Missouri’s first best practice recommendations for ASD screening, diagnosis, and assessment are now available.

For the past year, the 42 professionals and parents of the Missouri Autism Guidelines Initiative have worked collaboratively to formulate Autism Spectrum Disorders: Missouri Best Practice Guidelines for Screening, Diagnosis, and Assessment. Knowing that children’s outcomes are greatly improved with earlier diagnosis and treatment of ASDs, the group’s goal has been to work from the most current research to facilitate these critical first steps.

Tailored specifically for Missouri clinicians, educators, service providers and families, the Guidelines are intended to help with informed decision-making regarding identification, diagnosis, and assessment for intervention planning.

The Guidelines are based on a community collaboration model which recognizes that ASDs are complex disorders that require a range of services. Missouri’s approach to providing these comprehensive services acknowledges that individuals with ASDs and their families are part of a much larger framework of ongoing services, including medical, educational, and social services, plus others such as child care and residential care. This collaboration looks differently for each family, however its primary goal remains the same: To promote the healthy development and well-being of each child and family.

Autism Spectrum Disorders: Missouri Best Practice Guidelines for Screening, Diagnosis, and Assessment is now available, both online and in print. You can download the Guidelines now or order a printed copy, along with overviews for clinicians, families and service providers and educators.