Combating Autism Act Initiative (CAAI) National Interdisciplinary Training Resource Center

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The purpose of the Combating Autism Act Initiative (CAAI) National Interdisciplinary Training Resource Center is to improve the health of infants, children, and adolescents who have, or are at risk for developing, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. The Resource Center will accomplish this by providing technical assistance to interdisciplinary training programs (such as the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) programs, and others) to better train professionals to utilize valid and reliable screening tools to diagnose or rule out and provide evidence-based interventions for children with ASD and other developmental disabilities. The National Interdisciplinary Training Resource Center will assist training grantees in accomplishing these activities and ensure coordination of CAAI projects. The goal of the CAAI projects is to enable all children to reach their full potential by developing a system of services that includes screening children early for possible ASD and other DD; conducting early, interdisciplinary, evaluations to confirm or rule out ADS and other DD; and, if a diagnosis is confirmed, providing evidence-based, early interventions. In order for interdisciplinary training grantees to effectively achieve CAAI goals, the National Interdisciplinary Training Resource Center plays a crucial role in providing technical assistance; helping training programs develop and share training models and innovations; building and sustaining partnerships with CAAI partners and service systems already serving children with ASD and other DD such as Title V programs, Part C programs, Autism Treatment Network, Learn the Signs Act Early programs, etc.; translating research into evidenced-based practice; and utilizing existing and developing new data systems to capture and report on project outcomes.

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