Increasing Access to Evidence-based Practices for Latino Families of Children with Autism: Development of the Embajadora Training and Outreach Program - Recent CDC estimates put autism’s prevalence at about 1 in 36 among children up to age 8. Despite clear evidence that early intervention produces the best outcomes, Latino children have historically been diagnosed much later than White non-Latino children, they are less likely to receive early intervention after a diagnosis, and their parents report difficulties navigating services. The Kansas Family Service Center (KFSC) provides tiered support for families of children with developmental disabilities, including the Online and Applied System of Intervention Services - Latino (OASIS-L), a structured tier 3 telehealth coaching program for Latino parents of young children with autism. However, similar to national trends, uptake of KFSC services and other autism treatments has been limited within the Latino community. Therefore, in partnership with local Latino outreach programs and stakeholders, the goal of this project is to develop the Embajadora (Ambassador) outreach program to improve dissemination of information about autism symptoms, diagnostic resources and evidence-based practices targeted to the Latino community, and to examine the cultural responsiveness of parent resources, including OASIS-L. The objectives are to 1) Develop the Embajadora program in collaboration with Latino partners and community members, 2) Refine the program for use by Latino parents and service providers who serve Latino families through feasibility testing, and 3) Conduct a pilot study of the effects of the Embajadora program on Latino families’ access to services and self-efficacy in supporting their child with autism. Products will be the Embajadora program, more culturally responsive parent support resources, and data to support its efficacy. Additionally, this project will provide generalizable information to the field about effective dissemination strategies for the Latino community to increase knowledge about evidence-based practices, and reduce treatment disparities for Latino families with children with autism.
