Autism Summit State Team Mini Grant Project
Project Description:
The goal of the mini-grant is to improve early identification of autism in Arizona through increasing public awareness and screening. In order to ensure our public awareness campaign reaches the necessary audiences, the Arizona team is determined to identify all of the causes contributing to lack of early identification and screening; develop outreach materials and mechanisms geared to address the problem; and engage in dissemination strategies likely to increase public awareness of the importance of early identification. We were concerned that our state has the highest median age of identification of autism of any of the 10 states taking part in the national surveillance study and a low rate of identification in schools. Our project will work to increase early identification first by identifying and adding to the team members representing diverse and unrepresented constituencies (such as ethnic minorities including Native Americans and Hispanic/Latinos, more family advocates and greater medical and behavioral health community input). Then the team will convene three statewide meetings with a clear charge to: 1. determine the reasons Arizona identifies children later and at lower rates; 2. collect resources and materials and adapt as necessary for dissemination statewide to address these disparities; and 3. develop and implement a statewide outreach plan responding to the deficiencies in Arizona?s early identification and screening. The Arizona Team, made up of state agencies serving young children with autism; research and advocacy organizations for autism; university programs, the medical community and families will work together to ensure that the early identification and screening message is disseminated effectively and widely in Arizona with the ultimate goal of increasing early identification of children with autism in Arizona.
Keyword(s):
Learn Signs, Act Early; Autism; screening
Core Function(s):
Performing Technical Assistance and/or Training, Developing & Disseminating Information
Area of Emphasis
Education & Early Intervention
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, Legislators/Policy Makers
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Geographic Areas, Reservation, Rural/Remote, Urban, Specific Groups
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
State
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
