Andrea Davis is fundraising
Advocacy for Autism Treatment
Caitlin is a mom who cannot get insurance to fund DIR/Floortime for her son, but like most families, she cannot afford to pay out of pocket for the intensive treatment he needs. After spending more than a year fighting denials and appeals, she was forced by insurance to accept a treatment approach that does not work for her son and he regressed dramatically. Sadly, most families like this one are given no choice.
1 in 68 babies born is diagnosed with autism-- and every autistic person is different. But only ONE treatment approach is approved by insurance. Treatment for autistic people must fit that unique person and family. Families deserve the right to choose a method that is beneficial for them and one that is recommended by their doctor as best for their child, not insurance companies. One size does not fit all. Cookie cutter medicine is wrong. Legislating to allow only one medical treatment method is unprecedented. Help us end the monopoly! Doctors should be able to freely prescribe the best evidence-based treatment approach! Most families never even hear about evidence-based treatments that are developmental and relationship-based. We need your help to fix this problem!
Caitlin writes of her son's journey:
"Imagine a world where no one understands who you are inside because speaking is difficult.
My son didn’t speak until later - but he could understand. He was constantly frustrated that we did not understand what he needed. As a result, he didn’t trust us. This was the dark world that my Autistic son was living in. For my son, DIR/Floortime was the only way out of his dark and isolated world. With DIR, I learned how to have a relationship with my son, and I learned how to have fun with him. What could be better than that? He learned how to have fun with others, which led to making friends. This is a powerful model for children, adolescents, and adults with Autism.”
DIR/Floortime is a developmental approach that is NOT yet covered by most insurance companies. This Developmental, Individualized, Relationship-based treatment aims to support the growth of the child and adolescent's warmth, spontaneity, initiative, responsiveness, purposefulness, imagination, creativity, empathy, and complex thinking. It focuses on building a trusting relationship that honors individuals and their unique differences and which tries to get into their world - a world Caitlin’s son never thought he could share.
The reason I can hug and cuddle my autistic son is because of the DIR/Floortime he received earlier in his life! It was impossible before we started using it!"
– Caitlin Welsh, M.A., Board Certified Educational Therapist
As soon as Caitlin and her family found a way to pay for the Floortime approach again as a pre-adolescent, she was thrilled to let us know: "We have our son back!" New large treatment outcome research review analyses conclude that developmental treatment approaches have the most meaningful outcomes; they effectively reduce the core symptoms of autism! Help us raise funds and raise awareness - so we can work to change the laws that restrict funding to only one treatment approach! Please make a generous donation to help us advocate for these children and families. Thank you for your generous support!
Our Coalition of parents and professionals is advancing equity, justice, and access to true choice in autism treatment. The DIR/Floortime Coalition of California is a volunteer organization dedicated to advocacy by educating lawmakers, funding agencies, policy makers, and community members about creating access to doctor-prescribed evidence-based treatment approaches for each patient and about parental right to choose developmental, play-based, family-centered treatment for autism and other developmental disabilities. Donations for advocacy are made to the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning 501c3 Not for Profit Organization #52-1724162.
DIR/Floortime Coalition of California
Andrea Davis, Ph.D., President
913 E Walnut St Pasadena, CA 91106
“Within every living child exists the most precious bud of self-identity. To search this out and foster it with loving care; that is the essence of educating an Autistic child.”
– Dr. Kiyo Kitahara (1925-1989)
1 in 68 babies born is diagnosed with autism-- and every autistic person is different. But only ONE treatment approach is approved by insurance. Treatment for autistic people must fit that unique person and family. Families deserve the right to choose a method that is beneficial for them and one that is recommended by their doctor as best for their child, not insurance companies. One size does not fit all. Cookie cutter medicine is wrong. Legislating to allow only one medical treatment method is unprecedented. Help us end the monopoly! Doctors should be able to freely prescribe the best evidence-based treatment approach! Most families never even hear about evidence-based treatments that are developmental and relationship-based. We need your help to fix this problem!
Caitlin writes of her son's journey:
"Imagine a world where no one understands who you are inside because speaking is difficult.
My son didn’t speak until later - but he could understand. He was constantly frustrated that we did not understand what he needed. As a result, he didn’t trust us. This was the dark world that my Autistic son was living in. For my son, DIR/Floortime was the only way out of his dark and isolated world. With DIR, I learned how to have a relationship with my son, and I learned how to have fun with him. What could be better than that? He learned how to have fun with others, which led to making friends. This is a powerful model for children, adolescents, and adults with Autism.”
DIR/Floortime is a developmental approach that is NOT yet covered by most insurance companies. This Developmental, Individualized, Relationship-based treatment aims to support the growth of the child and adolescent's warmth, spontaneity, initiative, responsiveness, purposefulness, imagination, creativity, empathy, and complex thinking. It focuses on building a trusting relationship that honors individuals and their unique differences and which tries to get into their world - a world Caitlin’s son never thought he could share.
The reason I can hug and cuddle my autistic son is because of the DIR/Floortime he received earlier in his life! It was impossible before we started using it!"
– Caitlin Welsh, M.A., Board Certified Educational Therapist
As soon as Caitlin and her family found a way to pay for the Floortime approach again as a pre-adolescent, she was thrilled to let us know: "We have our son back!" New large treatment outcome research review analyses conclude that developmental treatment approaches have the most meaningful outcomes; they effectively reduce the core symptoms of autism! Help us raise funds and raise awareness - so we can work to change the laws that restrict funding to only one treatment approach! Please make a generous donation to help us advocate for these children and families. Thank you for your generous support!
Our Coalition of parents and professionals is advancing equity, justice, and access to true choice in autism treatment. The DIR/Floortime Coalition of California is a volunteer organization dedicated to advocacy by educating lawmakers, funding agencies, policy makers, and community members about creating access to doctor-prescribed evidence-based treatment approaches for each patient and about parental right to choose developmental, play-based, family-centered treatment for autism and other developmental disabilities. Donations for advocacy are made to the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning 501c3 Not for Profit Organization #52-1724162.
DIR/Floortime Coalition of California
Andrea Davis, Ph.D., President
913 E Walnut St Pasadena, CA 91106
“Within every living child exists the most precious bud of self-identity. To search this out and foster it with loving care; that is the essence of educating an Autistic child.”
– Dr. Kiyo Kitahara (1925-1989)
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