Families can wait up to six months to a year for an autism diagnosis and life changing treatment—but the most important window for brain development is between ages 1 and 5 when language, communication and foundational skills are being built. A delay like this means children are losing critical time they can’t get back. This isn’t just a delay—it’s lost opportunity during the most important years of a child’s life.

We’ve built a way to reduce that timeline to about 30 days—because early intervention can change the trajectory of a child’s life. Our coordinated 30-Day Pathway moves families from concern to diagnosis to starting therapy quickly and seamlessly. We connect every step—screening, diagnosis, and treatment—so families aren’t navigating a flawed system alone.

Our Streamlined 30-Day Pathway to Treatment

Step 1. Early Concern & Intake

Families, pediatricians, or community providers contact us directly by phone, email, or fax. Within days, our team:

Gathers developmental history and current concerns
Determines whether screening or direct diagnostic evaluation is most appropriate
Verifies insurance benefits and explains coverage

Step 2. Choose the Right Next Step (Screening and/or Full Evaluation)

Option A: Early Autism Screening for Children as young as 16 Months

For younger children or when early concerns are just emerging, EarliPoint provides an objective, evidence-based screening option. EarliPoint is an FDA-cleared, objective eye-tracking technology with approximately 90%accuracy in identifying or ruling out autism.

What’s Involved: A Simple 3-Step Process

Intake & Questionnaire (15 minutes)
EarliPoint System Assessment (30 minutes)
Results Review & Next Steps (1 hour)

If results suggest autism → proceed directly to diagnostic evaluation (which is needed for insurance funded ABA treatment.)

Option B: Diagnostic Evaluation For Children up to 5 Years Old

When appropriate, children may proceed directly to a comprehensive in-person autism diagnostic evaluation which is needed for insurance funded ABA treatment. This pathway is recommended for children that have clear/significant autism concerns.

What’s Involved: A Structured 3-Step Process

Parent Interview & Intake (30 minutes)
In-Person Evaluation (2–3 hours)
Results Review & Care Planning (1 hour)

Step 3. Coordinated Diagnostic Evaluation

If a child proceeds directly to evaluation (Option B), this step has already occurred. However, if EarliPoint screening (Option A) suggests a high likelihood of autism, a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation is required to receive insurance funded ABA treatment. Rather than waiting 9–12 months, we coordinate an evaluation within 30 days by:

Leveraging our statewide network of licensed specialists
Securing priority openings and cancellations
Hosting on-site or convenient location evaluations when available

Step 4. Family Education Meeting

Families meet with our Case Managers to:

Learn about ABA therapy and evidence-based early intervention
Discuss related supports (speech, OT, PT)
Review insurance and logistics
Define clear next steps

Step 5. Transition to ABA Services for Children 1-5 Years Old

When a diagnosis is confirmed, we coordinate a seamless transition into early intervention services – whether through The Uncommon Thread or a list of other trusted providers. We support families in:

Selecting an ABA provider that aligns with their child’s needs
Prioritizing programs with immediate or near-immediate openings
Ensuring a nurturing, supportive environment
Choosing providers that collaborate with related services (Speech, OT, PT)
Identifying placement options across settings — center, preschool, daycare, home

Time is essential: Therapy begins during the most critical developmental window — when early intervention can significantly change long-term outcomes and reduce time to treatment by up to two years.