Project Title: Assuring Comprehensive Care through Enhanced Service Systems for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders/other Developmental Disabilities (ACCESS)
Applicant Name: Oregon Health and Science University
Address: 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Drive, Portland, Oregon 97239-3098
Project Director: Marilyn Sue Hartzell, M.Ed.
Contact Numbers: 503-494-6961 (Voice); 503-494-2755 (Fax)
Email Address:
[email protected] Webmail Address: www.ohsu.edu/cdrc/oscshn/
PROBLEM: Oregon has one of the highest rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the country (11.4% v 7.9% Nationally). With an estimated 12,685 children with ASD, Oregon faces multiple challenges in its ability to effectively identify and appropriately serve this population statewide. Challenges include long wait lists for medically-based evaluations for ASD or other Developmental Disability (DD), lack of expertise among primary care providers (PCPs) in providing comprehensive and appropriate care; and lack of communication and coordination across service systems. In addition, in Oregon there is a separate eligibility determination process for educational services for ASD. Some children are found to be eligible for educational services but do not receive an ASD diagnosis after a medical team evaluation, and vice versa. To address these challenges, the Oregon Commission on ASD (OCASD) developed a state plan. The Oregon Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Needs (OCCSYN), Oregons Title V program for CYSHN, will work closely with the OCASD to implement key health and health related components of the plan.
GOAL(S) AND OBJECTIVES: The ACCESS Project will improve Oregon medical home practices delivery of comprehensive, coordinated health care and related services for children/youth with ASD/other DDs. Objectives are: 1) Assure project implementation and alignment with the OCASD State Plan to improve delivery of comprehensive, coordinated health care for children with ASD; 2) Increase local capacity for community-based Medical-Education Team identification and evaluation of children with ASD/other DD; 3) : Improve screening, referral and management of children with ASD/other DD within a medical home; 4) Enhance coordination of complex services across the medical home and community-based service systems.
METHODOLOGY: The ACCESS Project Advisory Group will assure accountability and quality of the project and fidelity with the OCASD State Plan. The project will provide training and TA to primary care practices across Oregon to improve screening, referral, management and care coordination of children with ASD. The project will facilitate the implementation and expansion of community-based ASD evaluation teams through targeted outreach, engagement, training and TA.
COORDINATION: The Project Advisory Group will include key members of the OCASD, OCCYSHN, agency leaders, autism medical experts on autism, families, PCPCH primary care practices, other providers.
EVALUATION: Evaluation of trainings, project implementation, project outputs and outcomes will be evaluated. Data on provider and family needs will be continuously monitored and collected. Quantitative and qualitative measures of impact to assess systems change and practice improvement will be administered, summarized and utilized for ongoing improvement.
ANNOTATION: This project will implement key OCASD State Plan health and health-related recommendations. It will improve the community-based system of care for children and youth with ASD and other DDs and their families throughout the state. Oregon faces multiple challenges in effectively identifying and appropriately serving children and youth with ASD. This project will partner with education and health to streamline community ASD evaluations; train and support health care providers in screening, referral, management and care coordination of children and youth with ASD; increase family and PCP awareness and utilization of community resources.
