Combating Autism Act Initiative (CAAI) Overview Act Early Summit: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Combating Autism Act Initiative (CAAI) Overview

Act Early Summit: Sacramento, CA. June 8-9, 2009 Cassie Lauver, ACSW Bonnie Strickland, PhD Denise Sofka, MPH, RD Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA

Combating Autism Act-

Enacted December 19, 2006

• NIH research: causes of ASD, diagnosis, early

detection, intervention and treatment

• CDC’s Disabilities Surveillance and Research

Program

• HRSA, Maternal and Child Health Bureau

– increase awareness – promote evidence based interventions – reduce barriers to screening & diagnosis – and train professionals to diagnose and provide evidence based interventions

Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)

• Coordinates all ASD efforts within the

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) – Provides a public forum for discussion around ASD – Includes a Services Subcommittee to improve and build services capacity for appropriate, inclusive services

• Develops a strategic plan for the conduct of ASD

research: http://www.iacc.hhs.gov/strategic-plan/

CAAI Programs in HRSA/MCHB

• 1. Training Programs

– 34 Expansions and 5 new LEND programs – Expansions to Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) training programs – A National Interdisciplinary Training Resource Center (AUCD)

Purpose of Training Programs

• Educate interdisciplinary health

professionals to better serve those with ASD and DD

• Provide continuing education and

technical assistance to other providers

– Increase awareness, evidence based tools

• Contribute to building systems of care

CAAI Programs in HRSA/MCHB

2. Autism Intervention Research (AIR) Networks

– Physical Health Network (AIR-P): The General Hospital Corporation of Boston in conjunction with Autism Treatment Network (ATN) sites (Project Officer: Hae Young Park, hpark@hrsa.gov) – Behavioral Health Network (AIR-B): University of California at Los Angeles in conjunction with 4 other performance sites (Project Officer: Robyn Schulhof, rschulhof@hrsa.gov)

AIR Networks

• Conduct research on evidence based practices;
• Develop evidenced based guidelines and validate

tools for interventions to improve health; and

• Disseminate information on research, guidelines,

and tools to health professionals and the public, especially families impacted by ASD and other DD.

CAAI Programs in HRSA/MCHB

• 3. State Demonstration and Policy

Programs

– Nine state grants to:

• implement state autism plans, and
• to improve systems of services for children with

ASD and other DD

– State Public Health Coordinating Center (AMCHP)

CAAI Programs in HRSA/MCHB

• 4. National Evaluation
• Logic model and research questions for the

entire Initiative

• Will be reported in HHS Secretary’s Report to

Congress on progress related to ASD and

• ther developmental disabilities
• Required by the “Combating Autism Act of

2006.”

MCHB Autism Team

• Associate Administrator’s

Office – Peter van Dyck – Anne Leitch

• Children with Special Health

Needs – Bonnie Strickland – Deidre Washington – Lynda Honberg

• State and Community Health
• Cassie Lauver
• Michele Lawler
• Ellen Volpe
• Research and Training

– Jon Nelson – Chris DeGraw – Stella Yu – Hae Young Park – Laura Kavanagh – Denise Sofka – Nanette Pepper Callahan – Madhavi Reddy – Robyn Schulhof

• Evaluation

– Lisa Wright Solomon

www.mchb.hrsa.gov/autism

For Additional Information

Denise Sofka, MPH, RD Senior Public Health Analyst/Project Officer HRSA, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (301) 443-0344 dsofka@hrsa.gov Cassie Lauver, ACSW, Director Division of State and Community Health HRSA, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (301) 443-2204 clauver@hrsa.gov Bonnie Strickland, PhD, Director Division of Services with Special Health Care Needs HRSA, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (301) 443-2350 bstrickland@hrsa.gov