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This directory is provided as a service to our community, connecting parents, educators, and professionals as we work in partnership to improve the educational experiences of students on the autism spectrum. Professionals and nonprofit organizations listed in this directory have joined us in our commitment to serving students on the autism spectrum and their families by becoming professional members. Inclusion in the directory does not constitute an endorsement.
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Support/Services for Children and Young Adults | Caregiver Support | Special Education Advocacy |
Alliance Pediatrics
10810 Darnestown Rd., Ste 201, North Potomac, MD 20878 240-252-4105; www.alliancepediatrics.com Contact: Linda Quinones: administration@alliancepediatrics.com We provide innovative, fun and effective social and emotional interventions to children and adolescents! Our empathetic and highly skilled clinicians guide families to become empowered with a tool box of skills that children, teens and caregivers can apply to everyday circumstances. We enjoy consulting with school administrators and teachers to help students reach their potential, and we provide 1:1 student support when additional guidance is needed for students to become independent in school and community settings. In our summer program our #1 goal is for children to have fun while learning vital social and emotional skills. ArtStream
Programs offered throughout the DMV. 301-565-4567; www.art-stream.org/ Services: Social Skills; recreational support; performing arts support ArtStream offers performance opportunities to people with IDDs – including autism - of all ages. Classes, workshops, and performances are available throughout the DMV. ArtStream’s programs encourage collaboration and engage people in lifelong learning opportunities. Through ArtStream’s classes, performances, social skills workshops, and other programming, participants gain skills and confidence to engage with the world. There is a role for everyone at ArtStream. Bass Educational Services, LLC
3403 Olandwood Ct, Suite 101 Olney, MD 20832 Contact: Judy Bass; judy@basseducationalservices.com Bass Educational Services, LLC provides an array of educational services for students with learning differences, ADHD, ASD, and other special needs. Our educational consultants offer guidance and structure throughout the college and postsecondary planning process, provide assistance in gap year programming and assist families in facilitating local K-12 school placements. Our trained, experienced tutors provide online and in-home, one-on-one SAT/ACT test prep and subject tutoring. Additionally, we provide assistance in obtaining SAT/ACT accommodations when appropriate. Suzanne Keith Blattner and Associates
301-758-4275; www.suzannekeithblattner.com Services: Educational consulting; Advocacy; Academic tutoring/coaching Ms. Blattner and her associates are highly skilled and experienced professionals who have provided supports to families of students with special learning needs for over 30 years. They offer a range of supports including tailored consulting, advocacy, specialized tutoring and academic coaching. A complete description and details of the services offered through this practice are outlined on the website. Ms. Blattner offers a free 1/2 hour consultation to families to learn about their needs and to point them in the right direction to get started. Matthew B. Bogin, Attorney at Law
5454 Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 760, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Matthew B. Bogin has been helping families with special needs members throughout the D.C. metropolitan area for over thirty-five years. He is well respected for his championing the varying rights of special needs clients. Currently his particular focus is ensuring that families with special needs members complete and review planning to ensure a successful future for these children. Because that calls for specialized knowledge and expertise, Matthew is ideally suited to assist clients in the area of special needs trust, estate planning, and guardianship. Center for Anxiety & Behavioral Change (CABC)
50 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850 Contact: Jonathan Dalton; drdalton@changeanxiety.com; clinic-coordinator@changeanxiety.com Services: Psychological counseling; Social skills therapy; Behavioral therapy The Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change, with offices in Rockville, Maryland and McLean, Virginia, is a private treatment center that is dedicated to reducing the suffering of individuals living with anxiety and related disorders through state-of-the-art, evidence based, behavioral treatment in the context of a warm, compassionate, and collaborative environment. These services are provided through individual, group, and family therapy. In addition, we provide professional training, consultation services, and public outreach as core aspects of our shared mission. Center for Assessment And Treatment (CAAT) 8401 Connecticut Ave., Ste. 1000, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 The Center for Assessment And Treatment (CAAT) was created to improve the lives of children, teens, and adults. Their team consists of compassionate clinicians who are dedicated to identifying the obstacles that interfere with an individual’s performance and creating personalized treatment plans to help the individual reach his or her full potential. CAAT provides extraordinary service through a uniquely integrated and continuous approach to evaluation, treatment, and support. We are committed to helping people reach their potential through careful evaluations of strengths and weaknesses and providing individually tailored, empirically-based interventions. Center for Communication & Learning
6266 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852 The Center For Communication and Learning is a comprehensive pediatric speech and language private practice that provides evaluations and therapy to children diagnosed with communication challenges secondary to autism, social pragmatic language disorders, speech and language delays, apraxia and oral motor/feeding difficulties. Staff collaborate with educators and therapists in order to provide an integrated approach to services for your child. Family participation is welcomed. The dynamic Be Social Kids programs assist children in developing social thinking skills to enhance their ability to navigate the social world at school and at home. Chesapeake Center, ADHD Learning & Behavioral Health
6430 Rockledge Dr, Suite 500, Bethesda, MD 20817 The Chesapeake Center is an ADHD, Learning and Behavioral Health clinic that offers a broad range of services to people across the lifespan. We provide individualized and integrated care all in one location using a team-based approach. Our services include: developmental and behavioral pediatrics, psychotherapy, psychiatry / medication management, a comprehensive array of assessments including neuropsychological and psychoeducational testing, tutoring and study skills support, executive functioning coaching, specialized career services, school consultations / observations and therapeutic placement services. We believe in treating the whole person taking a strengths-based and solution-focused approach. CSahm Foundation for ADHD
7920 Longridge Ct, Cabin John, MD 20818 301-257-6655; www.csahmfoundation.org Contact: Candace Sahm; candace@csahmfoundation.org The CSahm Foundation for ADHD Educational Services and Support, Inc. helps low–income youth with ADHD and Autism. We offer coaching support for their organization and time management skills. We have top academic tutors to help with coursework. We also offer counseling and guidance for assessment, IEPs and 504s. Dance Inclusive 6125 Montrose Rd, Rockville, MD 20852 Contact: inclusivemovementinfo@gmail.com Services: Recreations support
Inclusive Movement and Dance, Inc., also known as Dance Inclusive, is a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing the joy of dance with the Neurodiverse Community in Montgomery County, Maryland. DC Peers
5028 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20016 DC Peers is a nonprofit providing innovative free/low-cost social learning and social coaching programs to teens and young adults. Our programs bring typical and autistic peers together to learn how neurological differences affect social interactions. We're committed to raising neurodiversity awareness in our organization and our community. DC Social Hikes
202-422-2315; www.dcsocialhikes.com DC Social Hikes was created by Maria Stangheriln and Lauren Devine with the belief that movement is medicine and that every kid can benefit from nature and friendship! Maria and Lauren are experienced professionals who bring decades of experience working with a range of kids and young adults. Hikes are geared at neurodiverse kids and address skills like problem solving, regulating emotions, conversation skills, and identifying social cues. Disability Rights Maryland
1500 Union Avenue Suite 2000, Baltimore, MD 21211 Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) envisions a world where people with disabilities are fully included in the workplace, neighborhoods and all aspects of community life. We help people with disabilities pursue opportunities to participate fully in all aspects of community life, and champion their rights to self-determination, dignity, equality, opportunity, and freedom from discrimination and harm. DRM may represent Maryland residents who have a disability and a legal issue within the scope of our Advocacy Services Plan. Educational Resources Group of Greater Washington
Contact: Stacy Ganz Kahn; (301) 636-0389 ; sgkeducational@gmail.com Services: Educational Consulting and Advocacy; Academic Therapy (Tutoring); Executive Functioning and ADHD Coaching; College Consulting; Behavioral Intervention Support Utilizing a coordination of care approach, Educational Resources Group of Greater Washington (ERG) provides a high level of expertise and a broad menu of educational services specifically tailored to meet the individual needs of our clients. Our experienced team of certified professionals can also help you navigate the complicated processes often associated with the world of learning differences. Enhance EFS
Contact: Marci Skigen; 847-903-5600 ; enhanceefs@gmail.com Services: Executive Functioning Coaching; IEP Consulting; Academic Tutoring; College Counseling Whether you’re looking for executive functioning skills training sessions, educational therapy, college counseling, home organization and IEP or 504 advocacy, we have you covered! All of our services are customizable for your needs to ensure we provide the critical tools needed to enhance each individual’s daily lives! Many of our clients are intelligent, capable students, late elementary school to post- college, who are not achieving their potential as a result of ineffective work habits. Some have diagnoses such as ADHD, ASD or other learning differences and see Enhance EFS as excellent additional support to interventions they may have already tried or would like to try. Some of our clients have emotional challenges, such as anxiety, which impact their ability to work effectively. Other clients we work with have no formal diagnoses yet and benefit from learning more effective ways to manage their academic or workplace demands. Exceptional Educational Solutions
701 Hyde Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20902 Exceptional Educational Solutions finds educational solutions for bright K-12 students with learning differences in the D.C. metro area. As an educational consultant and founder of Exceptional Educational Solutions, Stephanie Frumkin helps parents of bright students with learning differences gain clarity and find educational solutions so their child will thrive. She specialize in students with autism, ADHD, mood disorders, behavioral challenges, and other learning differences. Many of her students are gifted/twice exceptional. Stephanie has over 25 years of experience in the field of education. In addition to earning a B.A. in Elementary Education and an M.A. in Leadership in Teaching, she has completed both the COPAA Special Education Advocacy Training 2.0 coursework and the Master IEP Coach Mentorship. She is an associate member of the IECA—Independent Educational Consultants Association. Family Legal Advocacy Group (FLAG Family Law)
7120 Minstrel Way, Ste. 202, Columbia, MD 21045 The attorneys at FLAG are former educators with years of experience working with disadvantaged and special education students. We combine our knowledge of the intricacies of the special education process with the advocacy skills of an attorney. Given that skill set, we are uniquely able to help families determine if an IEP or 504 is appropriate, explain the legal framework, and get children the help they need. Feig Mediation Group, LLC
10411 Motor City Drive, Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20817 301-785-8972; www.feigmediationgroup.com Contact: Erik Feig; erik@feigmediationgroup.com Services: Parent/family mediation Feig Mediation Group provides mediation for parents and adult family members in neurodiverse families who are dealing with important decisions but aren't on the same page - yet. We help parents have solutions-oriented dialogue so that they can shift from trying to win when they disagree to creating solutions together. Issues we mediate include:
Fitness for Health
11140 Rockville Pike, Ste. 303, Rockville, MD 20852 Fitness for Health strives to build self-esteem and self confidence, and to make a difference in the lives of the children with whom they work. Combining state-of-the-art equipment with innovative approaches to exercise, Fitness for Health helps people of all ages and abilities enjoy the benefits of physical activity while having fun. Featured in O Magazine, Fox News, and The Today Show, founder Marc Sickel is fulfilling his dream of helping children maximize their physical potential. By using specialized equipment and unique methods, Marc has created an exciting, safe environment where children can develop the motivation and confidence to learn new skills and take on new challenges. They offer a non-intimidating, relaxed environment where children can feel comfortable. Therapeutic fitness, and Occupational and Physical Therapy services are available. Geneva Presbyterian Church Disability Ministry/Mission Team
11931 Seven Locks Road, Potomac, MD 20854 This new ministry team has formed at Geneva to explore ways we can partner with disabled or special needs individuals and find a role in the disability support community. The Geneva Presbyterian Church in Potomac is known as "the little church with the big heart." Great and Small
17320 Moore Road, Boyds, MD 20841 (301) 349-0075; greatandsmallride.org Contact: Alexis Leonard; info@greatandsmallride.org Services: Speech language therapy; Athletics; Recreational support Great and Small provides equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) to children and adults with a wide range of physical, developmental, and emotional disabilities. Our programs include therapeutic riding and summer camps, as well as hippotherapy through a partnership with REINS Therapeutic Services, a local speech-language therapy practice. Through a supportive and therapeutic engagement with horses we strengthen and empower our riders, helping them develop their full potential. Brian K. Gruber, P.C., Law Office
6110 Executive Blvd., Ste. 220, Rockville, MD 20852 The Law Office of Brian K. Gruber, P.C., represents students and their parents in matters related to special education, access to appropriate accommodations under section 504, and students who are facing long-term suspension or expulsion. By developing and maintaining strong relationships with public school agencies in Maryland and DC, the office is often able to help achieve a positive outcome for clients without the need for litigation. Our staff of attorneys have handled hundreds of due process hearings and mediations across Maryland and the District of Columbia. Guiding Exceptional Parents, LLC
4711 Sheridan St., Riverdale Park, MD 20737 In addition to co-authoring the book, "Is This Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else" (due for release in Spring of 2023), Sarah Wayland, Ph.D., is a parenting coach, certified RDI consultant, and a special needs care navigator at Guiding Exceptional Parents, LLC. Her work as a parenting coach involves working closely with families to figure out which parenting strategies are best suited to their family - taking the profiles of both the caregivers and the child into account. As an RDI™ consultant, Dr. Wayland works with parents to show them how to teach their children the essential skills that make relationships work. She teaches them how to identify problems, and through a highly customized program that takes both their profile and their child’s profile into account, they learn how to teach the missing skills. She also works with teens and adults to help them learn the skills necessary for making and maintaining meaningful relationships. Her Special Needs Navigation Services are designed to help parents learn how to access resources and knowledge so they can confidently and effectively help their children. She knows how to effectively navigate clinical care and educational systems, how to evaluate reports, and how to help prioritize. H2D Counseling, Sumaiya Olatunde
301-575-4885; www.h2dcounseling.com Contact: Sumaiya Olatunde; sumaiya@h2dcounseling.com Services: Educational advocacy; educational consulting; admissions services; Serving students ages Pre-K through graduate school. H2D Counseling provides educational advocacy and K-12, college and graduate school admissions services for all students. We participate in IEP and 504 meetings, connect families and students with resources, and help identify needed supports in the areas of education, mental health, therapies, and other needs as they arise. Our approach is very individualized and student-centered with a focus on balancing short-term needs with long-term goals. Sumaiya will also provide a free session to get you started in the right direction. Heads Up Consulting, Jane Snider
443-994-7331; http://www.heads-upconsultants.com Contact: Dr. Jane Snider; jane@heads-upconsultants.com Services: Special education law including consultation, representation at IEP meetings, conflict resolution, mediation and due process hearings; educational consulting. Dr. Jane Snider and her team at Heads-Up Consultants transform nonprofit organizations, schools, and families whose children struggle with learning differences like dyslexia and ADHD. Dr. Snider is the Founder of The Summit School in Edgewater, MD. Jane is an entrepreneur and expert in school and nonprofit management. She has worked with heads of schools across the country to refine their special education programs and build support for students with learning differences. Specialties include: guiding parents to appropriate schools; advocating with Admissions Directors for student placement; interpreting diagnostic assessments. Jean Hickey, M.Ed.
Silver Spring, MD Contact: 240-460-5306; jeh217@aol.com Jean Hickey has worked with children and adolescents with significant learning needs for more than 30 years. Jean works with children ages 3-21 and her experience covers the range of academic skills in addition to community, vocational, and life skills instruction. For the past 21 years, Jean has worked one-on-one with students to build skills in all areas. Jean works out of her office and in student homes and private schools. Jean has experience working with children on the Autism Spectrum as well as with children with Fragile X, Down Syndrome, Myotonic Dystrophy, Kabuki Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, and significant learning delays. Jean develops a hands-on, fun and individualized approach for each child and provides parents with information and skills to support their child. In addition to individual instruction and parent support, Jean also consults with team members and coordinates the focus of support among school-based and private therapists and teachers. Jean also develops home-based instruction for a team approach and has delivered presentations and led workshops for the xMinds community. JMS Education Consulting
2104 Dumfries Terrace 240-994-0330; https://www.jmseduconsulting.com/ Contact: Joanna Salzman; joanna@jmseduconsulting.com Services: Educational advocacy; educational consulting; educational assessments At JMS Education Consulting, we believe families and schools must work together to meet the needs of all children. Together, we will define what success meets for your child and help them to achieve it. This includes the IEP and 504 process. I also conduct educational assessments, do observations and share strategies, write and edit IEPs, and participate in all types of meetings. Integrated Living Opportunities
5603 Potomac Avenue NW, North Entrance, Washington DC 20016 Integrated Living Opportunities is a non-profit organization that is devoted to helping families with special needs build supportive, integrated communities that enable safe, productive, independent living options for their young adults with developmental disabilities. ILO helps families create networks of support for adults with disabilities by developing teams of paid and unpaid individuals for our self-advocates as they move out of their family houses into their own homes. The Ivymount School and Outreach Programs
11614 Seven Locks Rd., Rockville, MD 20854 Ivymount School and Programs provide school- and community-based services for children and young adults with special needs from throughout the Washington metropolitan area. The school serves more than 200 students, ages 4–21, with speech and language impairments, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, health impairments, and Autism Spectrum Disorders. The classrooms are structured to serve students with a range of academic and cognitive abilities, including, in some cases, those who have the potential to obtain a high school diploma. Steven Kane, Ph.D.
4405 East West Highway, Suite 501, Bethesda, MD 20814 Steven Kane provides psychotherapy to children and adults with diverse neurodevelopmental profiles. He has worked in special education, residential and private practice settings for over 30 years with a primary focus on autism spectrum disorders. The Language Link
Silver Spring, MD The Language Link speech-language pathologists are dedicated to serving children, teens, and adults with speech, language, social pragmatic, and executive functioning needs in Montgomery County, MD and Washington DC. Dr. Joanna Lhulier
5480 Wisconsin Ave. NW, #204, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Dr. Joanna Lhulier is a licensed psychologist in MD and DC, and has been in private practice for over 15 years. She provides individual psychotherapy and psychological consultations to both adults and adolescents who are either on the autism spectrum or who have a loved one on the spectrum (parents, siblings, spouses etc.) Link Education Resources
17208 Wellflet Dr., Olney, MD 20832 Our philosophy is to provide children, parents and educators the greatest chance of success by offering the necessary supports, education, and skills for both the individual and group setting. In a group setting, a classroom, daycare or homeschool environment, LinkEducation Resources offers parents and educators research based training and development of strategies for student’s mindfulness, executive functioning and behavior modification as well as the underdeveloped student skills that often accompany and lay as the root of these behaviors. This multi-tiered and collaborative support approach partners parents, teachers and students to work as a team towards the shared goal of student success. On the individual level, LinkEducation Resources offers support for both typical and exceptional students in understanding and developing underlying academic areas weakness and identifying strengths. This is done using an individualized tutoring approach combining research based programs such as Orton Gillingham, Lindamood Bell, Handwriting Without Tears, and Framing Your Thoughts. Additionally, LER integrates strategies that will enable students to problem solve, stay organized and master challenging academic environments independently. MOCO Movement Center
5268-A Nicholson Lane, Kensington, MD 20895 MOCO Movement Center is a fully inclusive pediatric therapy practice and athletic movement center. We offer movement classes for children of all ages and abilities and provide therapy services to support their function. MOCO's proprietary method, Applied Functional Therapy, takes evidence-based physical, occupational and speech therapy out of the clinic and integrates it into real life activities to help your child achieve better functional outcomes. MOCO Movement Center is committed to excellence and puts our patients and families first! That means staying on the cutting-edge of medical research and education, truly understanding your child’s goals, and adapting therapy to meet their specific needs. Showing families how to interact and grow in a real-world environment is our way of showing you that MOCO’s commitment does not end at our doors. Martinez Advocacy
10605 Concord St., Ste. 102, Kensington, MD 20895 Monica Martinez is a special education advocate working with families in Montgomery County, MD. Through her seven plus years of involvement in Partnership for Extraordinary Minds (xMinds), Monica developed an in-depth understanding of how Montgomery County Public Schools educates students on the autism spectrum and how to navigate the district’s special education system. Monica’s areas of expertise are services and accommodations for students on the autism spectrum, as well as those with ADHD and/or co-morbid mental health issues. Monica also works to help parents and guardians understand the educational rights of their children. Monica has attended Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy Training and completed the yearlong Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) 2.0 through the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA). Pediatric Development Center, LLC
15850 Crabbs Branch Way, Suite 150, Rockville, MD 20855 12520 Prosperity Drive, Suite 210, Silver Spring, MD 20904 301-869-7505; pdcandme.com Contact: Amy Wetherill; info@pdcandme.com At the Pediatric Development Center (PDC) everything we do is centered around play and practical experience. We believe that all children learn best by fully engaging in stimulating, hands-on activities. Through our captivating, play-based model, PDC provides skilled, collaborative speech-language, occupational, feeding, and physical therapy services. We partner with families to ensure that what the child learns with us transitions well to their home environment. Our bilingual office staff is here to help you get started, and our dedicated billing team will help you get the most out of your insurance benefits. We have physical offices in Rockville and Silver Spring, and the PDC Virtual Clinic lets us help children all across Maryland via teletherapy. PDC is truly the place where EVERYONE can discover what is possible. (Now in-network with BlueCross, United Healthcare, TRICARE, and Maryland Medicaid.) Personalized Career Services, LLC
P.O. Box 915, Laurel, MD 20725 240-704-4449; https://www.pcscareerservices.com/ Contact: Viktoriya Selden; selden@pcscareerservices.com Services: College placement assistance, Coaching, College assistance PCS provides career services to young adults with autism and other disabilities. The services are personalized to each student’s needs, abilities, and goals. Students can participate in career exploration, assessment, or coaching to identify specific career goals, acquire job seeking skills, and learn about workplace professionalism. Students can also learn about self-advocacy, disclosure, and accommodations as it relates to their needs. Students pursuing postsecondary education can learn of suitable programs, college majors, and schools. Reach Every Voice
11900 Parklawn Drive, Suite 110, Rockville, MD 20852 240-630-1785; http://www.reacheveryvoice.org Contact: Lisa Mihalich Quinn; lisa@reacheveryvoice.org Reach Every Voice is a multi-faceted practice created and staffed by experienced teachers. REV provides communication instruction to nonspeaking or unreliably speaking individuals, hosts in-person group programs that build communication practice and provide opportunities for socialization, offers online courses for non speakers, and provides consultation, training, and coaching for families and schools working to improve their communication practices. REV is a nonprofit organization. Rebecca Resnik & Associates
5602 Shields Drive, Ste. A, Bethesda, MD 20814 Dr. Rebecca Resnik and Associates, LLC, in Bethesda and Rockville offers neuropsychological and psychoeducational assessment, psychotherapy, educational consulting and advocacy. For our clients with ASDs, we focus on helping each individual realize his/her potential and find the path for his/her own success story. Our Licensed Psychologists conduct custom-designed psychological evaluations personally (we never use techs or students in our practice). Our testing psychologists incorporate their expertise in brain-behavior relationships, emotional development, and evidence-based educational 'best practices' together to create a data-based action plan. Our licensed psychotherapists offer cognitive behavior therapy, group therapy, play therapy, parent coaching and insight oriented treatments to promote wellness. We also offer a Medical and Dental Desensitization program for children with sensory issues. Our highly experienced clinicians are committed to making your work with us a positive, meaningful experience. Rooted: Nature OT in DC www.rootedindc.com Services: Occupational Therapy, Social Skills Support, Recreational Support, Executive Function Support, Wellness Support At Rooted OT we have a strengths-based approach to help kids learn & grow. They become empowered with understanding how their brains and bodies grow best while playing and exploring in nature. We take kids outdoors individually, in groups, and camps to develop their coordination, connection, and calming skills. Our young clients love their time in Nature OT. Great news - Summer Camp registration has just opened! Naomi Rubinstein LLC
14202 Silent Wood Way, North Potomac, MD 20878 SCI Educational Consultants, Inc.
8800 Quiet Stream Ct., Potomac, MD 20854 Dr. Iseman, with 50 years' experience in the area of special needs, provides services to students and their parents to achieve appropriate educational programming and/or placement in public and private schools. Consulting services include case management, IEP development, support at all meetings, and referrals for evaluations and community services. Shefter Law, PA
shefterlaw.com; 110 N Washington St, Suite 350, Rockville, MD 20850 Contact: Frances Shefter; frances@shefterlaw.com; 301-605-7303 Services: Special education law; Educational consulting Shefter Law, PA is a law firm dedicated to helping families have a Stress-Free IEP experience. Parents of Children with Special Needs have a ton of demands on their time and energy. Learning the complexities of how to get your child’s school to meet his or her unique needs is just one more thing you do not need on your plate. As a former Special Education teacher, Frances Shefter is uniquely able to mix Education and the Law to help take the stress out of the IEP or 504 process. She aims to empower families with the knowledge and resources needed to help bring peace and harmony to their home. Spectrum Transition Coaching, LLC
703-988-3470; https://spectrumtransitioncoaching.com/ Contact: Beth Felsen; bfelsen@spectrumtransitioncoaching.com Services: Coaching; College assistance; Grades 9–12 and transition ages (18–21) Spectrum Transition Coaching, LLC provides college readiness coaching for autistic high school students and their parents as well as one-on-one coaching for autistic young adult clients 18 and older. College readiness for autistic high school students focuses on the non-academic skills needed for college success: self-advocacy, executive function, social communication and life skills. One-on-one coaching after high school can focus on academic, social, organizational, life, and employment goals. Services are provided virtually. Private pay only. Navigating life with autism can be really difficult – working with a coach can make it easier. SpeechKids, LLC
DC, MD, and VA Speech Kids provides holistic, developmental, attachment-based pediatric speech therapy serving DC, MD, VA. Raising Orchids is the parent education division of SpeechKids that offers parent education and parent support groups for parents of neurodiverse children (global, online), along with a monthly subscription service that past participants can opt into. SPIRIT Club
10417-B Kensington Pkwy, Kensington, MD 20895 (301) 933-3722; https://www.spirit-club.com/ Contact: Jared Ciner; join@spirit-club.com Services: Athletics/recreational support, Athletics, Coaching SPIRIT Club offers supportive fitness programs that are universally designed to support people of ALL abilities. We put a focus on functional fitness and movements that are used in our daily lives with our own SPIRIT Club spin to make the workouts fun and engaging for members and supporters. Classes are structured into a two-circuit workout routine with a fun SPIRIT Challenge to test what we learned throughout the class. We also offer 1:1 and small group training. Just bring your energy, water and some SPIRIT and let’s have some fun with fitness! Starobin Counseling, LLC
18213 Hillcrest Ave., Olney, MD 20832 Starobin Counseling offers individual, couples, family, and group therapy. In individual & family counseling for people on the autism spectrum individuals learn relationship skills and tools for thinking with greater flexibility, have a space for exploring their identity as an autistic person, and receive support and counseling for mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Family members learn to interact with greater ease and compassion with their loved ones and learn how to provide support and scaffolding for their autistic family member. Starobin Counseling provides the MoCo PEERS® social skills program for teens and young adults in collaboration with Jamell White, Ph.D., LCSW-C. The MoCo PEERS® groups help participants practice and generalize relationship skills with their peers, families, and communities. Starobin Counseling also facilitates support group programs called Parents Together and Siblings Together. The parent groups offer parents information, resources, emotional support, and connection to other parents with similar experiences and aims to strengthen the capacity of parents to navigate the maze of services for their children, adolescents, and young adults. Siblings Together offers a supportive and therapeutic space for children and adolescents who have family members living on the autism spectrum. The Stixrud Group, LLC
8720 Georgia Ave., Suite 606, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 565-0534; http://stixrud.com Contact: Dr. Salya Namazi; snamazi@stixrud.com Services: Educational Testing; Neuropsychological Testing; Educational Consulting The Stixrud Group is a group of neuropsychologists and clinical psychologists who specialize in the evaluation of children, adolescents and adults with learning, attention, social or emotional difficulties. We are committed to the alleviation of suffering for our clients and their families by removing any blocks to their experiencing happiness and fulfillment in life. We believe this is accomplished by helping our clients understand themselves. Our goal is to use our professional knowledge and skills to help people achieve educational and professional success, emotional healing and interpersonal harmony in their relationships. Talk Yoga
3207 Decatur Ave., Kensington, MD 20895 (202) 607-0910; www.talkyogaslp.com Contact: Kim Hughes; talkyogaslp@gmail.com Services: Speech/language therapy; recreational support; ages preschool to 21+ Talk Yoga™ is a multidisciplinary, evidenced-based treatment approach incorporating the movement of yoga with speech-language therapy resulting in intentional, playful, and effective intervention. The Treatment and Learning Centers
2092 Gaither Rd., Ste. 100, Rockville, MD 20850 TLC annually serves nearly 2,000 children and adults with a wide range of special needs. Our mission is to improve the lives of and to expand possibilities for these individuals through offering a family of services within one organization. We offer speech-language and occupational therapy, evaluations and summer programs for children; comprehensive psychological and educational testing, tutoring and counseling for students with learning challenges. Vista Choice Supports, LLC 1500 Pointer Ridge Place, Unit 1721 Bowie, MD 20716 (240) 472-2846; https://vistachoice.org/ Contact: Linda Stringer; Linda@vistachoice.org Services: Coaching; Support Brokerage Vista Choice Supports provides assistance to individuals with developmental disabilities who choose to direct their own services and supports, which are approved by the Maryland DDA. The individual with disabilities (the "Participant") is supported by a team that helps to implement their "Person-Centered Plan. " A Vista Choice Support Broker can assist the Participant by serving as a human resource agent to help promote their goals, find work, live safely, learn new skills, and engage in activities in their community. The Support Broker can help with: navigating community waiver supports (Maryland DDA), recruiting and training direct support staff (personal supports) , training Participants and their representatives in self-directed services, and managing the Participant's DDA Waiver budget and employees that are hired to support the Participant. Washington Behavioral Medicine Associates, LLC/SOAR Program for Psychotherapy & Testing
Jaclyn Halpern, Psy.D., Director/Co-Founder 5480 Wisconsin Ave #223 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 (301) 576-6044; https://www.wbma.cc Contact: Jaclyn Halpern, Psy.D.; hello@wbma.cc Services: Medical/medicine management; Psychological counseling; Social skills therapy; Behavioral therapy; Educational consulting; Educational testing; Neuropsychological testing; Academic tutoring/coaching We believe in providing empathic, personalized science-based treatments and supports. Our providers seek to accurately identify strengths, vulnerabilities, neurodiversity, and diagnoses. Our supports and treatments rely upon a thorough understanding of each individual’s medical and developmental history, and identified needs. They may include the integration of medication, neuromodulation (TMS, eTNS, tDCS, and others), comprehensive psychological testing, a range of supportive psychotherapies, expressive arts therapies, coaching, psychiatric genetics and pharmacogenetics, personal and family-based care, diet and supplements, and adequate sleep and reasonable exercise. Treatment and support plans are based on each individual’s needs. Our practice is unique in its integration of traditional psychiatry and psychology, genetics, neuroscience, and holistic, whole-person approaches to care. We help you achieve your treatment goals through our collaborative wellness model. We know reaching out is not easy, and we are dedicated to creating the most helpful path towards wellness for each and every person and family. Our patient population is diverse, we are neurodiversity affirmative, and we are inclusive and welcoming to all. Telehealth available. Dr. Webbink & Associates, PA
6109 Broad St. Bethesda, MD 20816 301-229-8000; AACCounseling.com Contact: Dr. Patricia Webbink; enrichctr@aol.com Services: Psychological counseling, social skills therapy, academic tutoring Dr. Patricia Webbink is a licensed psychologist in private practice who has worked with children with autism and Aspergers for over 50 years. She began her work with autistic children at Duke University, where she received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, working with pioneers in the field of childhood autism, including Dr. Eric Schopler, a researcher into Autism and a colleague of Bernard Rimland. For over 30 years, Dr. Webbink has developed summer programs for Autistic children where they receive one-on-one attention. She has published several books, including The Power Of The Eyes. Weinfeld Education Group
Rich Weinfeld, Executive Director Weinfeld Education Group strives to help all students reach their potential. They focus on students who face the increased obstacles presented by their learning challenges or disabilities, and are in need of special education or other educational support services. WEG provides services in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Dr. Jamell White
Services primarily provided in offices located in Rockville and Bethesda; Community-based support and virtual sessions also offered. Services: Psychological counseling; Social skills therapy; Behavioral support Dr. Jamell White is a therapist specializing in working with children, adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities. She has over 20 years of experience providing individual and family therapy, social skills intervention, and care coordination for individuals with disabilities and their families. Dr. White is also a PEERS Certified Provider. Gulnoza Yakubova, Ph.D.University of Maryland, College Park, 3214 Benjamin Building Gulnoza Yakubova, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in Special Education in the College of Education at the University of Maryland, College Park. Having received her Ph.D. in special education from Purdue University in 2013, Dr. Yakubova worked as an Assistant Professor at Duquesne University prior to joining UMD. She has several years of experience in working with autistic children to teach them independent living skills and supporting them in an academic environment. Her overarching research interest focuses on examining technology-based interventions to teach autistic students the skills they need to have a successful life after school. She uses technology with a primary focus on: (1) increasing functional independence of autistic children in school and community, (2) supporting access to learning academic content, and (3) training parents on creating video-based interventions. She conducts virtual and in-person training and research with autistic children and their parents via ongoing research projects. |