Clear answers and a path forward for your child
Thoughtful autism and developmental evaluations with a licensed clinical psychologist, so you understand your child's strengths, needs, and next steps.
What is an autism assessment, exactly?
An autism or developmental assessment is a closer look at how your child communicates, plays, connects with others, and handles everyday life. It helps answer whether a diagnosis like autism spectrum disorder fits, and just as importantly, what your child's unique strengths and areas of difficulty are.
For families searching for an autism assessment near me in St. Louis, Chesterfield, and the surrounding area, Your Village offers evaluations led by a licensed clinical psychologist. Each evaluation is shaped around your questions, so you leave with clarity, a real understanding of your child, and a plan for how to support them.
What brings families to us
Tap anything that sounds familiar. Every child develops at their own pace, and these are some of the reasons parents reach out.
Missed milestones
Maybe your child isn't reaching milestones in speech, motor skills, or play the way you expected, and you'd like to understand why.
Communication
You might notice your child has a hard time expressing themselves, understanding language, or going back and forth in conversation.
Social connection
Making friends, reading social cues, or joining in with peers may seem harder for your child, and you're wondering what's behind it.
Routines & repetitive behaviors
Repetitive actions, limited eye contact, or big reactions to changes in routine may have caught your attention. An evaluation can bring clarity.
Family history
If autism or another developmental difference runs in your family, an evaluation can help you spot early signs and get ahead of them.
A provider's recommendation
Maybe your pediatrician, teacher, or another provider suggested an evaluation. Following up is a great way to make sure your child is on track.
This list isn't exhaustive. If something feels off, trust that instinct and reach out.
Is an evaluation right for your child?
Check anything that sounds familiar. There's no wrong answer. This is just a starting point for the conversation.
Check a few boxes above to see where to go from here.
Still deciding? A few things worth knowing
- ✓Every evaluation starts with a conversation with you, the parent
- ✓The evaluation is built around your specific questions and concerns
- ✓You'll get a full feedback visit to walk through every result
- ✓Reaching out, even just to ask questions, is never a wasted step
What to expect
Your child's first visit is a comprehensive evaluation that combines your insights as a parent with fun, child-led activities. From there, we build an individualized plan and set goals together.
- Evaluation lengthAbout 2 hours
- Parent interviewBackground & your concerns
- Building rapportFun, child-led activities
- AssessmentVB-MAPP, plus FBA if needed
- After the evaluationReview results & set goals together
- In sessionsOne-on-one skill building
- Parent trainingStrategies to use at home
- Staying on trackRegular progress reports
- Session frequencyBased on your child's evaluation
Private pay rates
- New patient evaluation$350 (about 2 hours)
- Consultation & family training$150/hour
Questions about scheduling or costs? Reach out and we'll talk it through together.
Why we train parents
At the core of our approach is including you in your child's care. Instead of relying on behavior technicians, our BCBA works directly with you to teach the same strategies used in sessions. When those strategies are used consistently at home, your child keeps learning in familiar places, skills carry over into everyday life, and progress tends to go further.
What sets Your Village apart
One team, every specialty
Speech, occupational therapy, behavior support, and more work together under one roof, so your family isn't coordinating across separate offices.
Play Village
A dedicated, non-clinical play space where kids build skills and confidence outside of a typical therapy setting.
Insurance-friendly
In-network with major carriers including UnitedHealthcare, Anthem, UMR, BlueCross BlueShield, and Cigna, with private pay also available.
Plans built around your child
Every evaluation and treatment plan is shaped around your child's specific needs and your family's goals.
You're not just a client here
Your Village STL was built on community and real relationships. Families and providers work together, with your child at the center of it all. Whatever your child or family needs, you don't have to navigate it alone.
Get Started
Three simple steps to get started
Reach out
Fill out the form below and share a bit about your child and what's on your mind.
Schedule your evaluation
We'll find a time for your child's evaluation, about 2 hours, and answer any questions about pricing or what to expect.
Begin sessions and parent training
Start one-on-one sessions and hands-on parent training, with frequency based on your child's evaluation and goals.
Meet your behavior analyst
Stephanie Merker
Stephanie is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst licensed in Missouri, with a master's degree in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas. Over more than 20 years in the field, she has worked in homes, clinics, and schools, and she's excited to return to her true passion: early intervention with young children of all abilities.
Her approach uses Natural Environment Teaching (NET), which weaves learning into a child's everyday surroundings so new skills are meaningful and carry over into daily life. She believes families are central to the process, and that teaching parents to use ABA strategies leads to more successful outcomes. Stephanie lives in St. Louis with her husband and two kids, and in her free time she loves traveling, reading, and volunteering at her kids' schools.
Frequently asked questions
Autism evaluations are in-network with Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and UMR. Private pay is $1,940 for the intake, evaluation, and feedback visit.
The 60-minute intake is a conversation with parents about your concerns and your child's history, so we can plan an evaluation that answers your questions.
The ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition) is a widely used, play-based assessment that looks at communication, social interaction, play, and behavior. It's one of the standard tools used in autism evaluations.
No. Along with autism, the evaluation can look at cognitive and developmental functioning, behavior, social-emotional skills, and daily living skills.
We spend 60 minutes walking through all of the results in detail, answering your questions, and talking through recommendations for your child.
You'll still leave with a clearer picture of your child's strengths and challenges, plus practical recommendations for supporting them.
If ongoing support would help, speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavior support, and parent-child therapy are all available here at Your Village.
Reach out. We're happy to talk it through before you commit to anything.