A Structured Interdisciplinary Assessment Framework for Autism, Treatment, and Intervention

Current autism skills assessment processes vary by provider, often follow payer requirements rather than client and family needs, and are generally completed in isolation between disciplines. This process often leads to inconclusive results, a lack of shared information between providers, and an unclear treatment trajectory. With a wide variety of practices and tools and incomplete training for individual providers, clinicians “teach to the test” without regarding the long-term functional fit of individual skills in the context of a desired destination point (e.g., a public or private school classroom). The recommendation is to provide an inclusive interdisciplinary, rather than multidisciplinary, assessment using the most valid and appropriate assessment tools focused on the client’s end destination. Emphasizing a model of value-based care, clinicians can select the tools and procedures specific to the client across a variety of therapeutic types without time constraints. These assessment tools should use contemporary technologies to enhance the accuracy and validity of the information gathered and aim to inform all providers within the scope of care for that client.