ECHO Autism: Bringing Best Autism Care to Primary

Care

Kristin Sohl, MD, Micah Mazurek, PhD, Alicia Curran, BS,

Rachel Brown, MBBS, Sheila Chapman, RD, Jennifer Hallman, MSW
University of Missouri-Columbia

Purpose

ECHO Autism Hub

Increase access to comprehensive medical care for

children with ASD in underserved communities

Increase Primary Care Providers (PCP) self-efficacy with

identification of ASD symptoms in children between 12
months and 18 years
Increase PCP self-efficacy in assessing and treating
common medical and psychiatric comorbidities in children
with autism

ECHO Autism Structure

Biweekly 2 hour clinic

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Mentor PCPs in underserved communities to provide best

practice autism care
Apply well-established Project ECHO model to Autism
Spectrum Disorder

Project ECHO Model

The ECHO model:

Uses video conferencing technology
De-monopolizes specialists knowledge by creating
learning loops for providers to share knowledge and best
practices through hub (expert team) and spoke (PCP)
collaboration
Exponentially increasing clinical capacity at the community
level
Reshapes care delivery and quality by moving knowledge
not patients

ECHO Autism in Missouri

based on county population

Project ECHO originated at the University of New Mexico with Dr.

Sanjeev Arora and his work with improving care for Hepatitis C patients.

Partners
Thank you to the Missouri Telehealth Network and Project ECHO for the support
and partnership. In addition, thank you to the ECHO Autism participating providers.

Collaborating with the ATN

To obtain access to the ATN Custom Forms or for information on
collaborative research activities, please go to: www.asatn.org

Working collaboratively
across North America,
to address the physical
health of children and
adolescents
with

autism.
Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrician
Clinical Child Psychologist
Child /Adolescent Psychiatrist
Pediatric Dietician
Family Resource Navigator
Parent Partner/Educator

ECHO Autism
Hub Team
ECHO Autism
Spoke Site

Introductions
PCP Case #1
Didactic
PCP Case #2
Wrap Up

. PCPs share clinical cases from their practices with the

hub team and others for next steps recommendations
. 15-20 minute high yield didactic related to screening,
diagnosis, medical and psychiatric co-occurring
conditions, resources, and family-centered care

Value
Builds local capacity
Increases access to care for individuals with autism in
underserved communities
Fosters earlier diagnosis and earlier access to intervention
Reduces costs to families (travel, missed work)
Reduces wait for specialty care services
Improves retention of rural health care providers through
ECHO learning community
No-cost continuing medical education credits

Acknowledgements
This Network activity was supported by Autism Speaks and cooperative agreement UA3 MC11054 through the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health
Research Program to the Massachusetts General Hospital. This work was conducted through the Autism Speaks Autism
Treatment Network. Support from Wellcare and the Sears Trust supports this work.