About Us

Our Story

At Zeal, we thrive on watching our students grow and move forward in life. Excitement abounds each time a student successfully transitions to a less restrictive environment, joins a new sports team, or makes a new friend. We love helping kids prepare for college – and the earlier the preparation starts, the better!

We believe that many individuals, in spite of being differently abled, can live a meaningful and independent life. Learning propels us to continually reach higher grounds. As such, we empower the children and adolescents we serve to be lifelong learners. We refer to them as our “students.”
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After 20 years of working with various programs, it became clear that some families were struggling to access appropriate and high-quality services for their neurodiverse children. Families were turned down for services because their child could not handle - or did not need - the large amount of therapy hours that other companies required in order to staff a case. Families who were able to get their case staffed, often times experienced high turn-over rates, poorly trained behavior therapists, and overworked BCBAs. As a result, needed support was not provided to help these children live up to their full potential. Zeal was created to provide just the right support to clients who would otherwise not receive services.

Zeal meets the students and their families where they are, even if they only need ABA and family training once a week. Zeal tailors its programs, including service hours, based on the student’s and the family’s needs. Sometimes a lighter therapy schedule may be the perfect solution.

Our Name & Logo

Zeal’s name and logo both hold deep significance to what we do and how we work.

Zeal means the enthusiastic pursuit of a goal – Although raising a differently abled child can be overwhelming at times, we believe that with the right people on board, it is possible to shape a path that is enjoyable and filled with success.

Elephants are considered the gentle giants of the animal kingdom. They denote wisdom, strength and resilience.

• The elephant’s foot is raised to denote movement.
• The elephant’s trunk is raised to denote fortune and blessings

The circle around the elephant represents unity and friendship

The lotus flower blooms from mud, and represents rising from the challenges

Who We Serve

Zeal serves children, adolescents, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, ADD/ADHD, and other unique learning needs.
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You should get in touch with us if you want or need help:

Improving your child’s language and social skills

Increasing your child’s independence relating to activities of daily living

Transitioning your child into a less restrictive class in school

Boosting your teen or young adult’s ability to function independently in the community

Creating a game plan for your child after high school

Preparing your child for higher education

Why Choose Zeal?

Your child/teen needs help expanding or fine-tuning their skills in the areas of communication, socialization, or community participation

You want to help your child learn the skills they need to move into a less-restrictive classroom

You want to give your child the extra support they need to maintain their placement in a general education class or an integrated class

You need guidance to get your child/adolescent prepared for either a traditional college program or an Inclusive Higher Education Program (a college program for students with intellectual disabilities)

You are highly involved and motivated parents

You are looking for a more balanced therapy schedule for your child to allow time for other therapies and after school extracurricular activities

You are looking to connect with like-minded parents, and you want your child to meet like-minded peers

Our Team

Kristin Lombardi

MA, BCBA, LBA

Founder & Director

Learn more

Sara Camman

MSED, BCBA, LBA

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Learn more

Melissa Cooper

MSED

Behavior Therapist

Learn more

Frequently Asked Questions

Service Delivery

Who provides the services?

In many cases, a BCBA provides both the family training and the direct service with the child. In some cases, a Master’s level teacher will provide the direct service to the child, and be supervised by a BCBA.

Why do students only receive a few hours of therapy per week?

We want the kids involved in afterschool activities to explore their interests, make new friends, and eventually prepare for college.

We find there is tremendous benefit to parent follow-through throughout the week and that this cuts down on the amount of therapy the child needs. We serve students who have isolated needs (versus students who are experiencing more global delays) and do not need the traditional 10-20 hours per week of therapy that is generally required to receive in-network services.

We want the children to have time with their family - having therapists in your home every day, especially if it is late into the evening, cuts down on family time.

What is included in an evaluation?

The evaluation process is a multi-step process that includes:
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• Collecting in-take information
• Reviewing past and current records
• Administration of standardized testing (tests are chosen specifically based on what your child needs)
• Completion of skill assessments (also chosen based specifically on what your child needs)
• Creation and review of measurable goalsReport writing

Are you a transition specialist?

No, although I am constantly learning more about the process

Who We Serve

Can you help me if I am worried about my infant’s/toddler’s/child’s/teen’s development, but they do not have a diagnosis?

Yes, Zeal can provide screenings to help you determine if your child is on track developmentally. However, we cannot provide ongoing services without a diagnosis.

Do you provide Early Intervention services?

We provide screenings for infants and toddlers, but generally refer parents to the county for services if their child is under 3 years old.

Can you help me if I don’t live in New York?

Zeal provides in-person services to children, young adults, and parents living in Nassau County and Western Suffolk County.

Zeal provides virtual services to children, young adults, and parents living in NY State and any state that does not license Behavior Analysts.

Zeal provides parent coaching to parents who live in states that do license Behavior Analysts.

Insurance

Why is Zeal not in-network with my insurance company?

Our service structure is not in line with the in-network service structure. In order to continue providing services in a manner that works for our students, we offer services privately or through out-of-network insurance coverage.

Can I use my out-of-network coverage to be reimbursed for services?

Yes.

What are my options if my out-of-network deductible is really high?

Zeal has been fairly successful in obtaining Single Case Agreements (SCA) and In For Out (IFO) agreements with the insurance companies.

Inclusive Higher Education

What is Inclusive Higher Education (IHE)?

Inclusive Higher Education is post-high school educational opportunities that focus on the inclusion of neurodiverse learners into academic courses, clubs, and events on a college campus, with non-disabled peers.

What is a College Transition Program (CTP)?

College Transition Programs are college programs designed specifically for students with intellectual disabilities. They take place on college campuses, can be commuter or residential, and prepare students for competitive employment and independent living.

Where can I get more information on College Transition Programs?

www.thinkhighered.net