About Us

Pacific Child and Family Associates opened its doors in 1988 as the Verdugo Hills Psychotherapy Center, a name we changed in 2002 to reflect the wide geographic area we now serve.  In 1988 we provided all of our services in our offices and on school sites in Glendale, California. We first expanded to Orange County, and then opened offices in the San Francisco Bay Area. We opened our Redwood Coast office in Eureka in 2005, and our Fresno office in 2006. We currently have eleven locations in California, New Mexico, and Texas, and continue to expand our reach.

Our programs for children with autism and related disorders are comprehensive, and designed specifically to meet each child’s needs. More specific information about our services can be found on the Programs page of this website.

Our Principals and Staff:
Ira Heilveil, Ph.D., BCBA (Chief Executive Officer)  has worked with children with autism and related disorders for more than 20 years. He received his master's degree in psychology from Murray State University in Kentucky in 1977 and his doctorate in psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in 1980. Dr. Heilveil is the author of When Families Feud: Understanding and Resolving Family Conflict (Perigee/Berkley) and Video in Mental Health Practice as well as many professional articles and presentations. Dr. Heilveil is a licensed clinical psychologist in California and New Mexico and is board certified in behavior analysis.  He is also assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine. 

Cara Entz, LMFT, BCBA (Agency Clinical Director) began her 26-year study of autism spectrum disorders at UCLA under the direction of Dr. Ivar Lovaas, co-leading his groundbreaking Autism Project in mid-1987 and 1988.  The study was the first to demonstrate the remarkable progress possible with the use of early, intensive applied behavior analysis. She went on to work on other children's initiatives including developing the first Deaf Foster Care Program and an Intensive Treatment Foster Care program for emotionally disturbed children.  She returned to focus on her work with autism at Pacific Child and Family Associates, first as a consultant starting in 1998 and then as Agency Clinical Director in 2002. She is licensed by the States of California, Texas and New Mexico and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

 

Our Behavior Therapists:
Pacific Child and Family Associates' staff members undergo rigorous training, both prior to seeing children and on the job. Each staff member receives individual supervision while working with children; besides the introductory training, overlap sessions and supervision, staff receive ongoing continuing education and attend team meetings.

Staff members with over two years of experience, and who stand out as exceptional therapists, are promoted to the position of senior therapist. Senior therapists receive additional training, and the position carries additional responsibilities.

Our Supervisors:
Each family is assigned a supervisor, who designs, coordinates, and modifies treatment programs regularly. Our supervisors typically possess a master’s degree in a relevant field as well as experience as senior therapists. They are selected less for their credentials than for their experience and success as senior therapists. All of our supervisors have demonstrated their success in their field, either by coming up through the ranks within our own organization, or by attaining their expertise elsewhere.

 

When they are hired from outside of the organization, supervisors undergo a trial period in which their skills are evaluated in order to determine the extent to which their skills match the philosophy of the organization, and are up to the level we require of our supervisors. Our supervisors all receive monthly in-service training on a variety of topics relevant to developmental disabilities, and are given a conference allowance for attending outside workshops and trainings.

While we strive to obtain consistency among our supervisors, we also encourage their use of their own creative solutions to problems. Our supervisors all report to the Clinical Director, and meet with each other regularly to consult on difficult problems.