Biographical Sketch
Vanessa K. Jensen, Psy.D., has been on medical staff at Cleveland Clinic since 1990 when she was recruited to the newly opened Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital to develop pediatric psychology consultation services for the rapidly growing population of medically involved children being cared for by many specialists and subspecialists.
She developed the first Pediatric Psychology Section for the Children's Hospital and was one of the founders of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism, where she served as Executive Director through 2004. She has continued her career as a pediatric psychologist, expanding her interests to include a greater focus on assessment and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental impairments, especially in the area of differential diagnosis and treatment planning for those with complex developmental, genetic, behavioral, and/or psychiatric involvement.
Dr Jensen works as a consultant in various capacities with other healthcare professionals, schools, agencies, and attorneys. She is active in advocacy issues through state and national organizations and in conjunction with Cleveland Clinic’s Government Relations Department. She is the Federal Advocacy Coordinator for Division 54 (Pediatric Psychology) of the American Psychological Association (APA) and an elected member of the Committee of State Leaders for APA, and recipient of APA’s Heiser Award for Advocacy.
Advocacy activities have included issues ranging from diversity and human rights to health policy and funding for healthcare. She has testified and lobbied in the House and Senate at the state and national level. She is a past President and Finance Officer of the Ohio Psychological Association, where she has held numerous elected and appointed offices and continues as member of the Board of Directors. In 2003, she received OPA’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award and has received several other honors and awards for her work with OPA.
Currently, most of Dr Jensen’s clinical time is spent providing diagnostic evaluations, psychological testing, psychological treatment, and/or consultation to children with complex medical, psychological and/or developmental disorders, including children with autism spectrum disorders and/or genetic/metabolic disorders. Other specialty interests include assessment, treatment, and family decision-making regarding children with intersex conditions, vaginal malformations, or other genetic syndromes, including those with severe developmental and/or physical impairments.
Dr Jensen is on clinical faculty at Case Western Reserve University Psychology Department and is currently guest editing an upcoming special issue on autism in the Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy. She is a frequent contributor to media organizations regarding child health, wellness, and development, including local and national interviews and appearances and regularly lectures to professionals and the community.
Specialty Interests
and/or psychological disorders, clinical behavioral pediatrics, diagnosis and assessment of children with complex developmental, diagnosis and consultation regarding children with autism and related disorders from x5 months to x8 years of age, genetic, including xnd opinion assessments and some types of forensic evaluations, medical, diagnosis and consultation regarding children with autism and related disorders from 15 months to 18 years of age, including 2nd opinion assessments and some types of forensic evaluations, psychological disorders
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists report if they
have any collaborations with the pharmaceutical or medical
device industries as part of the Cleveland Clinic’s
procedures. The Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses
payments to its physicians and scientists for speaking and
consulting of $5,000 or more per year, and any equity,
royalties, and fiduciary relationships in companies with
which they collaborate. In publicly disclosing this
information, the Cleveland Clinic tries to provide
information as accurately as possible about its doctors’
connections with industry and those of their immediate
family members. As of 9/4/2008,
Dr. Jensen has reported no financial relationship with
industry that is applicable to this listing. Patients
should feel free to contact their doctor about
relationships with industry and how the relationships are
overseen by the Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about
the Cleveland Clinic’s policies on collaborations with
industry and innovation management, go to our
Integrity in Innovation page.
