Background
autism spectrum disorder, ASD, chronic diseases
DISEASE, CHRONIC DISEASES
Significant racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities exist in access to diagnostic evaluations and behavioral interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data report found that in the United States Black children with ASD were less likely than White children to have a diagnostic evaluation by age 36 months, suggesting that Black children experience delays in ASD diagnosis and therefore delayed access to ASD-specific services [Targeted interventions are needed to reduce health disparities and improve long-term outcomes in obtaining access to diagnostic and treatment services for low-income, and racially and ethnically underserved children. Family Navigation (FN) is one such intervention. Emerging from principles of patient navigation for patients with chronic diseases [The current study was part of the implementation evaluation of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of FN for improving access to diagnostic services and treatment for young children referred for an ASD evaluation to their health system’s Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic [As evidence-based practices (EBPs) such as FN are disseminated and scaled-up, modifications to increase fit to specific populations or contexts are frequently made – both as adaptations, which are purposeful and planned, and as unplanned changes that occur naturally in response to challenges during implementation [To best adapt FN to maximize effectiveness for low-income, racially and ethnically underserved families with children with ASD, stakeholder perspectives must continue to be taken into consideration [