Comprehensive Developmental Screenings
The Center for Connection is now offering comprehensive developmental screenings for children ages 2-5!
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The Center for Connection is now offering comprehensive developmental screenings for children ages 2-5! 〰️
Parents may have many concerns about their child’s development and behavior. At this young age, there is so much variability in what is considered to be “normal” and it can be difficult to know if what they are seeing is still considered to be developmentally-appropriate.
How can a Comprehensive Developmental Screening help?
Our comprehensive developmental screenings provide a holistic and research-informed approach to discuss and investigate parents’ concerns, and to provide guidance on what to do next. Parents can expect to walk away with suggestions for activities and monitoring or recommendations for resources/services to explore. If the child is in a preschool or daycare program, school observations and recommendations are included as part of the screening process.
every screening is conducted by an experienced & licensed clinical psychologist
Developmental screenings will be completed by Cathy Schaefer, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Within the early childhood population, Dr. Schaefer has extensive experience in assessment, intervention, and consultation. Her experiences include interdisciplinary assessment with speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and special education teachers, giving her a multi-faceted perspective on how she observes and treats concerns.
getting started
To learn more and schedule an initial consultation, click below and complete our short online form.
Together, we’ll discover what’s under the surface.…
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We are based in Pasadena, California, and offer both in-person and virtual services.
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Child Development Screenings are typically used for children ages 2-5.
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No. However, if your plan allows you to work with Out-of-Network providers, then you may request a super bill from your practitioner and submit it to insurance for reimbursement. (Note: we cannot guarantee reimbursement eligibility. Please contact your insurance company for further details.)
Our policy ensures that our out-of-network therapists use their time doing what they do best—provide therapy, rather than spending undue time interacting with insurance companies. Our therapists are free to use their best therapeutic approach, tailored specifically to clients' unique needs. Therapists and clients decide the frequency and length of care, independent of insurance company restrictions. Additionally, our therapists won't be professionally overextended (due to taking on more cases because of lower insurance reimbursement). Instead, our clinicians are alert and engaged during sessions, are invested in clients' goals and progress, and can make recommendations tailored to clients' specific needs.
Also, since you won’t be using insurance, you have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much you should expect to pay for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. You can request your clinician to provide you with a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one business day before your first session. The law says that if you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
To give you an idea, our therapists charge somewhere between $160 and $250 per individual session, depending on the clinician’s training and experience. Assessments and evaluations and longer sessions will cost more. If the fee to see your individual therapist falls outside of this range, they will discuss specifics with you.
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The Center for Connection consists of independent practitioners who manage their own schedules. Appointments are available seven days a week depending on practitioner availability.
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Yes, autism screenings are included as part of this process, but we will be taking a holistic look at your child and considering other questions to explore.
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Screenings take a broad, preliminary look at your child to determine whether or not more intensive services, such as a psychological assessment, is needed. A screening will not result in a diagnosis. The purpose of a screening is to provide you with informed recommendations on what avenues to explore next. We aim to help find a balance between accessing intervention early and being mindful of your financial commitment.
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No! We understand that young children's access to early intervention can change their trajectory, so we have created comprehensive developmental screening as a way to efficiently serve this population.
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Yes. Click here to download a printable flyer.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
About Our Provider
Dr. Cathy Schaefer is a licensed psychologist who specializes in working with children and adolescents with developmental and behavioral issues, anxiety disorders (including PANDAS/PANS), selective mutism, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, self-esteem concerns, and adjustment disorders.
Our brilliant team of therapists believe relationships play an important role in early childhood development and incorporate interpersonal neurobiology into their work. Scroll down to learn more about our team.
To learn more about our approach, click here to read a message from our Founder, Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, or click here to learn about interpersonal neurobiology and how it informs our services.
