Mental Health Connection

 Care Options  Child Study Center  Cook Children’s Medical Center (Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Rehabilitation)  Easter Seals of North Texas  ECI  Hand in Hand  MHMR of Tarrant County  Texas Council on Autism  The Art Station  Parents

 Improve early identification/screening of Autism Spectrum Disorders  Identify gaps in service, especially in early identification/navigation  Collaborate/network among stakeholders to improve service delivery

 Identify gaps among key agencies  Survey conducted over 3 months ◦ N = 120* ◦ Ages 0-3 = 46.6% ◦ Ages 4-6 = 53.4%  Participants: ◦ Child Study Center = 25% ◦ Cook Children’s Medical Center (Psychology and Rehabilitation) = 49% ◦ Easter Seals = 26% *ECI of North Tarrant County (data not included)

 Who conducted the screening? ◦ PCP/Pediatrician/other MD = 35% ◦ ISD = 29.7% ◦ ECI = 21.6% ◦ Other health care provider (ex: Speech Therapists, Psychologists) = 13.5%

 Previous Treatment: ◦ Speech Therapy = 45% ◦ Occupational Therapy = 25% ◦ ABA = 7% ◦ Physical Therapy = 6% ◦ PPCD = 4% ◦ Medication = 4% ◦ Counseling = 2% ◦ Social Skills Group = 2% ◦ ECI (non specified) = 2% ◦ Equine Therapy = 2% ◦ Unknown = 2%

 HIPPA restrictions  2 months data collection  184 cases of suspected ASD identified  Distribution across Tarrant County: ◦ Fort Worth = 22.5% ◦ N/NE Tarrant = 26.25% ◦ South = 10% ◦ West/NW = 16.25% ◦ East/SE = 25%

 Exit from ECI system  Too few Medicaid providers (Speech, ABA, psychologists)  System navigation

 Pilot program for adults  TEA  DADS/DARS  Autism Resource Center  CSC  ECI  Fewer services in southern part of Tarrant County  Navigator