At CECF we care about children and families. We believe in providing exceptional services to help children thrive and succeed. This means our services are focused on helping children to learn new skills to cope with anxiety or to navigate the social world or to calm down too-strong feelings. We focus on giving tools to parents so they have confidence that they are supporting their child in the best possible way. We also partner with parents to set specific treatment goals. Progress on those goals are evaluated at every step in the process to determine treatment success and when to end treatment.

The focus of the Center for Exceptional Children and Families is on providing empirically validated treatment  in an outpatient pediatric setting for children two to twelve years of age. Treatment is designed to be brief and time-limited for children with common behavior problems, disruptive behavior disorders and co-occurring disorders. Problem behaviors such as noncompliance, physical aggression, temper tantrums, impulsivity, self-injury (mild), disruptive behaviors, bedtime/sleep problems, toileting difficulties, fears/phobias and social skills deficits are frequent presenting concerns.

The treatment is grounded in principles of Applied Behavior Analyses and utilizes behavior therapy and cogitive behavior therapy approaches. Parent training is an essential component to the approach when working with young children. However children may also be treated through individual therapy and group therapy depending on the age and presenting concern. Treatment is primarily clinic-based but may include some work in the home, school, and community settings to faciliate generalization of skills.  

We are in-network with several insurance providers. However policies vary so please check with your insurance provider to determine which procedures may be covered. We are currently in-network with:

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield

Harvard Pilgrim

United Behavioral Health

Tufts

Aetna

Cigna

What to Expect

We can typically schedule the Initial Evaluation within one to two weeks. The first appointment will generally include parents/caregivers and the child. At this appointment the psychologist will ask questions about family history and about the current concerns. The psychologist will also use this time to meet the child and help him/her feel comfortable. During the appointment  caregivers are typically asked to complete questionnaires to better assess functioning and inform treatment. You should also bring any relevant medical and school records. At the end of the evaluation we will provide feedback on initial treatment impressions and recommendations.

Caregivers are an essential component of what we do. We understand that no one knows your child better than you. You are the expert on your child! We also include parents throughout treatment because we want the positive changes we are creating to occur beyond the clinic and into your home and community. We work closely with families to set treatment goals that take into consideration the culture and preferences of the family. In this collaborative approach parents become our partners in change.