We require that all paperwork is signed and returned prior to receiving an appointment.  Here is a list of the required forms to complete the intake process. 

• Physician Referral Form
• New Patient History Form
• Center Cancellation Policy
• Authorization to Obtain Health Records
• Email Consent (if you wish to opt out, please sign “Decline” on the line)
• Photo Consent (if you wish to opt out, please sign “Decline” on the line)
• HIPPA
• Research Consent Form ( for parents )
• Research Assent Form ( for patients 8 years or older )

Most families’ journey begins with a diagnosis from school or a pediatrician. We request that families connect with their child’s pediatrician to obtain a completed referral form.

This information allows our team to make sure your family’s needs are best served within our Center and which provider is most appropriate to meet those needs. This will also often assist in insurance coverage, as well as increase communication among the providers. Please fax the referral to (949) 221-0004.

The Center is an in-network provider on many insurance plans, including CalOptima and medical. We accept cash payment for our services.  We also accept cash payment. If you have questions about our fees, we can provide an estimate of the costs and what your insurance may cover after the initial intake process has been completed.  CPT codes cannot be provided to check benefit rates unless the steps above have been completed in order to give you the most accurate estimate of services (costs will vary).  Payment plans are also available.

Insurance Claims

Clients are responsible for all charges for services provided to them by The Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders. The Center is a contracted (preferred) provider with most insurance carriers, although your insurance company may not cover every charge. We work very closely with families and their insurance company to help communicate whether the service and provider they are working with at the center will be covered. It is the family’s responsibility to understand the fees and insurance coverage.

Any deductibles and/or co-pays are required at the time of service. We are cashless and accept credit cards.

UCI billing department submits insurance claims to clients’ insurance providers. However, this does not relieve clients of the financial obligation for services rendered by the center. Clients must obtain any required preauthorization and/or referrals required by their insurance carrier.

Services Provided by Trainees

The Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders is a training facility, and trainees may be involved in treatment, evaluation, and testing services; all testing will be supervised closely by a licensed provider. If a trainee is involved with your services, you will be informed in advance and have an opportunity to discuss this with a member of our staff.

Please note that services provided by trainees may not be covered by your insurance plan. As such, clients will be responsible for payment of these charges.

Please contact our billing authorization team at 949-267-0400, if you have any questions about your insurance coverage.

Once our center has checked the benefits specific to your requests and patient history, a scheduler will work with you to set up a time for an appointment.  There may be different wait times for services depending on the provider or therapists, so once an appointment is available we will contact you to offer the appointment.  Please allow 2-4 weeks after ALL information is received.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, please call us as soon as possible at (949)-267-0400.  We ask that you give at least 48 hours’ notice for cancellations or rescheduling.  This will help us to fill that time slot with another family like yours who are waiting for our help.  An appointment canceled on the same day will be documented as a “no show,” and you may incur costs, depending on your insurance plan.

The Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders follows an interdisciplinary model. This means that a group of professionals may take part in your visit including a psychiatrist, psychologist, speech therapist, occupational therapist, neurologist and/or behavior analyst.

The clinicians who will be present on the day of the evaluation are individualized for your child, depending on the reason for referral and/or your child’s specific needs.  This will help determine the number of appointments that will be required to complete the evaluation.  Sometimes, an initial consultation is all that is necessary for some children while others may need further testing.

During the appointment, our team will review and gather any additional information about your child’s medical and developmental history, cognitive functioning, language and social communication, behavior, and adaptive skills. Diagnoses are made through our clinical observation of your child, medical tests, and information you provide about your child’s developmental history.

A member of our research team may also talk with you about our current research studies. The Center is one of thirteen Autism Treatment Network (ATN) sites nationwide, which is a registry that collects clinical information on patients with ASD in order to identify common conditions associated with ASD and treatment for these conditions. 

You are under no obligation to take part in the Center’s research efforts but will have the chance to learn more about our opportunities or be listed on a research registry.  If you consent and decide to participate, you have the option to withdraw from the study at any time. This will not affect the patients care.