Free Autism Assessments

I was very interested in your “Infant Intervention” article. I am familiar with the Koegels and their UCSB Autism Program and respect and admire their work. However, $2,000 is a large sum of money for families to pay whether or not their insurance pays for the assessment. I work for the Santa Barbara County Education Office in the Learning Enrichment Autism Program (LEAP) in Lompoc. I think it is important for families to know that there are free Infant Assessments available through Tri-Counties Regional Center and SBCEO Early Start Programs that can include the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, as well as developmental screenings and speech and language evaluations in case autism or other delays are suspected. Early diagnosis and early intervention are key for children with autism and families need to know that there are other options available if they cannot afford UCSB.