Background

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/ National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) are partnering to fund up to ten Act Early Ambassadors. The objectives of the project are to (1) promote the Learn the Signs. Act Early campaign to improve early identification of autism and other developmental disabilities, (2) promote the Autism Case Training: A Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Curriculum, and (3) serve as a liaison with Act Early teams.

CDCs Learn the Signs. Act Early. (LTSAE) program aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities. The Act Early Initiative, a collaborative effort between CDC, AUCD, and HRSA, seeks to improve collaboration among state programs that identify and serve young children with developmental disabilities and their families. CDC and HRSA work collaboratively on a variety of programs focused on early identification of young children. CDC, AUCD, and HRSA, convened Act Early regional summits in all 10 HHS regions from 2007-2010. Act Early teams developed state plans at these summits and have initiated implementation of state plan activities. Act Early teams are engaged in public awareness, education and training, collaboration, and advocacy at the state and local level.

The Act Early Ambassador project is a one year pilot that will begin June 2011. Fauzia Malik, Program Manager for Envision NMand CDDs joint project , the Developmental Screening Initiative (DSI), has been selected as an Act Early Ambassador. Ten other Act Early Ambassadors have been selected with a maximum of one award per state.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to develop a network of state-level experts to expand the reach of Learn the Signs. Act Early. (LTSAE) campaign activities as well as support ongoing state awareness activities and improvement of early identification practices.

Project Activities

Act Early Ambassadors will work with a network of state leaders, the national LTSAE program, MCH, AUCD, and Act Early teams to support national, state and local activities. Ambassadors will work with programs that serve young children and their parents, such as Head Start and Early Head Start, WIC, home visiting, healthcare and child care professionals, and others, to improve early identification of developmental delays, collaborate with state agencies and campaign partners to improve policy and programs for early identification and promote the CDC-MCHB Autism Case Training (ACT): A Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Curriculum. This case-based facilitated curriculum is designed to teach pediatric residents and other trainees about autism identification, diagnosis, and treatment.