Streamlining Autism Evaluations Through Educational-Medical Collaboration: Initial Evaluation of the MEDIAN Project

Abstract

As the prevalence of autism increases and identification barriers persist, particularly in rural areas, there is a growing emphasis on interagency approaches to streamline resources and address wait list concerns through innovative service delivery models. This article describes a program redesigning autism evaluation access through school and autism clinic partnerships. “Ed/Med” evaluations allow for the consideration of school eligibility for autism and a medical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in one process. Following successful implementation, the Medical and Educational Autism Interagency Network (MEDIAN) Project was created to expand Ed/Med evaluations through training, consultation, and partnerships. Fifty-three school-based providers from various disciplines participated, completing an intensive 5-day training. Significant increases in autism evaluation knowledge and skills, multicultural competence in autism assessment, and practice changes were observed. Providers developed expertise in the assessment and understanding of autistic youth through interdisciplinary, collaborative frameworks that address complex presentations. Implications for practice and future MEDIAN Project directions are discussed.