What are your hours of operation?

The Shafer Center is open from 9 thru 5 Monday to Friday. Some Saturday programs (Kids Club and Reach for the Stars) and our in home ABA and Bridge Services also take place on weekends and evenings.

How can I schedule a tour of The Shafer Center?

Please contact our Director of Admissions to schedule a tour at 410-517-1113 or [email protected].

Do I need to bring my child to the tour?

You do not need to bring your child for a tour, however, you will need to bring your child in for an admissions meeting so we can meet him or her and provide appropriate recommendations. You may combine the tour and admissions meeting or separate them based on your preferences.

Can I bring friends or family members with me to the admissions meeting?

We are happy for you to bring anyone you feel would be helpful to you to the admissions meeting. Please let us know in advance how many people will accompany you since space is limited.

Does my child need to have a diagnosis of autism to attend The Shafer Center?

No. We do not focus on labels, we focus on the child. If we feel your child is a good match for our program we do not need a diagnosis of autism. If your child has issues we feel would be better served by another provider, we will make an appropriate referral.

If I am happy with my school placement are there other programs I could attend?

The Shafer Center has a wide variety of programs for children of varying ages. Many of our clients attend school during the day and participate in our ABA, SLP, Bridge or Connect programs after school.

How are service recommendations developed during the admissions meeting?

Our special educators, BCBAs or BCaBAs, and speech-language pathologists review all information you provide. In addition, specific skills are observed or assessed during the meetings. We follow the practice guidelines set forth by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association http://www.asha.org/ and Behavior Analyst Certification Board http://bacb.com/ when making these recommendations.

Will I know what services you recommend for my child during the admissions meeting?

In many cases we will have recommendations for you right away. Sometimes we require more information or to observe the child in another setting, and in these cases, we may wait until after the second observation to provide recommendations.

How much does it cost to come to The Shafer Center?

Due to the individual nature of the program we provide, the cost varies based on the intensity and frequency of services. If you have questions about individual service cost, please contact our Director of Admissions.

Do you take insurance?

The Shafer Center will work with your insurance company to see if services are covered.

My child has been approved for a non-public placement through MSDE. Can he/she come to The Shafer Center for Early Intervention?

Yes. The Shafer Center for Early Intervention is an MSDE-approved non-public placement. If you are interested in attending through the MSDE/IEP process, please let your IEP chair know that you wish to have a packet sent to The Shafer Center for Early Intervention.

My county of residence is not one of your current partners? Can my child still come to The Shafer Center?

We are proud of all of our partnerships with the public school systems. We are always happy to expand those partnerships to include new counties.

When can my child start after my admissions meeting?

We have rolling admission through the year. After the admissions meeting and all appropriate paperwork is received (for funded students this includes the IEP packet) it takes approximately two weeks for our team to prepare for your child’s first day.

I have a team working with my child. Who do I contact with questions?

You will have regularly-scheduled meetings with your team throughout the year. If you have a question about a specific service, please contact your service provider. If you have questions about anything else, please contact the front desk, and they will direct you to the appropriate person.

How can I meet other Shafer Center families?

Throughout the year we have many family events which you can attend and meet other parents. If you would like to be introduced to other families, we can provide names and numbers as long as both families sign our release of information form and waive their confidentiality of this specific information.

How can I observe my child’s program?

Once your child has begun services you may schedule an observation with one of our directors. Please call the front desk to schedule this time.

If you have any questions please contact our Director of Admissions at [email protected] or 410-517-1113.