Grant Search

Families from under-resourced and under-served communities face a host of challenges in identifying developmental concern and accessing early intervention for their children. This project will partner with the Special Needs Network (SNN), a South Los Angeles parent-centered organization promoting education, early identification and treatment for under-served and low resourced families. This study will test the feasibility of a community provider-implemented early intervention by training providers in an effective modularized social communication intervention. The investigators will examine factors that influence the ability of low-income mothers to participate and adhere to an ASD intervention, and test an ASD intervention that is potentially sustainable in low-income communities. The intervention will be compared by cohorts who receive either community provider delivered intervention or expert research staff intervention. The aim is to enroll 60 parent-child dyads over the course of 3 years. Data collected pre, post treatment and 2 month follow up will measure child social-communication, play and engagement with parents, as well as parental fidelity to intervention strategies and acceptability measures. Comparable efficacy is expected in both groups, but greater satisfaction, and potential sustainability in the community provider group. This study will promote the early identification and dissemination of an empirically supported treatment (Brief- JASPER) to an ethnically-diverse and low-resourced community in South Los Angeles.