CHSU Discovery

Abstract

Though early detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been shown to improve outcomes, families can face extraordinarily long wait times for an ASD evaluation. The average delay between developmental screening and ASD diagnosis was found to be over 2 years.  Children who are from families of Color, whose families are lowincome, and/or who live rurally have been shown to encounter longer wait times and have more unmet care needs. The stress on parents in managing the wait is widely reported, and the effects of this stress can extend to their children, potentially leading to the development of poor parent-child relationships and adverse child health outcomes. Various interventions have been created to address this gap in care, but fail to address the time constraints of busy parents, internet literacy, and families without a diagnosis. Fresno County, California is an area that faces significant disparities, including a third of children being in poverty and 39% of adults at basic reading proficiency or less. Many Fresno residents struggle with access to comprehensive, quality healthcare services.