Rehabilitation services

The UFHealth CAN Rehab Center is located at the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment. We provide evaluation and treatment throughout the life span for people who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or another neurodevelopmental disorder. We offer speech, physical, and occupational therapy for those who need intensive care. Our rehab center actively collaborates with the CAN transdisciplinary team to deliver comprehensive care to individuals on the autism spectrum within our community.

Therapies offered at UF Health Center for Austism and Neurodevelopment

Speech therapy

Our speech-language pathologists work with patients to build communication skills affected by ASD and other neurodevelopment disorders. This includes receptive language (following directions and understanding basic concepts), expressive language (learning new vocabulary and or using different methods of communication), pragmatic language (building social skills to interact with people in different settings), speech intelligibility (improving speech function to be understood by family and friends).

Physical therapy

Our physical therapists help patient’s improve strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, and endurance, so they can move safely and efficiently around their environment. This includes learning and building gross motor skills (skills needed to move large muscles in your body such as walking, running, and jumping). Physical therapy helps patients grow and develop safely, so that they experience reduced or no musculoskeletal impairments.

Occupational therapy

Our occupational therapists support their patients in successfully completing their occupations (anything a person wants or needs to do in their day to day life). For individuals on the autism spectrum, therapy can include working on sensory processing (how we process information of the world around us through our senses), independence in self-care (using the restroom, dressing themselves, eating, and grooming), fine motor skills (using smaller muscles in one’s body to perform tasks such as handwriting), self-regulation (strategies someone can use to calm themselves), and social skills (skills for communication and interaction with others in an appropriate manner).

Intensive care episodes

What is an intensive care episode?

Therapy offered at UFHealth CAN is delivered in intensive care episodes. An episode of care is the unit in which therapy is delivered, consisting of evaluation, goal setting, intervention, and assessing progress. An episode of intensive care is one in which the patient may go to therapy three or more times per week.

Evaluation

At an evaluation, the therapist(s) will collect information about the patient and how they function and participate in their environment.

Goal setting

The patient, their therapist, and/or their caregivers will discuss what activities are most important that the patient can do and/or participate in. The therapist will then come up with goals. Then, the patient and/or their caregiver will identify barriers to achieving these goals, and the therapist will come up with a plan of therapy to achieve them. This is when they may choose to recommend intensive care, like the services offered here at CAN.

Intervention

During intervention, the patient will attend therapy at the rate/intensity that the therapist decides is most appropriate to meet their goals. During an intensive care episode, a patient may go to come to therapy three or more times each week.

Assessing progress

At the end of a therapy or care episode, the therapist will assess where the patient is in meeting their goals. They will determine what next steps are appropriate. This could include continuing intensive care, reducing the rate of therapy sessions, or taking a break from therapy.

UF Health CAN rehabilitation frequently asked questions

Do I need a referral?

Yes, you will need a referral for therapy at CAN sent either internally or via fax from your physician.

Do you see adults who are on the autism spectrum?

Yes. If diagnosed later in life, the therapy team can coach individuals with strategies to meet their individual needs.

What can I expect on my first visit?

After check in, the patient or their caregiver will complete initial paperwork. Then, the therapist will promptly see the patient. The therapist will evaluate the patient and come up with a plan of care. This plan of care will be sent to their doctor for approval/signature. After the doctor approves this, the therapy can begin.

What is the intensive program?

Intensive therapy is an episode of care in which therapy is offered three or more times each week for up to twelve weeks. At the end of the care episode, the therapy team will decide if the patient is ready to be discharged back to their community therapy providers. Patients enter the intensive program on a short-term basis with the goal of being discharged back to their community provider.