While Autism awareness has significantly improved over the years, children living in under-served areas still face challenges in accessing quality care. Many research studies have shown that African-American children, as well as Latino children, are diagnosed quite late in their lives compared to Caucasian children.
Consequences of late diagnosis
The consequences of late diagnosis include negative impacts on the child’s academic, social, and emotional development. It also leads to years of misunderstanding by the child’s family and community. Generally, there’s a lot of work to be done in providing equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for all children, especially for marginalized communities. In light of this, the UC Davis MIND Institute is taking a proactive step by participating in an initiative project to address this issue.
academic and community partnerships
With a $10 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the institute, will lead the development of academic and community partnerships focused on providing sustainable intervention services for individuals with autism. The project will involve multiple research sites, each collaborating with various community partners. One key partner is Healthy African-American Families, a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles that will serve as the central coordinating partner for this network.
Bridging the gap in support services for families who have children with autism
A major goal proposed by this project is to bridge the gap in support services for families who have children with autism, starting from the early recognition of symptoms to eventually obtaining access to other vital community services. Also, this project will specifically address the challenging and often overwhelming transitions children with autism face when moving from one environment to another. This includes helping these children transition from early intervention programs to kindergarten and from elementary school to middle school.
UC Davis MIND Institute is a reputable research hub that focuses on studying autism and many other neurodevelopmental disorders such as fragile X syndrome, chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and Down syndrome. It was founded in 1998 with a unique interdisciplinary approach, bringing together families, community leaders, researchers, clinicians, and volunteers to collaborate on researching the causes, treatments, and potential preventions and cures for these complex disorders.
The MIND Institute’s goal is to improve the lives of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and their families through cutting-edge research advancements.
Services and support for individuals with autism
At Sacramento ABA Therapy, we share this goal in that we aim to provide top-quality services and support for individuals with autism and their families in the Sacramento area. Our team of ABA therapists, behavior analysts, and other professionals works together with families and community leaders to create individualized treatment plans that address each child’s unique needs and challenges.
Through this collaboration, we strive to improve the lives of children with autism and contribute to the ongoing research efforts to understand and treat these complex disorders. For Quality Autism Diagnosis, assessment, and intervention services, don’t hesitate to contact Sacramento ABA.
