Celebrating Magnificent Minds with our Whole-Child Care Center Model
In her book, "Magnificent Minds," Cortica co-founder and chief medical officer Dr. Suzanne Goh, MD, BCBA describes an innovative, whole-child approach to autism care that celebrates each child's unique strengths. This approach to care has inspired Cortica's Whole-Child Care Center model and the comprehensive support we provide for children and families.
About Dr. Goh
Dr. Suzanne Goh, MD, BCBA, is a board-certified pediatric behavioral neurologist, behavioral analyst, neuroscience researcher, author, and mother. She has dedicated her career to researching and developing therapies for neurological conditions that impact childhood brain development.
Cortica's whole-child approach to care reflects decades of Dr. Goh's research experience and clinical practice. This innovative approach combines optimal biomedical treatment with the most effective strategies for advancing cognition, communication, and behavior. Dr. Goh's care model empowers children to achieve more meaningful social interaction, improved self-regulation, enhanced cognitive function, improved overall health, and a greater capacity for independent living, social relationships, occupation, and recreation.
Pre-Kindergarten Readiness Early-Intervention Programs (PREP)
*Age ranges are provided as a general guide. Individual recommendations may vary.
Daily Living Skills Area (DLA)
Our Daily Living Skills Area offers a safe and imaginative space where children can develop daily living skills through adult-led group activities. Using real-life equipment and situations, children learn:
Self-care and personal hygiene skills
Household skills, including cooking, cleaning, and other chores
Community skills, including shopping, handling money, and navigating community resources
The Whole-Child Care Model
At Cortica, we believe that the most effective care approach begins with seeing each child as a whole person. We partner with families to understand and support the whole child, we create strong roots for their development, nourish their foundations, and allow them to branch out into the world and experience joy.
The Whole-Child Care Model
Services
Enhanced Developmental Therapy Model
Our developmental therapy programs help children develop self-regulation, language comprehension, self-care, feeding, coordination, mobility, attention, engagement, play, and social-emotional skills. Cortica's developmental therapy programs include occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, and music therapy.
Cortica Offers the following Developmental Therapies at our centers and via telehealth:
Focused Family DT Services - Clients will receive individual services or co-treatment, and may also benefit from generalization or music group sessions. We prioritize age-appropriate and safe treatment environments.
Generalized Group Services - Individualized services align with treatment plans and may include group activities. DTs will plan group activities and bill for individual clients who qualify. All children can participate in group activities, regardless of DT services. A station-based approach is primarily used.
Generalization Group Services - Activities align with Speech and Occupational Therapy goals and promote generalization through peer interaction, fostering collaboration between DTs and ABAs and providing opportunities for peer modeling.
Music Group - Music group activities align with Music Therapy goals and promote skill generalization through peer interaction and collaboration with ABAs.
Push-In DT Services - DTs provide one-on-one therapy in classrooms or PREP rooms while children participate in ABA group activities, potentially scheduling during breaks.
A comprehensive evaluation and the parent goals helps our team determine the right fit and service option to support meaningful skill development that will generalize to all areas of the child’s life.Export
In-Center Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a therapeutic approach based on the science of learning and behavior, designed to help neurodivergent children develop and improve social, emotional and independent living skills. Cortica's individual and group ABA programs support children in making connections between behavior and consequences and applying what they learn during ABA sessions to real-life situations. Through this program, children develop positive skills, decrease challenging behaviors, and feel more prepared for social situations at home, at school, and in the community.
In-Home ABA Therapy
Cortica’s in-home ABA services help to reinforce desired behaviors using items and activities available in a child’s familiar and comfortable home environment. In-home ABA empowers children to practice everyday skills (including those related to daily routines and habits) in the same place where they need to use many of those skills. The home setting also creates opportunities for caregiver coaching as well as caregiver, sibling, and other family member involvement throughout the care journey.
Medical Services
We specialize in treating autism’s co-occurring conditions including seizures, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal symptoms, anxiety, ADHD, emotional dysregulation, and more. Our team of pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, and nurse practitioners provide expertise in genetic and metabolic testing, electroencephalography (EEG), medication management, nutrition evaluation and management, and device therapies.
Remote Individual and Family Counseling Services
Having a child with autism, ADHD, or other developmental differences affects the whole family. Our mental health professionals promote growth and well-being by helping each member of the family to build self-confidence, self-reflection, and mindfulness skills. Our neurodiversity-affirming telehealth services are available for children, adolescents, adults, siblings, parents, other caregivers, and couples.
