Roadmap to Services
Partners in Autism offers a wide range of services for all stages of your journey.
See what fits your current needs with our services guide.
We know what it's like—as a family and as individuals—to navigate the ins and outs of getting a diagnosis, coordinating finances, and finding quality services. That's why we're here for you.
Do I need a Diagnosis?
A diagnosis can open funding for medical care for children. It can also provide personal insight, clarity, and help you advocate for meaningful accommodations in educational or workplace settings.
But...
It's not the only route to funding for services.
It's not the only foundation for self-advocacy.
It's not the only source of accurate understanding.
A formal diagnosis often has a long wait time and a steep price tag.
A diagnosis may not be necessary to reach your personal goals, especially for adults.
Partners in Autism provides an alternative to diagnosis through our Pre-Screening Assessments.
Our accurate and vetted assessments provide meaningful confirmation and can shorten wait times for families still seeking a formal diagnosis.
Further, we've reduced the cost to a fraction of a formal diagnosis without losing any accuracy or clarity in our results.
Your results report along with our consultation session will help you understand where you land on the spectrum and what your neurodiversity means for you. It will also help you make informed decisions about your next steps on your journey.
All of our services are available to people with and without a formal diagnosis. Talk to us about funding source alternatives to insurance so that you can move forward towards your goals.
Getting a Diagnosis
An accurate diagnosis is important. A misdiagnosis or incomplete diagnosis can prevent you from accessing beneficial care. So we've put together pointers for making sure you get a quality diagnosis. If you are in need of a primary physician who will be able to refer you to a diagnosing physician, contact us for a list of local physicians we affirm.
1
What should you look for when getting a diagnosis?
Seek a professional with a solid background in autism diagnosis who will provide multiple, diverse assessments. Make sure they are respected by other medical professionals in the autism field.
Have patience when scheduling appointments - it is worthwhile to wait for the analysis of an expert who is highly regarded in the autism field. Your pediatrician or family doctor is not trained in interpreting or verifying the results of assessments.
2
Why get multiple, diverse assessments?
Each assessment looks for slightly different attributes of autism and uses slightly different methods to measure them. Since autism is a complex spectrum, it's best to use multiple, diverse assessments to see where an individual fits within that spectrum...or if they are on the spectrum at all.
The strength of using multiple assessments to evaluate traits from multiple angles outweighs what any one assessment can do alone. Someone with a respected background in diagnosing autism will be able to evaluate which assessments work well together and know how to weigh the results.
3
Isn't there just a genetic test?
No, autism is more complex than a single gene or set of genes. It is based on neurological development.
4
Where are good places to start in Fort Wayne?
Partners in Autism affirms the following as respected experts in the field of autism diagnosis for the Fort Wayne area:
The office of Dr. Tasha Williams
Neuropsychologist
Fort Wayne Neuropsychology
4306 E State Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46815
(260) 460-3203
The office of Dr. Lisa Bergeron
Developmental Pediatrician
Bowen Center
2100 Goshen Rd, Ste 102, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
(800) 342-5653
The office of Dr. Amanda Mayle
Clinical Psycologist
Parkview Health
11141 Parkview Plaza Dr, Ste 210, Fort Wayne, IN 46845