FAQs

Do I need a referral?

We will contact your child's primary care provider (PCP) and request a referral. Even if your child's PCP is not concerned or aware of your concerns, they will happily send over a referral to allow us to support your family. 

What can I expect from a Telehealth evaluation?

A Telehealth autism screening or evaluation will cover the same information as an in-person evaluation. However, most children feel more comfortable in their own homes, so many times we can see their true skills via Telehealth as opposed to the discomforts children experience when attending a doctor's office. 

We will discuss your child's medical, developmental, and behavioral history. We will also have you facilitate some play interactions to observe your child's social and communication skills. Finally, we will discuss if your child meets criteria for an Autism and what recommendations we have to support their development.

How long to Telehealth evaluations take?

The duration of the visit usually takes about 2-3 hours. However, our psychologists will take as much time as needed to answer all your questions.

Does insurance cover the costs of NM ACCESS services?

NM ACCESS accepts Medicaid and most commercial insurances. If we don't accept your commercial insurance, then we will work with the insurance company's contracting services to develop a single-case agreement (SCA) to ensure your insurance company will cover the costs of the services in accordance with your insurance policy.

I'm concerned about my child's development, but my child's primary care provider (PCP) is not concerned.

This is more common than you'd think. PCPs specialize in medical health and have 10-15 minutes per visit. In contrast, we specialize in child developmental and we have 2-4 hours to investigate your concerns. We are part of a specialized team that will support your child's PCP to ensure all their needs are met. If you have concerns, you don't have to wait for answers until your PCP sees your concerns.

I was told a child must be 3 years old before autism can be identified. 

NM ACCESS' highly trained psychologists can identify the behavioral symptoms of autism as early as 12 months. However, primary care physicians (PCPs) don't screen for autism until 18, 24 or 36 months. Therefore, this is a myth and doesn't reflect the abilities of our psychologists who specialize in Autism Spectrum Disorders, nor does it reflect the current research on the early diagnosis procedures.