Families, please share with your physicians and therapists.
From the Washington State Health Care Authority:
Please join us on Friday, August 31, 2012, from 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm.
Cherry Street Plaza, 626 8th Ave SE, Olympia, WA in the Pear Conference Room or by webinar (https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/982438674 ).
The Health Care Authority (HCA) is inviting you to attend this meeting, either in person or via webinar, so we can share plans for our Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) program. This benefit will be available to children covered under the PEBB and Medicaid programs. Our target implementation date is January 1, 2013.
We will talk about the challenges of implementation and the need to build access.
We are in the policy development phase and would like to share our plans with you. Particularly, we want to focus on plans around establishing centers of excellence (COE) which will serve a key role in the program. Our intent is that children be screened by a primary care provider and then, when clinically indicated, referred to a COE for a comprehensive evaluation that would include: establishing a diagnosis by using proven diagnostic tools for autism, e.g. the ADOS; identifying other diagnoses and co-morbidities; conducting any other medically necessary diagnostic tests; performing an assessment that documents the identified core symptoms of autism, when applicable; and making recommendations for appropriate treatment based on any diagnosis made or conditions identified. When the diagnosis of autism is confirmed, ABA services may be one of the treatment recommendations.
In order to implement treatment recommendations that result from this comprehensive evaluation, HCA is working with licensed health care professionals who provide ABA services.
We are hoping neurologists, psychiatrists, developmental pediatricians, and other providers who have special training in the diagnosis and treatment of autism will be interested in providing services to these children. These providers can be in independent practice or be part of a multi-disciplinary setting such as an clinic, including a hospital-based clinic or a neurodevelopment center.
Developing the medical resources to perform these services is key to the success of providing these services to the children and families who could benefit. Therefore, HCA would also like to hear from providers who are interested in receiving training in using evidence-based diagnostic tools for autism and becoming more knowledgeable about the treatment of autism.
We invite you to partner with us as we move forward. We need your input in the development of this program.
Here’s to a new opportunity and partnership! Please join us for this discussion.
To attend in person:
Email carrie.gunter@hca.wa.gov (driving directions are attached).
To attend via webinar:
Please register at the link above.
NOTE: Please do not reply directly to this Listserv message as it is not monitored. If you have feedback or questions, please select one of the options at: http://hrsa.dshs.wa.gov/contact/default.aspx. Your message will be delivered to the appropriate staff member.
GK-JD