School-Clinic Collaboration to Improve Equitable and Efficient Autism Identification

ABSTRACTAutism evaluation processes are often fragmented and lead to delays in accurate identification and services. These inefficient processes also lead to substantial burden on families when navigating the autism diagnostic odyssey that often requires information-sharing across providers and settings. Collaboration across schools, clinical settings, and communities can facilitate equitable and efficient access to autism evaluation services. Children and families from minoritized and marginalized backgrounds are particularly positioned to benefit from school-clinic collaboration. This paper (1) highlights the current state of autism identification and systems inefficiencies and inequities along racial/ethnic/socioeconomic lines, (2) compares the processes, benefits, and challenges between educational identification and clinical diagnosis of autism, (3) describes how school-clinic collaboration processes can address these systems inefficiencies and inequities, (4) presents examples of models that use school-clinic collaboration, and (5) offers specific recommendations for providers. Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 A note on language/terminology: In this paper we interchangeably use person-first and identity-first language. Person first language is generally thought to be more respectful and reduce dehumanizing language, however it is widely accepted that people who have received an autism diagnosis prefer identity-first language due to person-first language feeling stigmatizing, such as referring to someone who “struggles with” a diagnosis. Identity-first language is also a way to signify pride in one’s identity (Brown, Citationn.d.). No community is a monolith, and it is important to honor the individual on a case-by-case basis.Additional informationNotes on contributorsChelsea QuickChelsea Quick, PhD is a Psychologist at Action Behavior Centers in Denver, CO.Bryn HarrisBryn Harris, PhD is a Professor at the University of Colorado - Denver.Megan E. GolsonMegan E. Golson, PhD is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Mailman Center for Child Development in Miami, FL.Maryellen Brunson McClainMaryellen Brunson McClain, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the School Psychology Program at Indiana University - Bloomington.Jeffrey D. ShahidullahJeffrey D. Shahidullah, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences within Dell Medical School at University of Texas at Austin.