Autism

Together, we can create life changing outcomes. 

The Henry Ford Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities (CADD) is a world-class center committed to improving the lives of children and youth with special health care needs by providing:

• Comprehensive and accessible diagnostic evaluation
• Evidence-based ABA therapy services
• Medical home standard of primary care
• Equitable and culturally responsive quality improvement and innovation
• Comprehensive education and training for medical professionals

Quality Improvement

The patient experience is an integral component of healthcare quality and includes several aspects of healthcare delivery that patients value highly when they seek and receive care. CADD partnered with Press Guaney to create the first ever autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnostic, feedback and therapy patient experience surveys. Together, we’re measuring the clinical experience, individual provider’s communication and CADD’s ability to meet the unique needs of each family. Our goal is to use these surveys to drive change and achieve better, more equitable health outcomes.

Education

The CADD elective for medical students and medical residents launched in spring 2023. CADD learners completing this elective gain an interdisciplinary understanding and confidence in the identification, evaluation and comprehensive management of children with ASD. This elective leverages experiences from a medical home approach to primary care for children with special healthcare needs. This approach to primary care includes addressing the healthcare transition and the social determinants of health to promote health equity and improve health outcomes.

If you have a concern about your child’s development, please schedule an appointment with your child’s doctor. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that all children be screen for ASD at ages 18 and 24 months. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers- R/F is the mostly used ASD screening tool and can be used anytime there is a concern for ASD between 16 and 30 months of age.

Research

Accessing early intervention services for autism before age three can lead to improved developmental progress for both language and cognition. Unfortunately, barriers during the screening, referral, and diagnostic process can lead to delays, inaccuracies, and inequities in receiving a diagnosis and accessing autism specific care. Thanks to an award from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, obtained by Drs. Melissa Maye and Tisa Johnson-Hooper, five Henry Ford Health Pediatric clinics will receive resources and supports to address many of these associated barriers and assess whether this strategy works to increase access, accuracy and equity of universal autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening. For more information on this pilot, please contact AutismResearch@hfhs.org.