The Advocating Success for Kids Program (ASK) at Boston Children's Hospital works with children under the age of 14 who have learning, developmental, emotional, or behavioral problems at school or at home.
Our multidisciplinary team offers evaluations of developmental, learning, and/or behavioral difficulties, referral for services, and advocacy. We serve the Children's Hospital Primary Care Center and Primary Care at Martha Eliot.
The ASK Program at Boston Children's Hospital was created in 2000 to provide children with specialty care services. Children in the ASK Program typically have a diagnosis of autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, language delays, and/or intellectual disabilities. We work to improve their overall health, their ability to function in school, and their chance for a brighter future.
Our team assesses and screens children who are referred by their primary care providers for developmental issues. We meet parents and their child, discuss concerns, provide a treatment and follow-up plan, and refer them to any additional resources.
ASK serves over 500 children in the Boston area each year. Our multidisciplinary team of experts in developmental medicine, neurodevelopmental disabilities, social work, education, and psychology work together to:
We would like to thank the following funding contributors for their continued support and partnership with the ASK Program:
Our team members may include:
Your child must receive primary care at Boston Children's Hospital or the Martha Eliot Health Center to participate in ASK.
Talk to your child's primary care provider about being referred to ASK. If your primary care provider thinks that ASK is appropriate for your child, they will refer him/her to the ASK team.
Once a referral is made and approved, an appointment will be scheduled to meet with the ASK team. Appointments will take place within your primary care center.
At the first appointment, you and your child will meet with a member of the ASK team (i.e. developmental behavioral pediatrician, pediatric fellow, nurse practitioner, social worker, or psychologist). Both you, and your child, will talk about the problems your child is having.
This interview covers many different parts of your child's needs, including your child's developmental history, how they do in school, family stressors, medical concerns, and the way they interact with their peers in social settings.
After this meeting, the ASK team will create a plan to help you and your family find the most appropriate resources to help your child. Outcomes of this meeting, and treatment plans, will be shared with your child's primary care provider.
Please bring:
Project LAUNCH is the preschool arm of the ASK program. Project LAUNCH promotes the social-emotional wellness of young children ages 0 to 6 through the use of individual/family play therapy or parental support.
Families with concerns of early childhood behavior can find flexible support to help navigate educational and mental health services for their young children. Through an initial assessment and identification of risk factors, the Project LAUNCH clinician, alongside the child’s family, establishes goals to improve parental skills and overall family wellness.
A family centered approach is used to work within the social, racial, and cultural identity of each family, to ensure that goals are set to be equitable, attainable, and possible. ASK team clinicians are available for assessment of significant developmental questions, if necessary.
Many people ask what they can do to help the Advocating Success for Kids (ASK) Program. One important action you can take today is make a gift. Your donation helps children with developmental, learning, and/or behavioral difficulties get the help they need from our multidisciplinary team. Every gift, no matter the size, plays a vital role in raising healthy children. When you make a gift, you will receive a gift acknowledgement for tax purposes. Your gift is tax deductible to the extent provided by law. To make your gift online, visit this webpage.
For more information about giving, please contact:
Boston Children's Hospital Trust
1 Autumn St., #731
Boston, MA 02215-5301
617-355-6890
ASK Program
300 Longwood Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
617-355-4690
