In this presentation, attendees will learn how Hahnemann Family Health Center, an urban primary care clinic, developed a feasible model for conducting autism spectrum disorder (ASD) evaluations entirely within integrated behavioral health visit structures. Presenters will walk through the assessment protocol — including use of the CARS-2, structured family interviews, and collateral gathering — and describe how evaluations are typically completed across just two 30-minute visits. Audience members will hear preliminary findings from approximately 10 families, including patterns around long-standing unaddressed developmental concerns and the apparent impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early identification. Attendees will leave with a concrete understanding of how primary care teams can offer timely, ASD assessment to underserved urban communities — often scheduling evaluations within two weeks compared to the months-long waits typical of specialty referrals. This presentation will be of particular interest to integrated behavioral health providers, primary care clinicians, and anyone working to expand equitable access to developmental services.
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Sobieski, M., Sobieska, A., Sekułowicz, M., & Bujnowska-Fedak, M. M. (2022). Tools for early screening of autism spectrum disorders in primary health care – a scoping review. BMC Primary Care, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01645-7
Carbone, P. S., Campbell, K., Wilkes, J., Stoddard, G. J., Huynh, K., Young, P. C., & Gabrielsen, T. P. (2020). Primary Care Autism Screening and Later Autism Diagnosis. Pediatrics, 146(2). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-2314
Wieckowski, A. T., Zuckerman, K. E., Broder‐Fingert, S., & Robins, D. L. (2022). Addressing current barriers to autism diagnoses through a tiered diagnostic approach involving pediatric primary care providers. Autism Research, 15(12). https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2832