Caravel Autism Health - White Bear Lake

ABA Therapy in White Bear Lake

Serving the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area, our White Bear Lake office is located near the intersection of Interstate 35E and Highway 96 on Meadowlands Drive.

Our clinics offer one-to-one therapy and peer interaction in a welcoming, child-friendly environment designed especially for children on the autism spectrum. We have ample space for children to engage in activities that promote exercise as well as opportunities to improve communication and social skills.

Caravel Autism Health, a leader in the field, is devoted to helping families navigate the challenges of childhood autism. Our team of clinical experts specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of children on the autism spectrum. Caravel’s research-based and data-driven programs are designed to provide better outcomes that help children with autism reshape their development and embrace new ways of interacting with the world.

Call today to Speak with One of Our Expert Team Members:

Caravel Autism Health - White Bear Lake

1011 Meadowlands Drive
White Bear Lake, MN 55127
US

Clinic Hours

Day of the WeekHours
Monday8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed
Day of the WeekHours

Contact:

New Parents Start Here: 612-712-9586
Clients, Billing & General Inquiries: 612-315-1976
Professional Intake Fax: 800-513-7773

Serving Areas:

White Bear Lake, North Oaks, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, Gem Lake, Little Canada, North St Paul, Pine Springs, Willernie, Birchwood Village

Caravel Early Child Development Screener

Does your child display possible signs of autism?
To assist families in determining whether a child is exhibiting behaviors that may indicate that he or she is on the autism spectrum, we have developed a simple screening tool.

If your responses in the screener suggest that your child may be on the autism spectrum, know that a Caravel autism specialist will contact you to answer questions and talk through your options.

Our Expert Team in White Bear Lake

Laura C., MEd, BCBA | Clinic Director
Laura has been using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to directly serve clients and families since 2010. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology at Montana State in 2011 and received her master’s degree in special education from Montana State-Billings in 2013. Throughout her career, Laura she has served in a variety of roles—from behavior technician to senior therapist and clinician supervisor to clinical consultant for the State of Wisconsin Department of Health, in which she adjudicated prior authorization requests, wrote and presented legal defense letters at hearings, supported clinicians, and conducted trainings for stakeholders. Laura thoroughly enjoys using the science of ABA and acceptance and commitment therapy to empower clinicians, parents, and clients in living out the life they deem meaningful. She loves to focus on real life skills that are applicable, person-centered, and necessary for the individual and strongly believes that a good dose of compassion and humor are needed in most situations.
Jenna L., MA | Lead BCBA
Jenna has been in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) since 2014, serving clients of various ages and their families in both home and center settings. She graduated with a master’s degree in educational psychology with an emphasis in ABA from Ball State University in 2020 and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2021. Jenna loves seeing the progress clients make and the milestones that are met along the way during ABA. As a strong advocate for family guidance and involvement in ABA, she strives to ensure that families are involved from day one in this process and works closely with them to help ensure each milestone met is celebrated.
Jessica B., MS | BCBA
Jessica has been providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services since 2018. She earned her bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2019 and received her master of science from St. Cloud State University in 2021. While Jessica’s focus has been working with children ages 3–8, she has served both children and adolescents of various skill levels. Her interventions have ranged from teaching non-verbal children to communicate using gestures to helping adolescents develop complex social skills. Prior to coming to Caravel, Jessica led training for staff and also served as a BCBA at clinics providing autism services. She is passionate about teaching children the skills they need to succeed, thrive, and meet their greatest potential.
Julia G., MS | BCBA
Julia has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) since 2018 when she graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Richmond. Julia went on to earn her master of science in behavioral psychology from Pepperdine University in 2021 and as an Americorps participant, provided children's outpatient services to develop socioemotional skills for kids experiencing abuse and neglect. In her ABA career, she has moved from intern to registered behavior technician (RBT) to BCBA, serving children ages 3–18 to support emerging communication, social skills, coping skills, cognitive skills, and positive behaviors. Julia is passionate about helping kids find their strengths and voice and advocate for themselves. She loves seeing kids use their creativity to lead adults to learning opportunities. She also likes to combine ABA strategies with those used in other mental health fields to support kids to adapt to their environment.

Caravel Service Offerings

Evaluation & Diagnosis

Obtaining the proper diagnosis is the first step to helping children with autism and related developmental disabilities and their families. Our diagnostic evaluation and results become the starting point for the development of a customized treatment plan for your child if they are on the autism spectrum.

ABA Therapy

The goal of ABA therapy is to help a child develop the verbal and social skills necessary so that he or she can move from being motivated primarily by sensory and motor stimuli in the environment to being motivated primarily by verbal and social interaction with other people.

Social Skills Training

Caravel Autism Health also offers social skills training. Designed as fun, interactive experiences, we teach social skills and encourage children to interact with their peers in a class setting or small group.

Caravel Autism Health Better Outcomes. Happier Lives.

Caravel Autism Health, a leader in the field, is devoted to helping families navigate the challenges of early childhood autism. Our team of clinical experts specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of young children on the autism spectrum. Caravel's research-based and data-driven programs are designed to provide better outcomes that help children with autism reshape their development and embrace new ways of interacting with the world.

Frequently Asked Questions & Blog Posts

How do I get started?

Give us a call at 612-712-9586 or complete this form.

What testing do you require initially?

Prior to beginning treatment, a diagnostic evaluation is required. Additional testing is based on individual need and is only used if the testing will help us to design a program or treatment. In general, testing is used to help diagnose disorders and determine levels of intellectual functioning, language ability or adaptive skills. Caravel provides diagnostic evaluations or if you have one from another professional source, that can usually also be used. Testing can also be helpful to chart the effectiveness of therapy.

What are the out-of-pocket expenses that a parent/guardian must pay for to get started?

An evaluation and any diagnostic testing will be billed to insurance (and/or Medicaid where permissible). Testing may be a part of the initial assessment or follow-up assessment. Please check with your insurance company. Typically, your family would be responsible for a potential deductible and/or co-pay. In some states, if you have Medicaid there would be no charge for the assessment beyond what is reimbursed by Medicaid. Any questions regarding financial responsibility may be discussed prior to an appointment with our billing staff. If testing would pose a financial hardship for the family, this should be discussed with billing. We work with parents/guardians to meet the needs of their individual case. Expenses can be spread over time.

Where does therapy treatment take place?

Therapy treatment typically takes place in a local Caravel clinic. Under limited and clinically appropriate circumstances, we recommend that some children receive therapy in a home-based setting.

What does ABA teach?

ABA therapy programs are wide-ranging and covers all areas in which your child needs to be successful. Goals are created and broken down into small steps. The steps are then organized into a logical order and taught one small step at a time. Areas may include communication, behavioral, functional and social skills.

Is there a reason so many hours are recommended?

Research shows that the greater the amount of hours, the better the outcome for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children with an autism characteristically do not learn naturally throughout their days like typically developing children do. Learning is a full-time job for children that typically occurs without being noticed. Children with an autism need to be taught to learn. This means many hours of practicing these skills. Parent/guardian training and involvement is also an essential part of a successful ABA program. Tools and techniques of ABA should be incorporated into daily life. The amount of ABA therapy needed will depend on a variety of factors to be determined in the diagnostic evaluation.

What are my responsibilities as a parent?

Parent/guardians are trained to do individual therapy with their child. We recommend that parent/guardians engage their child in a few hours of therapy a week to be familiar with what their child is learning. Parent/guardians are encouraged to join team meetings and training provided by clinic staff or outside professionals.

How is my child's progress evaluated?

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is data-driven, so your clinical team will consistently record data and write session notes during each therapy session, documenting your child's responses using our proprietary computerized data system.

How do you coordinate with private therapists that the family employs who are not a part of your organization?

Our clinicians often work closely with other professionals because we realize that different experts can add valuable insight into treatment. If suggestions can be added to a treatment plan without crossing ethical or professional boundaries, we will bring these suggestions into therapy.