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Combating Autism: Grant Programs
 

Training Programs for Professionals: University of Vermont LEND Project Abstract - Vermont LEND Autism Expansion Grant

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Problem:  The project addresses state and regional need for training and workforce development in three primary areas:

  1. early identification and diagnosis of ASD;
  2. early intervention in ASD focused on parent training; and,
  3. technical assistance and consultation in early intervention program development for ASD.

Goals and Objectives:

  1. To develop and implement a training plan to prepare pediatric or primary care practice nurses and/or physicians (as medium-term fellows) in targeted rural communities across the state to screen for autism at 18 and 24 months utilizing nationally-recognized screening tools for primary health care providers.

Objective All VT primary care/pediatric offices will be trained in the administration and interpretation of the M-CHAT by Year 3 of the training project.
Objective Long-term fellows and their faculty mentors will increase their knowledge in autism specific screening and early identification and their skill in web technology by developing a Blackboard information and discussion site on early identification in autism to be used by primary care offices.

  1. To develop and implement a training plan to prepare early interventionists, early childhood special educators, SLPs and family resource parents (as medium-term fellows) of the Children’s Integrated Services (CIS) regional teams to collect and prepare information for referral to a Regional Interagency Autism Team or a CSHN Child Development Clinic Evaluation Team.

Objective At least two regional Childhood Integrated Services (CIS) team members (including families) will be trained to implement an agreed upon process for collection and preparation of information for referral for ASD by Year 3 of the project.
Objective Training modules on autism specific parent and provider screening tools and behavior checklists will be disseminated to all LEND Programs by Year 3 of the training project.

  1. To recruit and prepare interdisciplinary, family-centered and culturally competent long-term fellows in early intervention/early childhood special education, family support, psychology, social work, and speech-language pathology to differentially diagnose ASD, provide family support, promote health follow-up in the Medical Home and consult around programming using a competency-based curriculum.

Objective long-term fellows in early intervention/early childhood special education, family support, psychology, social work, and speech-language pathology will increase their knowledge of and experience with the diagnostic tools (e.g., ADOS-G, ADI-R, VABS, CSBS-DP, CCC-2, SSRS) identified as best practice in the assessment of young children at risk for or suspected of having an ASD.
Objective long-term fellows develop a plan for Medical Home follow-up in collaboration with health care provider using the Health Checklist for Autism (Contompasis & Prelock, 2006)

  1. To develop and implement a training plan for preparing medium and long-term fellows in early intervention, early childhood special education and speech-language pathology to support families of young children with ASD in evidence-based parent training strategies that facilitate joint attention, communication, play and social interaction.

Objective At least 3 medium and/or long-term fellows will develop & implement a half day parent training on strategies to establish joint attention in young children with autism in collaboration with VT-ILEHP faculty experts in autism in Years 2 and 3 of the project.

Activities:  Training interdisciplinary community-based fellows in screening, referral, assessment, diagnosis, and evidence based early intervention of children with ASD and related disorders.

Healthy People 2010 objectives addressed: # 16- 23--Increase the proportion of Territories and States that have service systems for children with special health care needs.  #16-22--Increase the proportion of children with special health care needs who have access to a medical home. 

Coordination: An Executive Advisory Council of key stakeholders will have an advisory and liaison role to assure collaboration and coordination across key goals and objectives. 

Evaluation: The Core Grant team and a Project Analyst will develop summative, process, and outcomes evaluation plans based on the goals, objectives and activities of the project.

ANNOTATION:  The purpose of the proposed project is to directly address specific recommendations in 2 areas of the Autism State Plan, early identification and diagnosis, and early intervention.