Targeted autism evaluations at CFC are for adults. For children and teens, we recommend a full neuropsychological evaluation rather than a targeted autism screen. Autism commonly co-occurs with ADHD, anxiety, learning differences, or sensory processing, and a broader assessment catches the full picture. Our adult autism evaluations are neurodiversity-affirming and use gold-standard tools like the ADOS-2 along with developmental history and input from people who know you well. Our goal isn't to confirm a label. It's to understand the person in front of us.
Children whose early development raised questions for parents
Teens starting to recognize themselves in autism descriptions
Adults who have felt out of step and want to understand why
Girls, women, and non-binary individuals whose autism may have been masked or missed
Individuals with Pathological Demand Avoidance (Persistent Demand for Autonomy) profiles
Families seeking a clear diagnostic roadmap with specific support recommendations
An autism evaluation should never feel like being put under a microscope. At the Center for Connection, we approach autism assessment with a different orientation: we provide the assessments that can lead to a diagnosis, but our focus is much more than a label. We are here to understand a person, fully and with care, and to help them and their family understand themselves.
Our evaluation process is neurodiversity-affirming. We recognize autism as a neurological difference, not a disorder to be fixed. And we believe that understanding one’s own neurological profile, whatever that profile turns out to be, is something every person benefits from.
An evaluation does not change who a person is. What it can change is how they understand themselves, how the people around them understand and support them, and finding the kinds of supports that are helpful. For many families and individuals, a clear evaluation is the beginning of relief. Things that felt inexplicable start to make sense. Strategies that actually fit the person’s brain become possible.
Key Insight
Families come to us with all kinds of starting points. Some parents have been wondering since their child was a toddler. Some teenagers are starting to connect their own experiences with things they’ve read and are curious about their own minds. Some adults have spent decades feeling fundamentally out of step with the world around them and are finally ready to explore why.
Our autism evaluations are individualized and thorough. We gather information from multiple sources and across multiple environments, because autism looks different in a pediatrician’s office than it does at home or at school. The evaluation typically includes:
Developmental history interview: A detailed conversation with parents or caregivers about early development, milestones, and the behaviors and patterns they have observed over time
Clinical interview with the individual: For children who are able to participate, and always for teens and adults, we spend time with the individual directly, getting to know them on their own terms
ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule): A structured, play-based observation tool that is considered the gold standard in autism assessment. It allows our clinicians to observe social communication and interaction directly, rather than relying solely on report
Standardized measures: Cognitive, language, and adaptive functioning assessments that help us understand the full profile
Rating scales and questionnaires: Completed by parents, caregivers, and teachers, these give us a picture of how the individual functions across the contexts of their daily life
Feedback session: A dedicated meeting to discuss findings, share the full picture in plain language, and answer every question the family has
How It Works
Not every child separates easily from their parents during testing. Not every adult finds a clinical office to be a comfortable environment. We build the assessment experience around each individual’s needs, including sensory accommodations, flexible pacing, and the opportunity for caregivers to be present when it helps.
We evaluate the full autism spectrum, including Pathological Demand Avoidance profiles (or what we call Persistent Demand for Autonomy) and profiles that may be subtler or that have historically been under-identified, including in girls, women, and non-binary individuals, and in people of color. We recognize that autism is frequently masked, and that masking itself carries a cost. Our clinicians are trained to look beyond surface presentations.
Our team recognizes that intersectionality matters within the assessment process. Neurobiological differences are experienced differently across identities. We invite every individual to be fully themselves.
For Autistic individuals and their families, an evaluation at the Center for Connection does not have to be a finish line. It can be a starting point. Deeper understanding, better support, and a clearer sense of what thriving can look like for this particular, wonderful person.
What to Know
Every evaluation concludes with a written report and a feedback session. The report provides a clear diagnostic summary and a roadmap of recommendations tailored to the individual. Those recommendations might include therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, educational supports, or community resources. Many families continue working with our team following the evaluation, because we offer the therapeutic and developmental services to support what comes next.
We offer autism evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults in Pasadena, the greater Los Angeles area, and the San Gabriel Valley. If you have been searching for an autism evaluation near you and want to work with a team that brings a genuinely affirming perspective, we hope you will reach out. Every person who comes to us for an autism evaluation carries a constellation of strengths alongside the challenges that brought them here. We are here to understand all of it, and to help you understand it too.
If you are wondering whether an autism evaluation might be right for your child, your teen, or yourself, we welcome you to reach out. To schedule an initial informational consultation with our assessment team, get started below.
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Each evaluation includes a developmental history interview with parents, a clinical interview with the individual, the ADOS-2 (a gold-standard observation tool), standardized cognitive and adaptive measures, rating scales filled out by parents and teachers, and a feedback session with a written report. It’s thorough by design.
Licensed psychologists with specialized training in autism assessment. Our approach is neurodiversity-affirming, which means we’re looking to understand a person fully, not just to confirm or rule out a label.
Usually several sessions spread over a few weeks, plus report-writing and feedback. That includes time with your child, parent interviews, observation in other settings when helpful, and a dedicated feedback session to discuss findings.
Yes. A growing number of adults come to us wondering if they’re autistic, often after reading descriptions that matched their own experience. Late diagnosis is common and valid. We evaluate adolescents and adults across the spectrum, including profiles that have historically been missed.
Our job isn’t to deliver a predetermined conclusion, it’s to understand your child fully. Some evaluations confirm autism. Others find a different picture (ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing differences, or something else). In every case you leave with specific, prioritized recommendations tailored to what we actually found.
Yes. Our written reports are formatted to support IEP, 504, and other school accommodation requests. CFC is a self-pay practice. We provide detailed superbills for families seeking out-of-network reimbursement.
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