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Tags Posts tagged with "autism spectrum disorder"

autism spectrum disorder

The PA Department of Health’s (DOH) Bureau of Family Health is excited to announce a funding opportunity for Pennsylvania-based community-based organizations, public health organizations, local governments, or health care organizations that have the capacity to provide services to people with or at-risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Pennsylvania. The opportunity will connect organizations to the Autism Diagnostic Clinic (ADC) program in order to increase access to diagnostic services for ASD and develop support systems for caregivers of children diagnosed with ASD. From March 6, 2025, until 1:30 pm April 17, 2025, DOH is soliciting applications. The overall goal of this funding is to provide access to autism diagnostic services along with community-based resources and education.

The Autism Diagnostic Clinic (ADC) program utilizes innovative telehealth technology to increase access to diagnostic services for ASD. The clinic partners with two health systems to expedite diagnoses for children aged 18 months to 3 years. Children who are initially screened as at-risk for ASD are referred from Early Intervention to the ADC, which then schedules diagnostic services for the children within six months of the referral.

More information on this Request for Applications can be found at PA Marketplace.

If you have questions or need additional information, you can send them electronically or 717-772-2763.

Photo by Copernico on Unsplash

TOPIC — Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Overview and Practical Application

Over the years the prevalence of autism has increased, Pennsylvania’s service delivery system for individuals with autism has expanded, and best practices to provide quality supports have emerged. To support the individual needs of each person with autism across the lifespan, an understanding of core characteristics must be established. It is also important to learn how the individual’s presentation of autism may change across settings and situations. This seminar will provide attendees with an in-depth presentation on core characteristics of autism and the impact of the characteristics on daily life, routines, and activities. A review of common terms and basic principles used to change behavior, teach new skills, and develop practical application of best practices will be included. Opportunity for discussion and engagement will occur throughout the seminar.

Who should attend?

  • Direct Support Professionals, Front Line Supervisors, and Program Managers supporting individuals with autism in residential and other home and community-based settings; and
  • Professionals supporting individuals in Adult Autism Waiver (AAW), Adult Community Autism Program (ACAP), Consolidated Person/Family-Directed Support Waiver (P/FDS), and Community Living.

Where and when will sessions be held?

  • April 1 PaTTAN East, 10:00 am 3:00 pm
  • April 24 PaTTAN Central, 10:00 am 3:00 pm
  • April 30 PaTTAN West, 9:30 am 2:30 pm

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

This training satisfies the basic autism training requirement for Residential Performance Based Contracting measures CN-DD/Bx.01.1S and CN-DD/Bx.01.1CE for all Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), Frontline Supervisors (FLSs), and program managers.

This training also fulfills 6100 ongoing training requirements.

REGISTER

*After logging into your MyODP account, completion of the Demographics Form is required before being able to register for a session.

Please contact the Bureau of Autism Training inbox with questions.

TOPIC: Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Overview and Practical Application

Over the years the prevalence of autism has increased, Pennsylvania’s service delivery system for individuals with autism has expanded, and best practices to provide quality supports have emerged. To support the individual needs of each person with autism across the lifespan, an understanding of core characteristics must be established. It is also important to learn how the individual’s presentation of autism may change across settings and situations. This seminar will provide attendees with an in-depth presentation on core characteristics of autism and the impact of the characteristics on daily life, routines, and activities. A review of common terms and basic principles used to change behavior, teach new skills, and develop practical application of best practices will be included. Opportunity for discussion and engagement will occur throughout the seminar.

Who should attend?

Direct Support Professionals, Front Line Supervisors, and Program Managers supporting individuals with autism in residential and other home and community-based settings. Professionals supporting individuals in Adult Autism Waiver (AAW), Adult Community Autism Program (ACAP), Consolidated Person/Family-Directed Support Waiver (P/FDS), and Community Living are encouraged to attend.

Where and when will sessions be held?

3 Locations, 1 session per location. 125-person max per session.

  • April 1 — PaTTAN East, 10:00 am 3:00 pm
  • April 24 — PaTTAN Central, 10:00 am 3:00 pm
  • April 30 — PaTTAN West, 9:30 am 2:30 pm

Registration will open in early March.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

  • This training satisfies the basic autism training requirement for Residential Performance Based Contracting measures CN-DD/Bx.01.1S and CN-DD/Bx.01.1CE for all Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), Frontline Supervisors (FLSs), and program managers.
  • This training also fulfills 6100 ongoing training requirements.

Please contact the Bureau of Autism Training inbox with questions.

CDC has launched a new four-year phase of funding for the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, the only collaborative network to track the number and characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities in multiple communities throughout the United States. Over the next four years, CDC will invest more than $20 million to continue tracking at nine sites previously included in the ADDM Network, while also launching activities at one new site.

All 10 sites will track ASD among 4-year-old and 8-year-old children. Four of the sites will also track transition planning and co-occurring conditions among 16-year-old children with ASD. In addition to the 10 funded sites, our CDC-managed site in Georgia, the Metropolitan Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program (MADDSP), will also conduct ASD surveillance activities among 4-, 8-, and 16-year-old children.

Read more about the ADDM Network sites.

The Office of Developmental Programs, Bureau of Autism Services (BAS) has announced the availability of the first two modules in the newly developed SPeCTRUM 2.0 BAS Autism Competency Training. This training is designed as a free online resource for professionals who are supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families.

The course can be accessed within the MyODP Training & Resource Center, using this link. Further information can be found in BAS Informational Memo #BAW17-41.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has just issued a Medical Assistance (MA) Bulletin for providers relating to Act 62 titled, Payment of Claims for Services Provided to Children and Adolescents for the Diagnostic Assessment and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The purpose of this bulletin is to remind providers enrolled in the MA Program, both fee-for-service (FFS) and HealthChoices, of the requirement to bill a child’s or adolescent’s private health insurance company before submitting a claim for the diagnostic assessment or treatment of ASD. It is also to inform providers of the diagnosis codes and procedure codes which will be included in the MA FFS cost avoidance process, effective Friday, September 30. HealthChoices managed care organizations will provide guidance and information to contracted practitioners and providers in the Medicaid managed care system with regard to implementation by September 30.

The DHS clinical staff has identified behavioral health, physical health, and rehabilitation procedure codes that reflect services for the diagnostic assessment and treatment of ASD covered under Act 62. The procedure codes that are on the MA Program fee schedule will be subject to the cost avoidance process for MA FFS claims beginning September 30.

Registration is open now for two webinar sessions on Thursday, August 25 that are being held by DHS in collaboration with RCPA:

  • Session 1, 12:00–1:00 pm: The target audience for this webinar session is BH-MCOs, counties, and county oversight organizations.
  • Session 2, 1:00–2:00 pm: The target audience for this webinar session is behavioral health and pediatric rehabilitation provider organizations.

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A recent news release from the American Psychiatric Association reports that diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder before the age of 4 means that a child is more likely to get effective, evidence-based treatment, such as behavioral therapy. When children are diagnosed after that threshold, they are less likely to receive such treatment, but they are more likely to be treated with medication, according to research published online in the August 1 release of Psychiatric Services in Advance. The strongest evidence for effective treatment for autism is for behavioral intervention therapy directed at core autism symptoms, such as social skills and inflexible behaviors. Early intensive treatments may have long-term benefits for children’s functioning. Other therapies, including complementary and alternative medicine and medication treatments for autism, are more controversial and are not as strongly supported by scientific studies. Psychiatric Services in Advance articles have been peer reviewed but have not yet appeared in the print journal. Publication ahead of print allows articles to become available in a rapid and timely manner.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened for autism at 18 months and again at 24 months. Current information suggests that only about half of primary care practitioners screen for autism. The average age at diagnosis in the United States is more than 4 years old.