The
Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC) at the Albert
Einstein College of Medicine provides a broad spectrum of clinical
services for infants, children, adolescents and, despite its name,
adults, with problems that include physical, developmental, language
and learning disabilities. One of the largest centers of its kind in the United States, CERC is a voluntary, nonsectarian agency whose services are essential components of the care available in New York City and New York State to all children with developmental disabilities. CERC's professional staff provides over 58,000 diagnostic, therapeutic and related services to about 8,000 children and their families annually, while training close to 1,000 professionals each year. CERC
is a major component of the Rose F. Kennedy University Center for
Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and
Service (UCEDD), one of 61 designated regional centers that are
federally funded to conduct interdisciplinary training, provide
exemplary clinical services, furnish technical assistance, carry out
research in the field of mental retardation and developmental
disabilities, and create a bridge between universities and the
community through various outreach and dissemination activities, and
by direct consumer involvement.
More
than 130 health-care professionals staff CERC's programs.
They include:
Neurodevelopmental
Pediatricians Developmental-Behavioral
Pediatricians Pediatric
Neurologists Physiatrists
(Rehabilitation Medicine Specialists) Psychiatrists Ophthalmologists Orthopedic
Surgeons Otolaryngologists
(Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists) Dentists Psychologists Learning
Disabilities Specialists Speech
and Language Pathologists Social
Workers Pediatric
Nurse Practitioners Occupational
and Physical Therapists Audiologists Nutritionists Geneticists. These
highly trained and well qualified specialists provide comprehensive
diagnostic assessment and treatment through a variety of
interdisciplinary and specialized programs at CERC. These are briefly
described on the following pages. Clinical Services Patients
may be referred to CERC by private physicians, managed care
organizations, clinics, schools, community service agencies, parents,
and in the case of adults, by self-referral.
Residents of New York City who are not covered by Medicaid or
other insurance are charged on a sliding fee scale based on income and
family size. Patients who live outside New York City who are not
covered by New York State Medicaid are charged full fees. Diagnosis
and treatment planning is made jointly by the evaluating clinicians,
with
input from parents and guardians.
When applicable, with parental consent, information is shared
with referring clinicians and/or preschools, schools and community
agencies. Follow-up services are also available to all clients and
their families. |