Levels of Service

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Clinical Services Overview

HANDLE providers offer two levels of evaluations and programs.

Screening

The  HANDLE Screening is a brief version of the HANDLE Assessment and is designed for those 5 years old and older with mild learning and/or behavioral challenges. A HANDLE Screening is administered by a Certified HANDLE Screener (and most Certified HANDLE Practitioners), and is ideal for evaluating an individual or group in a short time.

HANDLE Screenings:

  • Assess how a person interacts with his/her environment
  • Identify general areas of neurodevelopmental weakness
  • Identify how areas of weakness influence the person’s ability to cope with the demands of the environment
  • Identify how areas of weakness impact daily functions, learning, and behavior

Post-screening recommendations will:

  • Include HANDLE activities designed to create readiness for neurological systems to mature
  • Guide the person to adapt his or her physical surroundings to reduce stress and to meet his or her needs
  • Ease tasks through approaches that compensate for the individual's unique challenges
  • Include additional attention and/or therapeutic measures, if needed, including a full HANDLE Evaluation

Assessment

The HANDLE Assessment is an in-depth evaluation administered by a Certified HANDLE Practitioner that uses a series of tasks to help determine how the body/brain system of an individual processes and organizes information. This Assessment is appropriate for people of all ages with mild to severe neurological and behavioral challenges.

HANDLE Assessments:

  • Evaluate each system more comprehensively than a Screening does
  • Thoroughly evaluate how a person interacts with his or her environment
  • Identify how areas of weakness influence the person's ability to cope with every day demands
  • Identify how areas of weakness impact daily function, learning, and behavior
  • Attempt to indentify root causes of neurodevelopmental differences
  • Observe the degree to which the vestibular system (part of the inner ear) interacts with and supports other systems
  • Look deeply into how an irregularity within an individual system impacts other systems

Post-assessment recommendations will include:

  • A visual map (neurodevelopmental profile) that identifies specific findings but also illuminates the dynamic interaction between systems that explain individual functional concerns
  • A program of HANDLE activities adapted to address the unique developmental profile of each individual 
  • Recommendations for protecting vulnerable systems while gently enhancing functionality
  • Possible environmental recommendations
  • Possible nutritional recommendations
  • Possible recommendations for complementary therapies