Do I need a referral? You do not need a referral if your child has Georgia Medicaid, PeachCare, AmeriGroup, or Care Source. If your child has a different type of insurance, you may or may not need a your physician to make a referral through your insurance company. Whether or not you need a referral for insurance purposes, the child’s parent or guardian should call to make the new patient appointment.
What insurances do you accept? We currently accept Georgia Medicaid, PeachCare, AmeriGroup, and Care Source. We also accept many commercial insurances including Aetna, Cigna, Anthem/BCBS, United Heathcare, ChampVA, and Taylor Benefit Resource. We do not accept PeachState Health Plan, AmBetter, or Tricare.
My child has PeachState. What can I do? You can call Georgia Medicaid and ask to have your child’s CMO changed because you need access to a specialist who does not accept your current CMO. You do not have to wait until open enrollment to make this request.
My child was diagnosed ADHD but medications have not worked or caused too many side effects. Can you help? Yes, we enjoy finding the perfectly tailored treatment for challenging cases of inattention that interferes with learning or daily life. We typically would start with a re-evaluation to verify your child’s diagnosis and see if your child has other conditions like anxiety or autism.
Can you help my child without using medication? Yes. Medication is not the only solution for most problems.
Does Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia diagnose autism? Yes, we do evaluations for autism spectrum disorder and diagnose autism.
Can Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia help my autistic child get ABA? Yes. Our office can perform the CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale), a parent-completed autism evaluation (MCHAT or GARS) and provide written documentation of your child’s autism in a format helpful in obtaining ABA prior authorization by Georgia Medicaid and most insurances. We will also provide a physician’s order for ABA therapy.
What services does Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia offer? Diagnosis, medical management, medication management, applied behavioral analysis, case management, counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, social skills training, parent coaching and solution-focused therapy for behavioral health conditions.
Do you provide services via telemedicine? Yes. Most physician and PA services and some other services are provided using telemedicine. We require at least one in-person visit to diagnose autism.
Will you give my child a diagnosis during the first visit? Probably not. We provide comprehensive evaluations for complex conditions. This requires meeting your child (virtually), gathering information from the child’s caregivers (typically without the child present) and watching your child interact with others (often this includes peers in our playroom). An autism evaluation typically requires 4-5 visits.
Can we do our visit from the car? Only medication follow up visits and parent-only visits can be done from a car. The car must be parked for both safety and so the the video connection can be maintained. Observing a child in a car seat does not provide useful information.
How do I make the most of my first visit? Plan to be at home with your child. Turn off the television and encourage your child to play with their toys. We love to watch children being themselves in a familiar place. Using your cell phone camera flipped to show the room allows you to see us while we watch your child.
How can I get on the waiting list for ABA at Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia? Only active patients are currently able to be placed on our ABA waiting list. Preference is given to children living within 20 minutes of the office. Please call or send a portal message asking for your child to be placed on our list.
Can Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia help my child get SSI? Our office responds to records requests from the Social Security Administration. Rarely do we specifically write letters recommending that a patient be granted SSI. Our goal is to help your child function so well that they would not be considered “disabled”.
My child is suicidal or talking about suicide. What should I do? Call Georgia’s Crisis Hotline at 988. They can assess your child and help you develop a plan.
Are your physicians board certified? Yes, Dr. Zeanah and Dr. Brockman are board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties in general pediatrics.
Can you be my child’s medical home? No. Your child will need a primary care provider.
Does Behavioral Pediatrics of Rural Georgia diagnose adult autism? No, we prioritize providing care for children.