Welcome to the FOCUS family! Whether your child has just received their first evaluation recommendation, you’re transferring from another clinic, or you’re simply exploring your options in Southwest Florida: We are genuinely glad you are here! Starting or changing your pediatric therapy journey can feel overwhelming. There are new faces, new routines, new terminology, and sometimes more questions than answers. Our goal is to make this transition as smooth, clear, and encouraging as possible. So before your first appointment, here are a few things to know about getting started at FOCUS Therapy.

Who We Are

FOCUS Therapy is a pediatric therapy clinic located at 4997 Royal Gulf Circle in Fort Myers, Florida, open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Saturday appointments available by arrangement. We serve children throughout Lee County and surrounding communities in Southwest Florida, including Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs, Estero, and Naples.

FOCUS stands for Follow Our Course Until Successful — and that is not just a motto. It is our commitment to our patients and our promise to their parents and caregivers. Accomplishments may not happen overnight, but breakthroughs happen here every day. Our therapists are dedicated to the journey, and you and your child become part of our FOCUS family from day one.

What We Offer

FOCUS is a multidisciplinary clinic. This means we bring several therapy disciplines together under one roof.

Our services include:

Speech & Language Therapy, which helps children develop communication skills — articulation, language comprehension and expression, social communication, and more. Approximately 75% of children ages 2 and 3 who enter pediatric therapy do so because of a speech or language delay. If your child is not yet meeting developmental milestones for their age, a speech evaluation is a great first step.

Occupational Therapy (OT), which focuses on building the skills children need for daily life — fine motor coordination, sensory processing, self-care routines, and the ability to participate meaningfully in home, school, and social settings.

ABA / Behavior Therapy, which uses evidence-based principles of learning and positive reinforcement to help children develop socially significant behaviors, reduce challenging behaviors, and build independence. ABA is most commonly used with children on the autism spectrum, but the principles apply broadly. Our team starts with a thorough assessment to understand the function of each behavior before creating an individualized plan.

Feeding Therapy, which supports children who struggle with eating, swallowing, or food aversions — a more common challenge than many families realize, and one that can significantly affect nutrition, growth, and mealtime quality of life.

Teletherapy, which is available on a limited bases for some speech and occupational therapy services. The option depends on the therapist and also the patient. It may not be the best for every child or family, but it sometimes allows us to reach families who cannot access in-clinic care. Sometimes it helps with minimizing missed appointments if the patient or any of their household members have a contagious illness. Talk to our office staff or your child’s individual therapist(s) if this is something you want to explore.

Beyond direct therapy services, FOCUS Therapy also offers ADOS Testing for autism and some specialized services to help support parents and families on this journey.

ADOS Testing — the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule — is the gold-standard diagnostic tool for assessing autism spectrum disorder. FOCUS has been a leading provider of ADOS testing in Fort Myers since 2019, and we are able to assess children as young as 18 months. An early diagnosis, followed by early intervention, is consistently associated with the best long-term outcomes for children with autism.

Behavior Consulting is available for families whose child struggles with defiance, aggression, tantrums, or social challenges, but who does not have a qualifying diagnosis for ABA therapy. It also offered to families of children who may be on a waitlist for ABA Therapy (at our clinic or elsewhere) who could use some help creating a behavior plan to help bridge the gap before therapy starts. Our board-certified behavior analysts work directly with parents to understand the root of the behavior and develop a practical, evidence-based plan. Behavior consulting does not require a diagnosis, is self-pay, and it can be provided in-clinic, in-home, by phone, or via video conference.

IEP Assistance and Planning is one of the most meaningful — and underutilized — services we offer. IEP meetings can feel intimidating. Parents often walk in unsure of their rights or how to advocate effectively for their child. Our team, led by FOCUS Founder Jennifer Voltz-Ronco, MS-CCC/SLP — a former school-based speech therapist — can help you prepare for your child’s IEP meeting and even attend alongside you to advocate for the services and accommodations your child needs and deserves.

What to Know Before You Arrive

A doctor’s referral is required for most of our therapy services. If you’re on our schedule, you probably already know this. If you are still at the early stages of exploring whether your child may need services, start with a conversation with your child’s pediatrician. They can refer your child for an evaluation by our team for speech, occupational, or ABA therapy based on your concerns. These evaluations are often covered by insurance.

FOCUS accepts several major insurance plans, including CMS Title XIX, CMS Title XXI, Staywell/WellCare, full Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. We also offer competitive self-pay rates. Because insurance coverage varies widely by carrier, policy, and diagnosis, our team will work with your family to navigate pre-authorization and clarify what is covered. We are here to help you through that process, not leave you to figure it out alone. If you have questions at any point, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

New patient intake forms are available on our website and should be completed before your child’s first visit. These include the patient intake form, medical and insurance release forms, and any evaluation-specific agreements. Completing these in advance helps us make the most of your appointment time.

Bring any existing reports or evaluations from previous providers, your child’s pediatrician, or school. The more context we have, the better equipped our team is to build on what has already been done and focus on what comes next.

You are part of the team. At FOCUS, our clients are not appointments. They are members of our family. That means we expect our therapists to keep you informed and involved at every stage. Progress reports, goal updates, and open communication are not extras here; they are standard.

Important Policies Every FOCUS Family Should Know

The complete FOCUS Policies & Procedures form is always available on our website for parents to refer to any time. We ask that all new families to review it carefully, sign, and return it to us before your child’s first day. The form can also be downloaded as a PDF to your device as well for easy reference.

Consistent attendance is one of the most important things you can do to support your child’s progress. Therapy works on the principle of frequency and repetition. Skills are built session by session, and gaps in attendance can meaningfully slow a child’s momentum. Because demand for therapy services in Southwest Florida is high and appointment slots are reserved specifically for your child, we ask that all FOCUS families carefully review the scheduling policy and know that we do adhere to it strictly.

Cancellations must be given at least 24 hours in advance. For unexpected circumstances such as a sick child, please notify us by 8:00 a.m. for morning appointments and 12:00 p.m. for afternoon appointments. Cancellations that do not meet these windows may result in a $40 fee per type of therapy. This fee is not covered by insurance and is the responsibility of the family. Please note that 5 missed visits within a 6-month period will result in discharge from services, and excessive illness-related absences may require a doctor’s note before therapy can resume. If a vacation or extended absence is anticipated, teletherapy may be available at your therapist’s discretion, though appointment times cannot be held for absences longer than 2 weeks.

Lateness also requires notification to our office. If your child will be more than 15 minutes late and you have not contacted us, the session may be canceled and a $40 fee may apply.

When your child is sick, please keep them home. All patients must be fever-free and symptom-free for at least 48 hours before returning to the clinic. This applies to siblings and other family members you may bring with you as well. Talk to your therapist when you first start services about the possibility of teletherapy in the event your child or a household member has a contagious illness but is still well enough to participate in a session.

Regarding your child’s sessions: parents are generally not present in the therapy room. This is intentional because the reality we have learned through extensive experience is children almost always perform better and engage more freely when working one-on-one with their therapist without the distraction of a parent nearby. Your therapist will provide you with feedback after every session. If you ever feel it is important to observe, a baby monitor may be available by request from the front desk.

A note about working with different therapists: FOCUS makes every effort to match your child with a therapist who is a great fit, but we cannot guarantee the same therapist at every single visit. Please know that all of our clinicians provide excellent care and will be working directly from your child’s carefully-developed Plan of Care. It’s worth noting too that different therapeutic styles is actually a benefit to your child’s growth and adaptability.

Financially, all copayments and deductibles are due at the time of service. It is the family’s responsibility to obtain any necessary insurance referrals or pre-authorizations prior to your appointment. Please bring a current insurance card and a valid photo ID to your first visit. For families paying by credit or debit card, please be aware that a 4% processing fee applies to card transactions. FOCUS accepts cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.

Regarding allergies: the intake form includes a section for documenting your child’s known food, environmental, and medication allergies. Please read and complete carefully. FOCUS does incorporate animal-assisted therapy at times, so if your child has any sensitivities or restrictions related to dogs, be sure to note that as well. If new allergies develop after your child begins treatment, please inform us promptly so we can update their file.

Scheduled clinic closings include New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Friday following, and the Christmas week. In the event of tropical storms, hurricanes, or other disruptive weather events, FOCUS follows the lead of the Lee County School District in determining whether to close. Any changes will be communicated directly with families and posted on the FOCUS website and social media (we’re on Facebook and Instagram!).

Again, the full FOCUS Policies and Procedures document — including the financial policy, consent for treatment, sick child policy, cancellation policy, and all intake forms — is available at focusflorida.com/policies-procedures and should be reviewed and signed before your child’s first appointment. If you have any questions about any of these policies, our friendly front desk team is always happy to help!

What to Expect When You Walk Through Our Doors

Our Fort Myers Therapy clinic spaces are cheerful, sensory-rich, and designed to feel welcoming, not sterile and cold. You will hear children laughing. You will see therapists getting down on the floor. You will notice that nobody ever says “Let’s go do therapy.” They say, “What do you want to play today?”

That is entirely intentional. Play is the universal language of childhood, and it is the most powerful vehicle for learning we have. Every activity in our clinic — every obstacle course, every puppet, every game — is designed with a specific clinical goal in mind and delivered by a therapist who knows exactly what they are working toward.

We believe with our whole hearts that early intervention is the single most important factor in a child’s long-term outcomes. If you have concerns about your child’s development, please do not wait. We offer free initial screenings and would be honored to be part of your child’s journey.

We can’t wait to get started!

FOCUS Therapy is a comprehensive pediatric therapy clinic in Fort Myers, FL, offering ABA therapy, ADOS testing, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, and behavior consulting.

Why “Play-Based” Therapy Is Serious Work — and Why That Matters to Us