Form 001_LEND_CAAI

Attachment B

LEND Interview Guide

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CAAI Evaluation

Semi-Structured Interview Guide for LEND grantees

The purpose of this interview is to obtain information about your LEND program for the evaluation of MCHB’s Combating Autism Act Initiative. Towards that end, we will be asking you questions on five main topic areas which relate to the goals and objectives of the Combating Autism Act Initiative.

For each set of questions, we’d like you to report on your program’s activities or achievements since receipt of the Combating Autism Act Supplemental funds. Also, unless otherwise indicated, please report on activities pertaining to both ASD and other DD.

Objective I: Train professionals

One of the primary goals of the Combating Autism Act Initiative is to train professionals to use valid and reliable screening tools, to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of ASD/DD and to provide evidence-based interventions for children with a confirmed diagnosis.

We understand that this goal is also an essential part of the LEND training programs. We’d like you to tell us about some ways that the supplemental grants have impacted the training that your program provides, particularly with respect to screening and diagnosis of ASD.

First, we’d like to discuss any ways in which your program’s LEND training has changed or expanded since receiving the CAAI supplemental grant.

Has the content of the long and medium term trainees’ curriculum been modified since receipt of the supplemental grant? For example, have you incorporated any new training in the use of specific screening tools (e.g., MCHAT) or diagnostic assessments (e.g., ADOS)?

Are there any other ways in which training opportunities have changed or expanded since receiving the supplemental grant? If so, please provide one or more examples, describing the content of any new training opportunities, specific instruments covered if any, the medium for delivery and the audience reached.

What disciplines or groups of professionals have been trained in the use of valid and reliable screening and diagnostic tools through LEND? Have you seen any changes in the range of disciplines that have received such training since the supplemental grant was awarded? (Probe: if more disciplines have been targeted, how did the program begin reaching these additional disciplines?)

The next questions ask about the trainee competencies in screening and diagnosis of ASD. For these questions, we’d like you to consider only those trainees who received training in these areas.

We’ve discussed some ways that your program has been training students and professionals to accurately screen and evaluate individuals for ASD and other developmental disabilities, with the support of the supplemental grant. Are there any other ways that your LEND program has helped to increase the number of professionals who are skilled in administering valid screening tools and diagnostic assessments for ASD? (If not adequately covered yet: What specific training activities enable trainees to become proficient in screening and diagnosis?)

Has this LEND program taken any measures to assess, upon completion of training, the ability of trainees to use appropriate screening methods to identify children suspected of having an ASD, and, when indicated, refer children for a full evaluation? If yes, please describe.

Has the program taken any measures to assess, upon completion of training, the ability of trainees to perform diagnostic evaluations to confirm or rule out ASD and other developmental disabilities? If yes, please describe.

Has the program taken any measures to assess the competency of trainees who, upon completion of their training, can effectively implement evidence based interventions with children who have an ASD? If yes, please describe.

Objective II: Reduce barriers to screening and diagnosis.

Another objective of the Combating Autism Act is to reduce barriers to screening and diagnosis.

What are the major barriers to screening and diagnosis both across the nation and in your region?

Which of these barriers, if any, has your LEND program been working to address since receiving the supplemental grant?

Please describe any specific activities that your LEND program has undertaken to expand children’s access to timely and accurate screening and diagnostic services for ASD and other developmental disabilities since receiving the supplemental grant.

Probes: Has the program provided any outreach trainings aimed at improving access to early screening and diagnosis?

Have this LEND program partnered with any other agencies or groups to help promote the goal of early screening and diagnosis?

Have you been able to observe any results of those activities yet?

If not already covered:

To what extent is this LEND program reaching children from underserved populations?

Have you developed or carried out any specific plans to reduce barriers to screening and diagnosis among underserved children? If so, please describe those activities and any preliminary results you may have observed.

Does the clinical training include working with children and families from underserved populations? Are those children getting screened and evaluated for ASD by LEND faculty and/or trainees?

To what extent does your program work to recruit trainees from cultural and ethnic minority groups? Can you describe any specific efforts to ensure the diversity of your trainees?

The Combating Autism Act legislation specifies a long term goal of screening children as early as possible and conducting early, interdisciplinary evaluations to confirm or rule out ASD and other developmental disabilities in children.

What part do you think the LEND programs can play, both now and in the future, to achieve this goal of early screening and evaluation?

What current activities do you think are making the most important contribution towards realizing this goal?

Objective III: Increasing provider and trainee awareness of ASD and other developmental disabilities.

We’ve already discussed how your LEND program is training professionals to provide skilled screening and assessment for ASD and other developmental disabilities. In addition to this training, we understand that the LEND programs are committed to promoting awareness of ASD and other developmental disabilities among MCH professionals and others.

What, if any, activities has your LEND program performed to increase awareness about ASD and other developmental disabilities among MCH professionals?

Probes: What disciplines have been targeted in these awareness building efforts (e.g., practicing pediatricians aiming to get the latest evidence based information on screening, rural health care providers, social workers, educators)?

What topics/content areas did these efforts focus on (e.g., early signs and symptoms, evidence based screening tools, referral procedures)?

Has your LEND program aimed to increase ASD awareness among other groups, such as families or the general public? Please describe any particular plans or activities, and comment on any outcomes of implemented awareness building efforts.

Has your LEND program formed any partnerships or collaborations with State Title V or other agencies to provide ASD-related technical assistance or training? Please describe any outcomes of these partnerships or collaborations, in terms how they may have contributed to the goal of increasing awareness of ASD and other developmental disabilities among various interest groups (e.g., health professionals, paraprofessionals, family members, advocates, etc).

Objective IV: Contributing to research on evidence-based practices

Are any of your LEND faculty members or trainees currently involved in planning or conducting any research studies relating to ASD and related developmental disabilities, particularly with respect to evidence-based screening, diagnosis and treatment?

If yes, please describe the study or studies.

Probes: What topic or area is being investigated?

Who is doing the research?

What is the anticipated impact of the results/how might they be used (e.g., will they provide evidence about an intervention’s effectiveness? Might they contribute to evidence-based practice guidelines?)

How is the research being funded?

Objective V: Expanding leadership in the MCH field and contributing to improved systems of care for children with ASD and other DD and their families

One of the primary objectives of the LEND grants is to and leadership in the MCH field by preparing trainees to assume leadership roles.

How is your LEND program preparing its trainees to become future leaders – for example, what activities are specifically designed to provide them with the skills and knowledge they may need to assume a leadership role in the field of maternal and child health?

Are any of these activities specifically geared towards promoting leaders in autism-related work, such as research, clinical practice or program administration?

What are some ways that trainees come to demonstrate leadership?

Are there ways that your LEND program has extended its impact beyond its short, medium and long term trainees? Please explain.

Probes: If there have been collaborations between LEND and other agencies, please describe those collaborations, their intent, and any outcomes.

In what ways, if any, has your LEND program coordinated with other grantees, including State Implementation grantees, to achieve either specific goals or overall improvements in the system of care available to children with ASD/DD and their families?

Can you provide any examples of collaboration or coordination that enabled you to effectively leverage resources and achieve greater impacts than might have been possible if your program worked in isolation?