The Autism Discovery Institute provides the following services:
Evaluations
Comprehensive diagnostic evaluations (also known as comprehensive developmental or psychological evaluations) are conducted by licensed clinical psychologists specializing in autism spectrum disorders.
Evaluation FAQs
What does a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation include?
At ADI, our psychologists provide autism-focused comprehensive diagnostic evaluations. The purpose of these evaluations is to determine whether your child meets formal criteria for an autism spectrum disorder or another related neurodevelopmental condition. Evaluations include an interview with the parent/caregiver, cognitive assessment, and a standardized observational assessment. Additional assessments may be included depending on your goals for the evaluation.
Who conducts the comprehensive diagnostic evaluation?
Our evaluations are conducted by licensed, doctoral-level clinical psychologists. Evaluations may also be conducted by a post-doctoral psychological associate supervised by one of our clinical psychologists.
Who is eligible for an evaluation at ADI?
ADI provides evaluations for:
- Children 12 months–17 years old
- Children who need assessment for autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions
- Children with no prior autism diagnosis
- Families without access to support services or at risk of losing services
ADI does not provide evaluations for:
- Second opinions on an existing autism diagnosis
- Updates on progress or DSM-5 Levels of Support
- Secondary diagnoses (e.g., ADHD, anxiety, mood disorder) for children already diagnosed with autism
- Reauthorization assessments for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services
How do I schedule a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation at ADI for my child?
Request a referral from your child’s pediatrician. When the referral is submitted you will receive a text notification or letter notifying you it has been received.
If your child is under 6 years, no further action is required. An ADI representative will contact you to confirm eligibility and, if applicable, schedule an evaluation. The average wait time between the referral date and scheduled evaluation is 3 to 4 months but may vary based on your health plan’s authorization requirements and family/clinician availability.
If your child is 6 years and older, you must complete a 5–10-minute phone screening with an ADI Social Worker to confirm your child’s eligibility. You will be contacted within 1–3 months to schedule this screening. If you prefer to complete it sooner, please call 858-966-7453, Option 1. The average wait time between the referral date and scheduled evaluation is 3 to 4 months for children 6 to 8 years, and 6 to 12 months for children ages 9 to 17 years. The average wait time varies based on your health plans authorization requirements and family/clinician variability.
Families who are ineligible for an ADI evaluation or cannot wait for an appointment may find the following resources helpful:
Will my insurance cover the comprehensive diagnostic evaluation?
Comprehensive diagnostic evaluations may be covered through your individual health plan. Evaluations are typically billed through mental health benefits, under CPT codes for Psychological Testing (96130/96131) and Psychological Evaluation Services (96136/96137). ADI is currently in-network with Anthem Blue Cross, United Health Care/Optum, and TriWest for diagnostic evaluations. Coverage varies across individual plans and is not guaranteed. Out-of-network coverage may be available depending on individual benefits. Please note that ADI is not in-network with Medi-Cal. For families without insurance or out-of-network coverage, self-pay options are available. Please contact our team at 858-966-7453 (Option 2) if you have questions about your health plan coverage or self-pay.
How do I obtain the results of a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation?
The results of each evaluation are shared during a feedback session with the psychologist. This session is usually scheduled approximately two weeks after the scheduled evaluation, but your psychologist may provide informal impressions on the same day as the evaluation. All evaluations are summarized in a comprehensive written report. Families can request a written summary of the evaluation results by requesting them through MyChart or contacting Medical Records.
Therapy
ADI offers a unique, clinic-based low-intensity approach to autism-focused therapy that involves parents/caregivers in every session. ADI currently has an extensive waitlist for therapy services. Please review the following information about eligibility, insurance, and descriptions of ADI therapies.
Eligibility Guidelines
- Children 12 months – 17 years with an existing diagnosis of autism.
- For group-based services:
- Previous participation in individual services is a prerequisite to enrollment.
- Children must also demonstrate prerequisite skills prior to group enrollment to ensure their success.
Insurance Information
ADI Therapy is currently in-network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, Champ VA, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), Magellan, Triwest, and United Health Care/Optum. Coverage varies by plan and is not guaranteed. Out-of-network coverage may be available depending on individual benefits. ADI does not accept Medi-Cal. For families with Medi-Cal, without insurance, or out-of-network coverage, self-pay options are available. Participation through San Diego or Inland Regional Centers may also be an option.
ADI Therapies
- Family Adaptive Behavior Therapy
- Project ImPACT
- Social Skills Groups
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Jump to a section above to learn more about each therapy option.
Family Adaptive Behavior Therapy
Family Adaptive Behavior Therapy addresses areas including communication, social skills, adaptive skills, and/or behaviors of concern. Behavior Specialists work with caregivers and their child for 60-90 minutes per week. In additional to applied behavior analysis (ABA), common intervention strategies that may be implemented include pivotal Response Training, Picture Exchange Communication System, positive behavioral support, visual support strategies, and other developmentally appropriate strategies.
What To Expect
This service is provided by a master’s-level clinician with specialized training in autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Sessions begin with a parent interview, assessments of the child’s skills and an observation of parent(s) and child playing together. The therapist and parent(s) work together to develop goals and choose appropriate intervention strategies. Therapists then model the strategies and provide parents with opportunities to practice these strategies and receive feedback while in the clinic. Parents are provided with concrete ideas for using the techniques at home.
Project ImPACT
Project ImPACT (Improving Parents as Communication Teachers) is an evidence-based parent coaching program that teaches parents of very young children (ages 12-24 months at intake) to promote their child’s social-communication skills during daily routines and activities. Behavioral therapists work directly with the parents and child together in individual sessions, typically during two 1.5 hour sessions per week for 12 weeks. Project ImPACT uses a blend of developmental and naturalistic behavioral intervention strategies to teach social engagement, language, imitation, and play and has been adapted for use with infants and young toddlers. Developmental techniques are taught first to promote parent responsiveness and improve social reciprocity. Naturalistic behavioral techniques are taught next as a way of teaching specific language, imitation, and play behaviors.
What To Expect
This service is provided by a master’s-level clinician with specialized training in autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Sessions begin with a parent interview, assessments of the toddler’s skills and an observation of parent(s) and child playing together. The therapist and parent(s) work together to develop goals and choose appropriate intervention strategies. Therapists then model the strategies and provide parents with opportunities to practice these strategies and receive feedback while in the clinic. Parents are provided with concrete ideas for using the techniques at home.
Social Skills Groups
The Autism Discovery Institute offers a variety of social skills groups based on family interest and provider availability. Participation in individual services is required as a prerequisite to enrollment in the social skills group for any child 4-12 years of age. This requirement does not apply to adolescents interested in our PEERS mental health group.
If you would like to enroll your child in one of our programs:
- Call (858)-966-7453, Option 2, to open a referral.
- Check your MyChart messages for a link to the ADI Therapy Services Survey.
- Complete the ADI Therapy Services Survey to activate your referral and be included on our Therapy Services Interest List.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is for children ages 7-17 years old to address challenges related to flexibility, social skills, emotion regulation, anxiety, or depression. Using evidence-based strategies, families learn a set of skills to help children identify thoughts and feelings that may be overwhelming, to learn ways to manage those thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Through cognitive behavioral therapy for kids, such as adolescents, they then gradually apply skills they’ve learned to daily situations.
In CBT the therapist, child, and caregiver identify shared goals and then learn and practice new skills to meet those goals during weekly therapy sessions and at home. Caregivers support their child in the regular practice of cognitive therapy skills throughout the week via home-practice assignments in order to help them generalize what they learn across settings and situations. The ultimate goal goal for cognitive behavioral therapy for kids is to build your and your child’s confidence in using these skills regularly without the ongoing support of the therapist. Collaboration between the child, caregiver, and therapist during sessions and practicing at home is essential to making progress for kids and parents.
Is CBT at ADI a good fit for my child?
CBT at ADI is a talk-based therapy that requires a child to be able to engage in back-and-forth conversations with an adult, including parents. It is important that your child is able to communicate their emotions, thoughts, and feelings.
CBT at ADI is not a good fit for children such as adolescents seeking help with psychosis, hallucinations, or eating disorders. Commonly addressed concerns in CBT at ADI include anxiety, depression, social skills, flexibility, and managing anger or frustration.
Funding
Clinical services at ADI are available through health insurance. Most services are billed under mental health or behavioral health benefits. ADI is currently in-network for therapy services with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, Champ VA, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), Magellan, Triwest, and United Health Care/Optum.
Coverage varies across individual plans and is not guaranteed. Out-of-network coverage may be available depending on individual benefits. Please note that ADI is not in-network with Medi-Cal. For families without insurance or out-of-network coverage, self-pay options are available.
Please contact our team at 858-966-7453 (Option 2) if you have questions about your health plan coverage or self-pay.