Funded Projects

Children with autism and other developmental disabilities (ASD/DD), and their families need culturally and linguistically competent MCH leaders to address health disparities, workforce shortage, and design and deliver effective, family-centered interventions in coordinated systems of care.

Goals and Objectives:

CO DBP will prepare trainees and fellows (T/Fs) from diverse disciplines and backgrounds with leadership and specialized clinical skills to improve the wellbeing of children with/at risk for ASD/DD and their families, each of 5 years (2018-23) through annual objectives to: A) Train 3 to 4 diverse long-term DBP fellows, and at least 50 medium- & 50 short-term (M/STs) in a comprehensive curriculum in leadership, ASD/DD concepts, clinical preparation; B) Enhance MCH workforce with at least 12 continuing and 30 community education (CE) events to at least 525 recipients and deliver technical assistance (TA) to support ASD/DD systems of care in 20 activities to 10 entities; C) Conduct at least 6 active research investigations to understand and treat children and youth with ASD/DD and their families.

Methodology:

LT/Fs (primarily DBP fellows and post-doctoral students) will have more than 300 contact hours, take core leadership & ASD/DD didactic courses, DBP core curriculum, clinical care in academic and community setting, research didactics and development of scholarly product each year. M/STs have ASD/DD didactic &/or practicum exposure. CE & TA needs are identified & addressed by faculty & LT/Fs collaborating with state, regional & national partners, focusing on ASD/DD teaching, clinical care, and research. HP 2020 OBJECTIVES: Disability... (DH-5,13,14,18, 20); Access... (AHS-5.2); Health Comm. (HC/HIT 2.1-2.4; HC/HIT 3-4); Hearing... (ENT-VSL-21); Maternal, Infant, and Child Health (MICH-29.1-.5, MICH-30.1-.2, MICH-31.1-.2); Mental Health... (MHMD-6); Early/Middle Child... (EMC-2.4, EMC-3); Social Determinants DH-17, 20, AHS-1.1, 3, 5.1, 6.1, EMC-2.2.

Coordination:

CO DBP collaborates, for example: a) JFK Partners, (CO LEND); CO School of Public Health, CO's CDPHE Title V, Dept. of Human Services., Medical Home, Part C, Dept. of Education, the CO Developmental Disabilities Council, Disability Law Colorado, ARC of CO, El Grupo VIDA, Parents Educating Parents, b) Regionally and nationally, with: AUCD, CDC, Utah Regional LEND, PacWest LEND, National Fragile X.

Evaluation:

DBP Protocol: a) Supports program delivery/quality improvement, reporting, and outcome documentation via data collection, trainee assessments, current & former trainee & advisory input, o planning, graduate surveys of MCH service & leadership, and CE & TA feedback; and, b) is responsive to emergent needs and evolving HRSA/MCHB requirements. ANNOTATION: CO DBP trains interdisciplinary MCH professionals for leadership; ASD/DD assessments, interventions, and research skills; strengthens skills of the MCH workforce; and expand the evidence base on ASD/DD and other special needs within a Life Course framework.