255117 Addressing Autism throughout the Lifespan: Promising State Strategies

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 8:50 AM - 9:10 AM

Michaella Morzuch, MPP , Health Division, Mathematica Policy Research, Cambridge, MA
Vanessa Oddo, MPH , Health Division, Mathematica Policy Research, Cambridge, MA
Margaret Hargreaves, PhD, MPP , Health Division, Mathematica Policy Reseach, Cambridge, MA
Carol Irvin, PhD , Health Division, Mathematica Policy Research, Cambridge, MA
Background: In response to the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Congress passed the Combating Autism Act (2006), which provided funds to nine states to help them to improve early diagnosis and evidence-based interventions for children and adults with ASD across the lifespan.

Methods: The evaluation of the State Implementation Grant program took place between 2008 and 2011. Data were obtained using six data collection tools: (1) grant applications, (2) progress reports, (3) Discretionary Grant Information System (DGIS) reports, (4) grantee interviews, (5) network questionnaires, and (6) interviews with the State Public Health Coordinating Center. The grant applications and progress reports served as the primary data sources, supplemented by annual grantee interviews and network questionnaires.

Results: The nine grantee states, funded through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau's Combating Autism Act Initiative (CAAI) primarily planned, targeted, and implemented activities designed to increase access to early screening, identification, and intervention for ASD. Grantee strategies occurred along a continuum of age-specific services, supported by collaborations including state planning bodies, regional and community networks, and medical homes.

Promising strategies developed by the grantees that address the lifespan included Autism Summits and Community Asset Mapping initiatives, development of community-based service networks, and family-centered medical homes. Grantees increased collaboration with stakeholders from both health and other service providers, such as child care providers.

Conclusions: The results of this grant program provide insight into promising multi-dimensional state strategies for improving access to early diagnosis and treatment for children with ASD.

Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe a multi-dimensional framework to organize state, regional, and community-based services. 2. Identify promising state strategies for improving access to early diagnosis and treatment for children with ASD.

Keywords: Children With Special Needs, Infrastructure

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am experienced in behavioral health, public health, and improving access to health care for vulnerable populations, with four years of mixed-methods research experience.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.