MADEIRA, Ohio — For some families seeking mental health assessments for their children, getting answers isn't always the problem — it's waiting months to receive them.
A new center in Madeira is working to fill that gap by offering specialized assessments for neurodivergent children with shorter wait times.
Wings Within opened in August. Dr. Kelly Snyder and Debbie Grindstaff provide comprehensive evaluations for conditions including autism, ADHD, giftedness, dyslexia, learning disabilities and social-emotional behavioral struggles.
"Often, there are wait lists with autism testing. ADHD, I would say specifically, there's often several months wait list, and so we want to provide that service as soon as possible so families aren't waiting," Grindstaff said.
According to the International Society for Pediatric Innovation, a recent nationwide survey of autism specialty centers found 61% reported wait times longer than four months.
The center offers a full spectrum of assessment services using modern technology, including iPad-based testing that allows for interactive evaluations.
"I walk them through the instructions, they respond and then we can continue that interaction throughout the whole assessment process," Snyder said.
WATCH: Hear how Wings Within is reducing wait times for specialized assessments
Wings Within has already served eight families and is ready to help more as the nation faces a shortage of qualified children's mental health providers.
Snyder previously worked in public schools before transitioning to private practice to have more meaningful conversations with families and connect them to resources.
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"My why for getting into the private practice kind of world was just really wanting to have those types of productive conversations with families, but connecting them to the resources so that they had actual roadmaps, moving forward," Snyder said.
Grindstaff, who is also a mother of a daughter with autism, said she understands the family perspective firsthand.
"I know how that is," Grindstaff said. "We are really walking with the families, alongside them, processing what the diagnosis is and connecting them with specific steps."
The center also prioritizes accessibility by offering evening appointments and occasional Saturday sessions to accommodate busy family schedules.
"We try to offer those evenings. Also, outside of school breaks, evenings, and occasional Saturdays to make it accessible and easier on families," Grindstaff said.
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