Hopebridge to Help Colorado Kids with Autism Find Independence

Why Colorado Needs Hopebridge’s Center-Based Autism Therapy and Diagnostic Services

Though a new report published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) stress the significance of early identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and early intervention, our own research shows us families around the nation still need better access to these services. In Colorado, for instance, we found many children are older than 5 years of age before they are diagnosed with autism** – that is more than one year older than the national average. Hopebridge wants to change this by empowering the community with more opportunities for their children.

To support the growing need for autism services in Colorado, Hopebridge is expanding into the state with six locations by February 2021, with the first location in University Hills opening in October 2020. Hopebridge is currently scheduling autism diagnostic assessments and evaluations for applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy) for all Colorado locations.

4 Reasons why Hopebridge is Opening Autism Services to Colorado:

1. There is a void in local diagnostic services.
   It is not always easy for parents to take the next step for their children to seek out a diagnosis for autism, so when those same parents then find out they need to wait for it, the down time can feel excruciating. Unfortunately, more than 1/3 of Colorado’s families who sought an evaluation waited longer than six months to receive the diagnosis. These families are losing valuable time for building school preparation skills, as many of their kids are already of age for Kindergarten – if they are not already enrolled in school – once they are finally diagnosed. Here’s the good news: with our new centers, Hopebridge can reduce these wait times down to as low as 45 days in the areas it serves!
2. There is a significant interest in ABA therapy in Colorado.
   After hearing from Colorado’s autism parents, we learned nearly 67% of those who have not yet enrolled their children in services are interested in exploring ABA therapy. Alternatively, of those who do have their kids in therapy, less than half of them actually receive ABA. This leads us to believe there is a strong interest in the area, yet not enough providers to meet their needs. With plans to grow into 10 to 12 ABA-focused centers across the state, we aim to open access for Colorado’s families to receive effective interventions at an earlier age to get kids the help they need to lead a fulfilled life as toddlers, as adults, and every age in between.
3. Colorado’s families desire more convenient and quality care.
   Simply put, it is taking way too long to get children the help they need. Half of Colorado’s autism families are on a wait list to receive therapy services and 10 percent of them have been waiting longer than six months…and still counting. Then, once they get in for therapy, they are driving all over town or coordinating between therapists in order to get their children care. More than 75% of kids on the spectrum are enrolled in occupational and /or speech therapy, yet more than 25% would prefer to receive all therapies in one place. Hopebridge can give them more. Our center-based care will bring comprehensive, one-on-one ABA therapy closer to home for many of these families, with plans to add our interdisciplinary services like speech, feeding and occupational therapy in the future.
4. Coverage is a concern for many of the state’s autism families.
   Our survey also found insurance coverage to be a key factor for parents when choosing an autism therapy provider. At Hopebridge, we understand the importance of affordable options. We are a preferred provider for most major insurance companies, as well as Medicaid. We have a full-service team of Care and Benefits specialists to help navigate the entire process, from obtaining authorizations, to determining costs, to troubleshooting.

If you are a Colorado parent with concerns around your child’s developmental milestones or behaviors, we encourage you to be one of the first to schedule an evaluation at our new center or connect with us here to learn more about our individualized programs and services. You can also stay up to date on all our existing and upcoming locations on our centers page as we continue to grow the network within the state. 

** All data referenced in this article was collected via a market survey conducted by Hopebridge