PROJECT ABSTRACT
Research shows that a stable diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be made by trained
professionals at 18-24 months and yet the median age of diagnosis in the US is 4-5 years of age. Lower
income, minority, and rural families receive a diagnosis up to 1.5 years later and more likely miss the window
of opportunity for early intervention (EI). One of the greatest challenges we face, in spite of scientific advances
and investments, is how to bridge the healthcare science-to-service gap and address health disparities in
access to evidence-based EI for children with ASD. Doing this would be the best solution to improve lifelong
outcomes, reduce costs to society, and change the landscape of autism. In response to RFA-MH-17-008, the
Autism ACTION Network—a new interdisciplinary network of 8 institutions—will blend clinical effectiveness and
implementation research designs to study individual and combined effects of 2 evidence-based interventions in
real world settings: 1) engage families to access resources and support when they first learn their child has
signs of ASD using an evidence-based intervention that integrates motivational interviewing and problem-
solving education (MI+PSE); and 2) coach families to embed evidence-based intervention strategies for
toddlers with ASD in everyday activities using the Early Social Interaction (ESI) model. Building on existing
infrastructure, we will infuse mobile technology using the Autism Navigator® collection of web-based courses
and tools. Families will be recruited by screening in community-based primary care and EI systems in 3 diverse
regions in 2 states: Florida and Massachusetts. In Phase 1, we will compare the effectiveness of adaptive
interventions that use MI+PSE with and without ESI in a 2-stage Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized
Trial (SMART) design on family engagement in EI, parent use of intervention strategies in everyday activities,
and child outcomes of social communication, active engagement, autism symptoms, developmental level, and
adaptive behavior. In Phase 2, we will construct an adaptive intervention to optimize the effects of MI+PSE
with ESI based on the SMART and study the feasibility of implementation in two new service systems in
California--Kaiser Permanente Healthcare System and the National Black Church Initiative. This network
brings a unique interdisciplinary team with expertise spanning early detection, maternal mental health, clinical
trials, health disparities, implementation science, and policy. Our dynamic technology platform has ambitious
dissemination aims of informing a community of change agents committed to impact at the population level.
This research network can build the capacity of community-based systems to provide earlier and widespread
access to cost-efficient, community-viable treatment and be ready for immediate and rapid implementation
across the US. Findings will advance science by providing researchers with a method for rapidly deploying
evidence-based practices, enabling research at younger ages—accelerating genetic, neuroscience, and
intervention research—and lead to transformative changes in workforce development and healthcare delivery.