This pilot study includes children identified as moderate- as well as high-risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) within Georgia's Babies Can't Wait (BCW) Early Intervention (EI) program. The project will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and implementation of a diagnostic protocol, including optional measures, through measures of recruitment, retention, adherence, provider confidence, and time from referral to report completion. It will also examine which child diagnostic measures are essential and needed to improve psychologists' diagnostic confidence. Caregiver, early intervention provider, and clinician experiences and satisfaction before, during, and after assessment will be assessed to evaluate protocol acceptability, knowledge, and access to services. Outcomes will be analyzed using the RE-AIM Framework (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance) and compared across BCW districts and child characteristics, including changes in autism screening, referral, and evaluation rates over time.
Child is enrolled in a participating BCW district.
Child is 16-36 months of age at the time of referral.
Child is identified as moderate- or high-risk on the M-CHAT-R/F
BCW provider submits a referral to the EDRM-E pilot by 33 months of age.
Families making self-referrals to the EAC or referred from non-onboarded BCW districts.
Child is older than 33 months at referral.
Non-English speaking families due to staffing and resource limitations as the consent, parent interview and child assessment would need to be done and accessible in other languages and are not available within this study scope at this time. .
Emory University
Lead sponsor
Georgia Department of Public Health
Collaborator