OBCC Autism Services

Autism Services at Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic

Seattle Children’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC) provides the highest-quality healthcare services for children and teens on the autism spectrum. OBCC is an autism Center of Excellence (COE).

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects how the brain develops and how it makes sense of the world. The 2 main features of autism are:

  • Differences in how a child communicates and interacts with other people compared with other children their age
  • Behaviors like having narrow or specific interests, actions the child repeats over and over, difficulty with changes in routines or sensory challenges

What autism services does OBCC provide?

The OBCC team provides primary medical care, as well as several types of autism-related services, for children and teens with ASD. Some children seen at OBCC may also get other autism-related services through Seattle Children’s Autism Center or other providers in the community.

Primary medical care

OBCC primary care providers partner with families to prevent and treat a wide range of nonemergency illnesses and injuries. When you come to us for primary care, everyone on our team tailors care to your child’s needs as a person with autism, as well as the needs of your family. We use a model of care called an “autism medical home.” It helps us ensure that your autistic child gets comprehensive, coordinated services that are right for them.

Diagnostic autism evaluation

If your child does not already have a diagnosis of autism, we assess children 15 months to 18 years old. We work with you on a care plan to meet your child’s health, behavior and learning needs. Our staff will connect you with therapies and support services at OBCC, at Seattle Children’s and in the community. Learn more about getting a diagnostic evaluation at OBCC or at another COE.

RUBI parenting program

RUBI is a training program for parents and other caregivers of children ages 3 to 10 with autism and mild-to-moderate behavior problems. We work 1-on-1 to teach you ways to reduce your child’s problem behaviors and improve daily living skills, such as self-care and helping around the house. Learn more about RUBI at OBCC (PDF).

Augmentative and alternative communication assessments

In an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assessment, we check your child’s ability to communicate with whatever methods they are used to using. Then we evaluate their ability to expand their communication skills using AAC systems or strategies. The goal is to find out which AAC supports are most appropriate for your child. 

Feeding therapy

Many children with autism have challenges when it comes to eating, such as not wanting to try new foods, not liking certain textures, having sensory sensitivities (like foods smelling too strong) or wanting to follow a familiar process (like drinking out of a certain cup). Feeding therapists at OBCC use a multisensory approach to address these concerns like these.

What’s special about autism services at Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic?

At OBCC, we say, “It’s more than care, it’s where you belong.”

  • We believe your child’s care is rooted in the relationship between your family and your team at OBCC.
  • We want you to feel heard and understood.
  • We aim to earn your trust by always keeping your child’s best interests at heart.
  • We strive to walk with and advocate for you and your child.
  • We’re committed to compassionate, exceptional care delivered with dignity.

Learn more about our approach:

Comprehensive care

Our goal is to meet many of your child’s physical and behavioral needs in 1 place. We provide routine health and wellness care, diagnostic evaluations, acute care and parent education. Our team is made up of primary care providers, , , , and case managers who are knowledgeable about autism.

Family-centered care

You and your child are the most important members of the autism team. We empower you to steer your child’s care based on your needs, values and preferences. Our patient and family advisory boards give input on all aspects of care to keep improving our patients’ experience. We also ask for your feedback through the Family Experience Survey we send after your child’s visits.

Coordinated care

As your child with autism grows up, they may need specialty care at some time. OBCC’s autism service has family navigators/case managers to help coordinate your child’s primary and specialty care — both within OBCC and across other locations, including Seattle Children’s Autism Center, if needed. We support you so you don’t have to have to handle it alone.

Accessible services

Research shows that families benefit from receiving care tailored to their autism-related needs. Their children are more likely to get conditions diagnosed in a timely manner and have their specialty care needs met. At OBCC, we work to make access easier for you. We identify and address barriers to care and keep improving our processes. We also partner with community organizations that support autistic children and their families.

Quality and safety

We use methods, and we create and follow care guidelines to help get the best results for patients. We also provide continuing education to our team members on autism-related topics and improve our processes and services based on feedback from patients and families.

Who's on the team?

Leadership

Teams

Speech and language pathologists

  • Vanessa Dopker, MS, CCC-SLP

  • Theresa Sergotick, MS, CCC-SLP

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Resources for Patients and Families

  • Alyssa Burnett Adult Life Center
    Year-round classes and activities for adults 18 or older with autism or other .
  • The Andy Center
    Summer programs as well as support during the school year for children with autism or .
  • The Autism Blog
    Insights and resources on autism spectrum disorder, authored by knowledgeable healthcare professionals for families. 
  • RUBI Autism Network
    Information from the autism experts who created and tested the step-by-step RUBI training.
  • Seattle Children’s Autism Center Resources
    Resources created or curated by Seattle Children’s to help you and your child understand your child’s condition and participate in treatment.

Classes

On-demand classes

These classes are open to anyone and do not require a referral.

  • Autism and My Family: A Series of Videos in Spanish (El autismo y mi familia: una serie de videos en español)
    Free series of videos on many topics related to autism, including the diagnosis, the process of finding therapies and living with an autism diagnosis. Each video focuses on the story of a local family and community provider who share information on the topic and their experiences.
  • Conversations About Autism
    Free series of 60-minute live-streamed sessions created for providers and caregivers of children with autism who wish to better understand autism spectrum disorder. In these sessions, experts and advocates from our region share their knowledge and perspectives on autism, as well as helpful tips for supporting young people with autism.
  • Legal Transitions to Adulthood
    Free, on-demand video class for parents and caregivers of youth in their late teens who will need ongoing support as adults or help with decision making, disability-related benefits and other services.

Live classes

Learn about classes offered live by telehealth (virtually) through Seattle Children’s Autism Center. 

Contact Us

Autism services are offered at both OBCC Central District and OBCC Othello.

Contact OBCC at 206-987-7210 for an appointment or more information.

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Paying for Care

OBCC is here to provide care to your children, regardless of your ability to pay. We accept most insurance plans and care for those who are uninsured. Learn about paying for care at Seattle Children’s, including insurance coverage, billing and financial assistance.