Vanessa Jensen, PsyD

Vanessa K. Jensen, PsyD, has been on the medical staff at Cleveland Clinic since 1990 when she was recruited to develop pediatric psychology services for the rapidly growing population of medically involved children being cared for at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s. Dr. Jensen served as Head of the Section of Pediatric Psychology for 15 years and was the Founding Executive Director Cleveland Clinic's Center for Autism from 1999 through 2004.

Currently, Dr Jensen’s clinical time is focused on assessment, diagnostic evaluation, psychological testing, psychological treatment planning, and consultation related to 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, metabolic, behavioral, and/or psychiatric involvement.

Other specialty interests include assessment, treatment, and decision-making regarding children with intersex conditions or other genetic syndromes, including those with severe developmental and/or physical impairments and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and their families.

Dr. Jensen often consults with agencies, organizations, attorneys, courts, and schools in numerous capacities, including contracting with schools for Independent Educational Evaluations and working with attorneys to conduct Independent Psychological/Medical Evaluations, forensic evaluations, or other consultative services pertaining to child-related medical malpractice, civil, or criminal cases.

She is active in advocacy issues through state and national organizations and in conjunction with Cleveland Clinic’s Government Relations Department. Advocacy activities have included issues ranging from diversity and human rights to health policy and funding for healthcare. Dr. Jensen has testified and lobbied in the House and Senate at the state and national level. She is the Federal Advocacy Coordinator for Division 54 (Pediatric Psychology) of the American Psychological Association (APA) and recipient of APA’s Heiser Award for Advocacy.

As a past president and past finance officer for the Ohio Psychological Association, Dr. Jensen was an active member of OPA’s Board of Directors for over 20 years. In 2003, Dr. Jensen received Ohio Psychological Association OPA’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award. She is currently a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and member of numerous other professional organizations.

Dr Jensen is on clinical faculty at Case Western Reserve University Psychology Department and publishes and presents nationally related to her areas of specialty. 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.

Education & Professional Highlights

Appointed
1990

Education & Fellowships

Medical Education - Wright State University School of Professional Psychology
Dayton, OH USA
1986

Residency - Phoenix Children's Hospital
Clinical Psychology
Phoenix, AZ USA
1986

Undergraduate - Ohio University
Psychology
Athens, OH USA
1982

Professional Highlights

Founder and past Section Head Pediatric Psychology at the Cleveland Clinic Childrens Hospital
Founding Executive Director Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism
Past Chair of the Committee of State Leaders for the American Psychological Association
22 year member of Ohio Psychological Association Board of Directors
American Psychological Association Heiser Award for Advocacy
Extensive advocacy activities in state and national legislative arenas

Certifications

Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology

Specialty Interests

Director of the Pediatric Behavioral Health Specialty Assessment and Consultation Service providing diagnostic assessment, psychological evaluation, and consultation, specifically for children with complex medical, psychological and/or developmental disorders, including autism spectrum, genetic, metabolic, and/or psychological conditions; from infancy to 18 years of age; provision of 2nd opinion assessments; consultation for Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE), forensic evaluation and attorney consultation (non-custody related); Clinical behavioral pediatric psychology services addressing needs of individuals with autism and their families

Awards & Honors

American Psychological Association Heiser Award for Advocacy
Fellow, American Psychological Association (Divisions 31 and 54)
Ohio Psychological Association President’s Award
Ohio Psychological Association Distinguished Service Award
Wright State University School of Professional Psychology Outstanding Alumni

Memberships

Fellow, American Psychological Association
Ohio Psychological Association
Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Society for Personality Assessment
Association for the Advancement of Psychology
International Association for Behavior Analysis
Cleveland Psychological Association
American College of Forensic Psychology

Research & Publications

See publications for Vanessa Jensen, PsyD.

(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)

Industry Relationships

Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.

To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/ scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.

As of 10/10/2023, Dr. Jensen has reported no financial relationship with industry that is applicable to this listing. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.

Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers' discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.

* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.

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