James L. Dennis Developmental Center

At the James L. Dennis Developmental Center, improving the lives of children and families facing developmental and behavioral concerns is the focus of our care. Our interdisciplinary approach combines the dedicated expertise of developmental pediatricians, nurse practitioners, speech/language pathologists, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, psychological examiners and, when indicated, other clinical specialists, into a unique collaborative team model to provide specialized care for children up to 12 years.

Diagnostic Assessments and Medical Follow-Up Services

• Autism
• Developmental Disorders
• Developmental Medical Clinics
• ADHD
• Developmental Outreach Clinics
• Speech and Language
• Psychological Evaluations
• Pediatric Neuropsychological Evaluations

Psychological Therapy Services

For children with medical and/or developmental challenges, psychologists at the James L. Dennis Developmental Center provide psychological therapy services for the following areas of concern:

• Behavior Management / Parenting strategies for children with medical / developmental challenges
• Coping with chronic medical illness (Arkansas Children’s Hospital referrals only)
• Feeding Problems

Bringing Care to Arkansas Communities

Our medical outreach clinics, offered in collaboration with community partners and state agencies, provide additional access to developmental and autism screenings for families outside of central Arkansas. These clinics offer diagnostic and follow-up care for developmental, learning, and behavioral programs and early identification of developmental disabilities in preschool children. Innovative training programs guide physicians how to recognize and screen children for developmental concerns and autism, reducing the wait time for developmental care appointments.

Supporting Children and Their Families

Our Family Navigator helps families – before and after the appointment – find the resources and services to help their child. The Family Navigator also provides regular follow-up support and is available to answer families’ questions and concerns to facilitate getting the help each child needs.

Working together – with families, physicians, state agencies and community partners – our combined efforts form a powerful circle of care for all children in Arkansas.

Features of the Dennis Development Center

• Twenty-two clinic rooms
• Four observation rooms
• Comprehensive assessment tools
• Sensory room
• Two conference rooms
• Spacious waiting room with dedicated play area

Prescription Information

Call 501-364-3608 for prescription refills. This message line can be called 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is checked twice a day: Monday through Friday.

Please have the following information ready before you call:

• Child’s first and last name
• Child’s date of birth
• Your first and last name
• Your relationship to the child
• Your phone number
• Medication name, dose, and time for the medication to be given
• Name and address of your pharmacy

Step 1: Intake Process

Referral

Your child’s doctor sends a referral to the James L. Dennis Developmental Center to start the Intake Process.

PCP Referral Form

Packet #1

Upon receipt of a PCP referral from your child’s doctor, Packet #1, which includes the Parent Intake Form and Release of Information form, will be mailed to you to complete. You may also download this packet and fill it out.

New Patient Packet

Completion

The family completes and returns Packet #1 forms to the James L. Dennis Developmental Center, which moves the process to Step 2, Triage.

Please note, that active insurance is required to schedule an appointment. If your insurance coverage changes, you lose your insurance, or you plan to self-pay, please contact us as soon as possible at 501-364-1830 so we may assist you.

Step 2: Triage

Decision

The James L. Dennis Developmental Center decides if your child’s needs are appropriate for the James L. Dennis Developmental Center.

Appointment Scheduled

If your child’s needs fall within the scope of services offered by the James L. Dennis Developmental Center, an initial appointment is scheduled. For many, an initial appointment with a single clinician is all that’s needed.

Packet #2 Mailed

Once an appointment is scheduled, Packet #2 is mailed and provides information on what to expect at the appointment along with forms for the family and school / daycare provider to fill out. Families are asked to complete and return these forms to the James L. Dennis Developmental Center before their child’s scheduled appointment.

Step 3: Waiting for Appointment

Family Responsibilities

Families may be asked to provide completed forms from the Parent Visit Packet and additional documents (e.g., prior testing, past evaluations, therapy evaluations for Occupation, Speech and/or Physical Therapies) for the appointment, which moves the process to Step 4, Appointment Day.

Tips for How to Prepare for Your Appointment

• Make a List of Questions
  

  Write down any questions you may have ahead of time and bring them with you to the appointment.

• Note Observations
  

  Gather any information you may remember regarding your child’s developmental milestones as well as notes about your child’s behaviors in different places and with different people and bring it to the appointment. Your input is important!

• Create a Visual Schedule
  

  Prior to the appointment, create a visual schedule for your child that outlines the day of the appointment from the point of leaving home to the end of the appointment.

  For example, find visuals (in magazines or online) to glue on poster board with the words HOME – CAR – PARK – WAITING ROOM – TALK TO DOCTOR – CAR – PARK – HOME.

• Practice What to Expect During the Appointment

  Use dolls or stuffed animals to role play with your child what to expect at the appointment. Practice what to expect at the appointment with your child multiple times. Role play and repetition will help your child feel more comfortable and reduce stress and anxiety.

Step 4: Appointment Day

Within a Week Before Appointment

The James L. Dennis Developmental Center contacts family to confirm appointment and does initial COVID screen.

The Appointment

Your child has the appointment, and the evaluation takes place. A written report is sent to the family and the child’s doctor.

Arrival & Check In

• Please plan to arrive 15 minutes before the appointment
• You – the parent – must accompany your child to the appointment. If you are a legal guardian bringing a child to an appointment, please provide guardianship papers. If the adult accompanying the child is not the parent or legal guardian, a letter of authorization is required from the parent or legal guardian.
• COVID-19 screening will follow current UAMSHealth policy, which may include a health screening checkpoint. If you or your child are sick, the appointment will be rescheduled.
• Once your child is checked in, a sticker will be placed on your child’s shirt. If you think this will be a sensory issue for your child, please let us know.
• Families may wait in the waiting room or in their car for the appointment. The waiting room will have a television showing a movie.
• Two adults will be allowed to accompany the child to the appointment. Please arrange childcare in advance for additional children. No other children will be allowed at the appointment.
• Families will be escorted to a private clinic room where they will be asked to remain for the duration of the visit. Please note, clinic rooms and toys will be sanitized before every visit.
• Tell us what works best for calming your child – familiarity is comfortable for children. Knowing which calming techniques work for your child helps us support your child during the appointment.
  • Some strategies that work to calm children include:
    • Deep breathing 
    • Taking a break
    • Specific routines
    • Distraction

Tips for Preparing Your Child for Appointment Day

Please carefully read and follow the information below so we can best help your child.

• Help your child get a good night of sleep prior to appointment day. 
• Give your child their normal dose of medicine on the day of the appointment. 
• Make sure your child eats breakfast.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

• Your child’s medication 
• Your child’s glasses or hearing device 
• Personal Mask 
• Insurance Card 
• Completed Parent and Teacher Forms (if you have not already emailed them to us) 
• Completed Consent to Treat Form 
• Any previous testing and evaluations (if you have not already emailed them to us) 
• School – Individualized Educational Plan 
• Developmental 
• Psychological 
• Speech Language Therapy 
• Occupational Therapy 
• Physical Therapy 
• Prior specialty medical clinic evaluations (e.g., Genetics, Neurology, etc.) 
• Any written questions you may have 
• Any written observations about your child you want to share 
• An appointment day bag – suggested items include: 
  • Diapers & diaper wipes
  • Snacks 
  • Drinks 
  • Stuffed animal 
  • Baby blanket 
  • Sensory Toys 
  • Fidget Items 
  • iPad – music, games, educational apps 
  • Headphones for music 
  • Books 
  • Coloring book and crayons or marker

 During the Appointment

PLEASE NOTE: Appointment times may vary. New Patient appointments may take 45 minutes up to 2 hours. Team Evaluations may take 1-4 hours.

• In the clinic room, clinicians will interact with and interview your child. They will be conducting formal tools of assessment, depending on the clinician specialty. It may look like they are doing play activities or schoolwork with your child. If your visit is with a medical professional, a physical exam may also be done.
• The appointment will also include time for the clinician to meet you. This is the time to share your observations on your child’s developmental milestones, behavior, and any other information you think is relevant. 
• At the end of the appointment, the clinician will summarize the evaluation and will inform you of their observations, impressions, and a diagnosis, if one is made, and suggestions for helping your child. 
• Appointment times vary. It is not unusual for an appointment to last 3-4 hours for a team appointment or 1-2 hours for a single clinician consultation. Be prepared to either bring a lunch or go out for lunch. 
• Be prepared to spend all day with your child. 

After the Appointment 

• Watch for a written report – Shortly after the appointment, you will receive a written report, which will appear in MyChart and will be mailed to you. It will also be sent to your child’s doctor. The written report will include details of the evaluation, results, a diagnosis (if one is reached), and next steps for helping your child. Therapy visits will not be available in MyChart. 

Medical Records 

• Our medical records department will mail formal evaluation reports from your current visit to you and your child’s PCP shortly after your visit.
• To request a copy of your child’s James L. Dennis Developmental Center evaluations from past visits, please contact UAMS Medical Records

Additional Appointment 

For some, the James L. Dennis Developmental Center clinician may recommend an additional appointment for further testing and evaluation. In this case, your child will be scheduled for an additional appointment. 

Family Navigator Supports Families Every Step of the Way 

• Helps find services (educational, therapy, and early interventions). 
• Provides resources (financial, advocacy, legal). 
• Helps family enroll in MyChart and field related questions. 
• Explains what to expect at the appointment. 
• Offers follow up support after the appointment.

Cancellation Policy 

A 48-hour advance notice is required to cancel or reschedule an appointment.  

If a cancellation or reschedule request is received fewer than 48 hours of the scheduled appointment, it will be considered a No Show. Due to the large number of children waiting for appointments, patients who are a No Show will be discharged and will be informed by letter mailed to the patient’s last known address on file with a copy furnished to the patient’s PCP.

Every effort will be made by clinical staff to see the patient on the day of the appointment. However, a patient who is more than 30 minutes late to an appointment will be considered a No Show. If a patient is more than 30 minutes late but notified the clinic in advance, the patient may still be seen based on clinician availability.

Missing appointments is a detriment to the patient’s health and the clinic’s ability to operate in an effective manner.

Please communicate with the clinic if you are not able to make your appointment or will be late to your appointment as soon as you can by calling 501-364-1830.

Completed forms may be returned to the James L. Dennis Developmental Center any of the following ways: 

Parent Intake Form

501-364-4931 (Fax)

ddcfrontdesk@uams.edu (Email)

Parent Visit Packet Forms

501-526-5422 (Fax)

ddcnurses2@uams.edu (Email)

Mailed or Delivered 

1301 Wolfe Street
Little Rock, AR  72202