While at the ASA conference (Autism Society of America) I ran into a Kaiser employee who just happened to be from Walnut Creek, and is the contact for Kaiser services in my area for individuals with autism. (God is so awesome!) I never knew Kaiser offered services for individuals with autism. If you go to KPs website you can find buried one reference to the clinic at the Santa Teresa CA facility with an address and the words "by appointment only."
So I made an appointment with the woman I met at the conference and she gave me tons of info and set me up with the clinic. They are sending out a packet of information that I need to fill out and return to them. Then they will set up an appointment for us to go to the Santa Teresa center. In about 4-5 months (bummer). Nothings ever fast, but hey I've been praying for help and some good direction.
If you have Kaiser and are interested you have to be referred by your pediatrician or the department of mental health. At the center in Santa Teresa, CA they have on staff a clinical psychologists, a neurologist, LMFT, psychiatrists and a research coordinator. According to the handout they gave me the ASD center will:
Provide care in a coordinated and integrated medical setting in collaboration with families and community agencies.
Provide assessment, consultation, treatment of children, adolescents, and their families from a developmental multidisciplinary and best practices perspective.
Maintain commitment to early identification and treatment in a system of care that is family centered.
Educate, support and empower parents through interventions that are evidence based.
Educate care providers who work with children throughout Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
I don't know what services are offered in other Kaiser regions, but I hope this helps someone.
I am currently enjoying Seattle's Best Organic House Blend.
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There is also a brand new center for Autism in Rancho Cordova. I recommend Dr. Linda Copeland.
I also heard they had a center in another state. I wonder if different areas offer different services...
MY SON WAS RECENTLY REFFERED TO THE RANCHO CODOVA (WAITNG FOR AN APPT) FOR STRONG SUSPICION OF AUTISIM. THE NP SAID THE ARE SCHEDULING ONLY ABOUT A MONTH OUT. YAY!!
There are no such services in my Los Angeles, CA. Their approach at Kaiser Sunset, where my son receives most of his care, is don't come to us for treatment, go the government (Regional Centers)which is illegal in the State of California.
Assembly Bill (AB) 88 provides in part that Autism is a parity diagnosis that shall be treated like any other illness. However, most, if not all of the treatments available to ameliorate the effects of autism, per Kaiser, are either not covered, educational, not medically necessary, well tired insurance industry parlance. They do this because we have allowed them to get away with it.
I am fighting them tooth and nails, and they have gone as far as to altering my son's medical records to reflect therapies, treatments and assessments that were never done. They have been vicious.
In order to get treatment, I have to file for two Independent Medical Reviews and I am currently waiting for the outcome on those. However, I was able to get the attention of Kaiser's Chairman of the Board who is now involved in my son's case since the So. Cal. Region is so sick of me that they don't even want to talk to me directly.
Now, I have to go through an Ombudsman, but not anymore since I got the ears of the big cheese. However, I am not holding my breath and do expect to prevail with the IMR people.
REMEMBER, KAISER WILL DO EVERYTHING TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE CARE TO YOUR CHILD. THEIR APPROACH TO TREATMENT IS TO DUMP YOU AT YOUR LOCAL REGIONAL CENTER.
Following up on my 03/21/2008 comments, needless to say, but as expected, I prevailed with the Independent Medical Review. Kaiser must provide my son ABA, OT and Speech Therapy.
I also filed a lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente in Superior Court. Kaiser doesn't know what to do now, since they don't have an infrastructure to provide the services that my son needs. The lawsuit seeks class action status in the third course of action.
My attorney will be amending the lawsuit to include age discrimination and false advertisement. Kaiser claimed, in writing, that they do not provide mental health treatments to 2 year olds!
What a bunch of crap. I suppose the fact that there aren't any more optimistic posts about autism treatment services through Kaiser is evidence enough that the reality is the Kaiser ASD centers are a waste of your child's precious intervention time. Pay out of pocket for private assessments that will drive Effective services and programming.Continue on KP's wait list 6-8 months, then their "ASD assessment", wait another month for the actual report. Use the report to request the vague services they recommend and write letter requesting ABA, OT, ST, PT, etc. KP will deny. File grievance. IMR opportunity is only option. BE SURE YOU HAVE ALL YOUR PRIVATE ASSESSMENT REPORTS AND "SPECIFIC" TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS BY PRIVATE PROVIDERS BEFORE ENTERING IMR PHASE.
Who is the kaiser contact in Walnut Creek, noted in the original post?
I went to the kaiser asd center in rancho cordova for my son. It is BS!!!! They told me my son had pdd-nos and gave me some info on books to read and basically said good luck. No treatment was offered, although the speech therapist that was there for evaluation told us about ALTA regional center. ALTA provides services for kids under 3. But Kaiser provides nothing for autism spectrum disorders!!! Only a diagnosis and a good luck with that!!
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