CDC offers a variety of developmental evaluation options for children under the age of six, but primarily to children ages birth to three. Developmental evaluations can take place in Bozeman, Kalispell, and Missoula. In addition, psychological evaluations to determine eligibility for services to persons with a developmental disability can take place in Helena as well as Bozeman, Kalispell, and Missoula. CDC’s developmental evaluation teams are comprised from a variety of disciplines including: Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Speech and Language Pathologist, Occupational or Physical Therapist, Social Worker/Intake Coordinator, Child Development Specialist, and Consulting Medical Director.
Developmental Evaluations are for the purpose of:
- Determining eligibility for services, identifying delays in development as well as child strengths; diagnosing developmental disabilities; and making recommendations and offering resources where warranted.
Developmental evaluations are family centered, recognizing that parents and caregivers have a wealth of information about the child and need to participate in the evaluation process. Evaluations take two to four hours, depending on the number of clinicians necessary to answer the diagnostic questions or the reason for referral. The evaluation team sees the child together, eliminating the need for multiple visits to separate clinicians. Families leave the evaluation with the results as well as recommendations and referral options. Developmental evaluations are at no cost to the family.
Types of evaluations available:
Types of evaluations available at CDC include the following (or a combination of the following):
- Speech evaluation, feeding evaluation, motor evaluation, psychological/cognitive evaluation, social-emotional, adaptive, or maladaptive behavior screening and consultation, sensory evaluation, and diagnostic evaluation.