Skip navigation  Calls to Action  Dissemination of multi-stage
screening to underserved culturally-diverse families
State/Province Full:  United States  Although there have been
many efforts to identify children with autism spectrum disorders
(ASD) in the first years of life, children from ethnic minority
groups are still diagnosed later, are less likely to be
diagnosed, and have more limited access to proper services. This
is of great concern because early identification provides the
opportunity for children to benefit from early intervention
(EI). This project involves working with pediatricians and early
intervention providers to improve their skills to identify
children with ASD early enough to benefit from EI services. The
particular focus on Latino families is based on their growing
numbers and the multiple barriers they face. The aims will be
accomplished with the following activities: 1) interviewing
parents and providers to identify barriers for early screening;
2) adapting screening tools to use wi