Apara Autism Centers on July 10 announced a partnership with the Therapeutic Alliance and Testing Center for families seeking an autism evaluation for children 18 months and older.

According to a news release, the TATC team has more than 25 years of clinical experience and offers comprehensive psychological testing for autism and other disorders by licensed clinical psychologists in a safe, confidential environment.

Apara officials said evaluation services are available for families served by Apara centers in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas with telehealth options, and both TATC and Apara centers accept most insurance plans.

Apara Intake Director Kisena Anderson said many parents are upset when an Apara center informs them they must first have a formal evaluation completed before their child can start benefitting from Apara’s applied behavior analysis services.

“Even more heartbreaking is when parents learn that the next available appointment with many diagnosing clinicians can range from three months upwards to a year or even two in some cases,” Anderson said in a statement. “The delay translates to crucial time lost when children in need of our services could have started learning new skills and growing towards greater independence.”

Representatives from the TATC and Apara said the partnership will allow Apara to refer families to a qualified care team aligned with their mission.

“The collaboration between Therapeutic Alliance and Testing Center and Apara Autism Centers will create an avenue for children and adults to receive testing evaluations quickly and efficiently. This will expedite treatment and assist in allowing families to feel the support needed to succeed,” TATC founder and CEO Dr. Jacqueline McKinney said in a statement.

Anyone interested in learning more about Apara and its testing services or scheduling a consultation and tour is urged to email [email protected] or call 281-397-5184.

https://aparaautism.com