Why is there such a high concentration of SN resources around Rockville?

[Anonymous]

As a parent in DC who is contending with a recent diagnosis of ASD for our 4 year old, I'm puzzling why it seems so many of the resources for SN kids are in or around Rockville. We District folk despise the idea of a battle to the beltway, followed by a slog up 270 - but obviously do what we must for our kid.

My supposition is that because it seems that Montgomery County is probably (?) the best in terms of SN services, a majority of parents locate themselves there for public/private school, and as a result, the businesses that support them follow. Is that true?

[Anonymous]

I always assumed it was the proximity to Central Offices for MCPS and the Courthouses But maybe that's me being cynical.

[Anonymous]

Is is centrally located within the county?

[Anonymous]

Cheaper to rent office space there than in DC - and lots of potential clients (many/most with insurance) in close proximity. I think the school system is irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Office space is cheaper. That's all.

[Anonymous]

Here's another theory which I am pulling out of my nether regions on the spur of the moment, but what the hey.

Diagnoses for ASD and spectrum-related disorders have skyrocketed in the last generation. And new institutions have arisen in response to them. If you had to start up such a new institution, would you do it in DC where space was much harder to come by, or further out in the burbs a bit?

My guess is that in general, the costs to market entry are lower out in the burbs and so new institutions are more likely to arise there. Whereas DC is more likely to be filled with institutions that have been around a long time. Not a rule per se, but at least a trend.

[Anonymous]

It's where the money is.

[Anonymous]

I'm in Fairfax and I have wondered this too! It seems like so many private SN schools and resources are in that particular area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's where the money is.

I'd reject this as the notion, as I don't think that the money in the region is focused around Rockville. Maybe the money in Montgomery County.

I think a PP has hit it on the head regarding cheap(er) office space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cheaper to rent office space there than in DC - and lots of potential clients (many/most with insurance) in close proximity. I think the school system is irrelevant.

I think the office space point is well taken. If I were shooting for clients with insurance in proximity, I'd probably center in N. Arlington (and pull in NW DC and Fairfax Co)...but office space is at a premium

[Anonymous]

Many specialists know each other and refer patients to one another, do observations for each other, etc... I think it is natural for them to locate close to one another.

[Anonymous]

Damage caps on malpractice lawsuits, which don't exist in the District. Cheaper to run a business. Plus cheaper rents.

[Anonymous]

All that, plus the Ivymount School.

[Anonymous]

There are a ton of special needs schools in that area.

[Anonymous]

A theoretical possibility is that Montgomery County has a higher occurrence of double income families (working mothers) who wait for the wife's career to be established before having children. Having children later, many couples that want more than one, then try to space them closer to avoid the dangers of AMA. Although they haven't found any correlation between the age span between first and second children and risk of autism, they have noted that the cases are autism are higher when children are spaced closer together.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/213245.php