Developmental Care programs that foster joy and growth

Positive Development programs are tailored to align with and nurture your child's natural curiosities and interests. What may appear as simple playtime is, in fact, a purposeful journey toward developmental milestones, making every moment of play a step towards significant progress.

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The Developmental Care Difference

Our clinicians explain the Developmental Care philosophy

A dedicated team follows your child’s progress across key areas of development

Emotional Regulation

Teaches strategies to identify, understand, and manage emotions effectively. We aim to enhance the child's capacity for coping with stress, frustration, and anxiety, leading to more opportunities to engage with the world, develop, and grow.

Communication

Focuses on enhancing verbal and non-verbal communication skills. We aim to equip the child with the ability to effectively convey their thoughts, desires, and feelings, fostering better understanding and interactions with others.

Social Engagement

Concentrates on developing the ability to interact with peers, understand social cues, and engage in cooperative play. Through targeted interventions, we seek to enrich social understanding and participation, facilitating meaningful connections within the child's community.

Daily Living

Gives focus to enhancing daily living skills for children, targeting areas such as self-care routines, household tasks, and community-based skills. It employs evidence-based strategies to improve functional independence and quality of life, enabling kids to navigate their everyday environments more effectively.

Meet the Clinical Leadership team

An approach that transcends clinical silos

Traditionally, members of a care team work independently within their practice area. Positive Development clinicians work together holistically—upskilling each other on their disciplines to ensure that each child is treated as a functioning whole.

For the parent

Professional and administrative support every step of the way

Parent Support

A dedicated partner for your journey

Leads the Developmental Care program for your child
Provides in-person updates on your child’s progress
Educates you on the capacities of your child and helps you with techniques to be the parent they need
Thoughtfully matched to your child and family

Care Coordination Team

Here to lighten your load

Handles new family initiation and becomes your liaison for the program
Helps you navigate insurance paperwork and claims with ease
Provides ongoing scheduling support

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Developmental Care Comprehensive Program

Here for families with children in need of additional support

There may be times where additional services are recommended by our evaluating team of clinicians. We call this our Comprehensive Program.

These are center-based appointments and can include (depending on location):

What to expect

1 Enrollment

The Care Coordination team will guide you, answering questions about the program, and helping with insurance verification.

2 Interview & Assessment

You’ll share your families challenges and goals. Then an experienced team member will evaluate your child to understand their needs.

3 Your Personalized Plan

You’ll know exactly how we plan to proceed. We believe success begins with a well-informed parent and your input will be always be valued.

4 Start Your Care Program

Your child will feel right at home with their Developmental Paraprofessional. In areas eligible for in-home care, they might even be in their safest space of all.

Interested in learning more?

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Frequently asked questions

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Who are the best candidates for your therapeutic services?

All children and adolescents with an autism diagnosis can benefit from individualized, developmental intervention, as well as all parents and caregivers who:

• believe in a respectful model who will meet their child where they are

• embrace the power of play

• understand and respect the importance that being an available part of the team plays in helping their child benefit from our services.

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What is my role (as a parent/caregiver) in my child’s developmental therapy?

You are a crucial component of your child’s developmental therapy, which can sound overwhelming. But at Positive Development, we support and empower parents and caregivers so you can further support your children.

Our coaching and education services help you understand the “why” behind how your child or teen behaves so that you no longer feel confused, frustrated, or locked out. You can build a stronger connection with them and help them at home with therapy goals via everyday interactions in fun, simple ways. When both parents and our team are helping our clients progress, it happens much faster and leads to what we call “generalization,” where your child isn’t just exhibiting a certain action or behavior for their coach during sessions, but they can also do it at meal time, bath time, and out in the community.

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What insurance do you accept?

Positive Development works with most major insurance carriers in an effort to provide as much access to our services as possible. Coverage is dependent on individual benefit packages. Please contact your insurance company to obtain specific coverage details regarding your plan.

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In Southern California

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Culver City

Aetna
Anthem Blue Cross of California
Blue Shield of California
Magellan
Optum / United Healthcare

Westside Regional Center

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid or Tricare at this time.

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Long Beach

Aetna
Anthem Blue Cross of California
Blue Shield of California
Magellan
Optum / United Healthcare

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid or Tricare at this time.

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Los Angeles—Whittier

Aetna
Anthem Blue Cross of California
Blue Shield of California
Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center (ELARC)
Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center (FDLRC)
Magellan
Optum / United Healthcare

San Gabriel Pomona Regional Center (SGPRC)
Westside Regional Center

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid or Tricare at this time.

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Northridge

Aetna
Anthem Blue Cross of California
Blue Shield of California
Magellan
Optum / United Healthcare

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid or Tricare at this time.

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Pasadena

Aetna
Anthem Blue Cross of California
Blue Shield of California
Magellan
Optum / United Healthcare
Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center
Tri-Counties Regional Center (TCRC)
Westside Regional Center

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid or Tricare at this time.

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‍San Diego

Aetna
Anthem Blue Cross of California
Blue Shield of California
Magellan
Optum / United Healthcare
San Diego Regional Center

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid or Tricare at this time.

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In Florida

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Fort Lauderdale

Aetna
Florida Blue
Optum / United Healthcare
Step Up for Students Scholarship

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid or Tricare at this time.

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In Illinois

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Bucktown

Medicaid / All Kids
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Centene Ambetter Exchange
Centene Meridian
County Care
Early Intervention

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Deerfield

Medicaid / All Kids
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Centene Ambetter Exchange
Centene Meridian
County Care
Early Intervention
Youthcare

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Hyde Park

Medicaid / All Kids
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Centene Ambetter Exchange
Centene Meridian
County Care
Early Intervention
Youthcare

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Metro East

Medicaid / All Kids
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Centene Ambetter Exchange
Centene Meridian
County Care
Early Intervention
Youthcare

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In New Jersey

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Cherry Hill

Aetna
Fidelis Care
Horizon NJ Health
Medicaid
Optum / United Healthcare
Wellpoint

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Lakewood

Aetna
Fidelis Care
Horizon NJ Health
Medicaid
Optum / United Healthcare
Wellpoint

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Newark

Aetna
Fidelis Care
Horizon NJ Health
Medicaid
Optum / United Healthcare
Wellpoint

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New Brunswick

Aetna
Fidelis Care
Horizon NJ Health
Medicaid
Optum / United Healthcare
Wellpoint

Parsippany

Aetna
Fidelis Care
Horizon NJ Health
Medicaid
Optum / United Healthcare
Wellpoint

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‍In Maryland

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Bethesda

Care First

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid or Tricare at this time.

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In Virginia

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Northern Virginia

Care First

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid at this time.

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In District of Columbia

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Washington DC

Care First

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Our services are not covered by Medicaid at this time.

How is developmental therapy different from ABA?

The short explanation is that Traditional ABA focuses on specific behaviors, while DRBI focuses on the whole person.

Traditional Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), which has historically been the primary therapy offered for people on the autism spectrum, teaches skills to gain desired behaviors through reinforcement. Traditional ABA focuses on observable behaviors and aims to help patients meet predetermined developmental goals vs. individualistic goals.

Developmental Relationship-Based Intervention (DRBI) looks beyond specific (and often stereotyped) behaviors like aggression, rigidity, and withdrawal to understand and address the neurodevelopmental challenges beneath the surface. These challenges may include motor planning, emotional self-regulation, sensory sensitivity, learning disabilities, and speech delays.

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Can you help my child or teen who has multiple diagnoses (e.g., autism and ADHD, autism and learning disabilities)?

Yes, it is common for our clients to have multiple diagnoses.

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Do we need a diagnosis before we have an evaluation?

In most instances, insurance companies require that your child or teen has an autism diagnosis prior to having an evaluation with Positive Development. Your Care Coordinator can help you determine if your insurance company requires it.

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Do I need a referral to obtain your services?

We do not require a referral for our services, but some insurance policies require them. Your Care Coordinator can help you determine if this is true for your insurance plan.

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Developmental Care programs that foster joy and growth

Our clinicians explain the Developmental Care philosophy

Developmental Care sessions that meet the child and caregivers where they are

A dedicated team follows your child’s progress across key areas of development

An approach that transcends clinical silos