Refining and Implementing Technology-Enhanced Family Navigation to Promote Early Access and Engagement With Mental Health Services for Youth With Autism

Refining and Implementing Technology-Enhanced Family Navigation to Promote Early Access and Engagement With Mental Health Services for Youth With Autism

This project, Refining and Implementing Technology-Enhanced Family Navigation to Promote Early Access and Engagement with Mental Health Services for Youth with Autism (ATTAIN NAV) is focused on adapting and implementing family navigation in primary care settings to help accelerate and facilitate engagement in mental health and community services for children with autism and their families.

Efficient and effective access to and engagement with evidence-based mental health (MH) services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is critically needed but requires a tailored approach. This project is critical in establishing integrated and sustainable local capacity to provide evidence-based MH care for children (ages 4-16 years) with ASD+ (i.e., children with ASD and co-occurring psychiatric disorders). Specifically, the overarching goal of this mixed methods proposal is to collaboratively adapt Family Navigation (FN) content, navigator activities and training for children with ASD+, identify and design technology enhancements to FN that will target key mechanisms to impact implementation, service and clinical outcomes, key interrelated outcomes for implementation research. The research team will leverage existing partnerships with primary care practices and lay health worker organizations in San Diego County to establish a community-academic partnership that will guide adaptations to FN for children with ASD+ (Aim 1), co-design of the navigator-facing technology enhancements (Aim 2) and trial the adapted and technology-enhanced FN (Aim 3).

Inclusion Criteria:

Inclusion Criteria for Primary Care Providers

1. Employed as staff at participating primary care practice
2. Experience providing primary care to children with ASD
3. For Aim 3 only: Has at least five eligible children on current caseload

Inclusion Criteria for Child/Caregiver Participants (Aim 3 only)

1. Child age 4-16 years.
2. Child has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder documented in medical chart.
3. Child is receiving primary care at a participating primary care practice.
4. Child screens in the clinically significant range on the Pediatric Symptom Checklist at baseline.
5. Speaks English or Spanish.
6. Caregiver of an eligible child.