Assessment Services

Overview

At a Glance: Inland Empire Autism Assessment Centers

The Inland Empire Autism Assessment Centers (AAC) are world-class centers of excellence that focus on providing the Gold-Standard* of evaluation for neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Children can be seen at the centers from birth until their 21st birthday. Our transdisciplinary team of professionals include pediatric neurologists, general pediatricians, clinical psychologists, neurodevelopmental psychologists, educational psychologists, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, geneticists, behavioral health professionals, licensed social workers and MFTs, evaluation coordinators, and paraprofessional staff.

*Filipek, P. A., Accardo, P. J., Ashwal, S., Baranek, G. T., Cook, E. H., Dawson, G., … & Levy, S. E. (2000). Practice parameter: Screening and diagnosis of autism: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society. Neurology, 55(4), 468-479.

Evaluations

Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation (CDE)

The Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation is developmentally tailored to identify the specific strengths and needs of each child. All evaluations include:

Interviews with parents/caregivers about the child’s developmental history and current physical, developmental, and behavioral functioning, mental health status, adverse childhood experiences, birth, and family history.
ASD-related symptom assessment and evaluation.
Observation of the child at play.
Psychologist review.

Depending on the specific needs of the child, additional evaluations by the transdisciplinary specialty provider team may be warranted. This may include, but is not limited to:

Medical examination
Cognitive evaluation
Speech and communication assessment
Motor and sensory evaluations
Genetic consultation

What to Expect

The uncertainty in recognizing that your child may have a medical or behavioral issue, but not knowing what it is, can be incredibly stressful and challenging. The AAC is here to help alleviate your concerns and ideally provide direction in how best to proceed in assisting your child meet their potential.

Initial Appointment

During your first appointment, you will meet with one of our highly experienced evaluation coordinators. This evaluation will be a combination of parent/caregiver and child interview, observation, and play, which generally lasts 1 ½ to 2 hours in length. Some appointments take longer. Questions will pertain to family, parent, and child medical history, developmental milestones, cognitive functioning, behavior, communication and socialization, daily activities, home environment, education, mental health, and childhood adverse experiences.

We ask that parents bring with them all pertinent information relating to their child’s health and current functional status. This may include reports from doctors, psychologists, and social workers, screening results, school paperwork and individualized education plans (IEPs), and documentation regarding any previous diagnoses.

The information gathered during this appointment may take up to 4 weeks to be processed and reviewed by the AAC transdisciplinary team. After all information is gathered and reviewed, your evaluation coordinator will contact you to review the results of the evaluation. Sometimes this initial appointment is all that is required to assist in getting your child on the appropriate path to treatment. Your evaluation coordinator will let you know if additional evaluation by the transdisciplinary specialty provider team is needed.

Insurance & Payment

We proudly accept the following insurance:

Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)
Loma Linda University Risk Management

Out-of-Pocket Payment:

AAC also accepts cash/credit card payment for services. Please call our center at (909) 799-3777 to speak with our clinic administration regarding this option or email us at info@ieaace.com and we will call you at a time of your choice.
AAC also offers flexible financing through CareCredit, a Synchrony Solution. Take advantage of special financing offers here.
*Subject to credit approval. See carecredit.com for details.

FAQ

Referrals: How do I get my child evaluated at the AAC? Getting a referral is as easy as speaking with your primary care doctor (pediatrician or nurse practitioner) about your concerns and asking if an evaluation at the Inland Empire Autism Assessment Center (AAC) is right for your child. If your doctor or nurse deems it medically necessary, they will submit the referral to the AAC on your behalf.
How much does it cost? If your child is an eligible member of IEHP, they can be evaluated at the center for no cost. Other in-network insurance providers may require a co-pay. If you are interested in paying out-of-pocket, please contact our center to speak with our Director of Clinic Operations.
How long does the evaluation take? Your child’s initial appointment will take about 1 ½ to 2 hours and approximately four weeks to receive the written report of findings from that appointment. If additional evaluation by our team is necessary, appointments range in length from 2 hours to a full day, depending on the providers seen.
How long until I receive my report? Each child is unique, therefore, the number of evaluations and the timeline to receive recommendations, findings, referrals, and the final report varies. Please call our center if you have a specific question about your child’s report at (909) 799-3777.
Is there a waitlist? We no longer maintain a waitlist. Appointments are scheduled as they are received. We do maintain a “standby list” for parents who are interested in having their appointment sooner in the event of a cancellation. Please call our office for more details.