions about the policy, please reach out — we're here to help.