Arkansas Autism Partnership
Project Description:
The Arkansas Autism Partnership (AAP) is a Medicaid Waiver program designed to provide intensive evidence-based intervention for young children diagnosed with autistic disorder (299.0). Prior to this waiver program, Arkansas had no mechanism for providing intensive ABA services for children who had no private health insurance coverage. Since the prevalence rates of ASD in Arkansas, as reported by the CDC in 2012 are high (1 in 57 boys and 1 in 278 girls), such a program was an essential part of a continuum of services. The AAP is designed to target communication, socialization, cognitive, self-care and behavioral development in children between 18 months and 7 years of age. Children must enter the program prior to their 5th birthday and will become ineligible at their 7th. Eligible children may receive up to 30 hours per week of one-on-one intervention provided by a Line Therapist. This intervention is developed by a Consultant and supervised by a Lead Therapist. This team approach (Consultant, Lead, Line)allow a rural state with limited resources to provide intensive treatment to children with autism. One unusual feature of this program is its requirement for parental participation. Parents must sign an agreement at the beginning pledging their willingness to be present and participating in the treatment. This design will enable parents to develop skills to work with their child so intervention may continue at the end of the formal program. Another unusual feature of this program is that it utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach to program design and treatment. Professionals who are qualified as Consultants (the individuals who evaluate the children and develop/oversee the treatment plan) can be from a variety of professional backgrounds. These include Speech-Language Pathology, Special Education, Occupational Therapy, Psychology or BCBAs. This will enable the background of the Consultant to be tailored to the individual needs of the child. It is anticipated that the 3 year participation (maximum) in this program will enable children to make such significant gains that they will be able to participate in regular education as they enter public schools.
Keyword(s):
autism; early intervention; waiver
Core Function(s):
Other Direct/Model Services
Area of Emphasis
Other - Cultural Diversity
Target Audience:
Family Members/Caregivers, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Specific Groups
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
State
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
